Name: Paul Gilsenan

IJCC Position: President 

From: Ireland

Industry: Property

About: As a FAS overseas graduate program participant in 2001 with a position in Fujikin (Corporate member of the IJCC), I've adopted Japan as my home for the last 16 years.

I am currently the Property Leader for a multinational technology company in Japan. In this role, I manage all stages of the real estate lifecycle and service providers, fulfill business needs for space (acquisition, renewal, expansion, relocation, disposition, subleasing, etc.), monitor and ensure legal compliance, continually focus on data improvement/system utilization and drive ongoing communication with key business stakeholders.

Before joining my current company, I was the Property Leader for GE and before that I was the Executive Director of CBRE's Asset Services Business in Japan. In this role, I was responsible for developing and implementing Client Solutions and Strategy across CBRE's Asset Management and Property management businesses.

A seasoned professional in infrastructure management, I have overseen projects in the agricultural, electronics manufacturing, financial services, and petrochemicals industries throughout the Asia/Pacific region.  I have extensive commercial real estate experience across both the supplier and client side of the business, giving me a unique perspective of the advantages to be gained through successful partnerships. As an end-user, I have delivered new office, office relocation and portfolio consolidation projects, and I've been responsible for property acquisition, office design, construction and site mobilization.

Name: Yoshihiro Tsuchiya

IJCC Position: Vice-President

From: Japan

Industry: Insurance

About: n/a

Name: Eamonn Murphy

IJCC Position: Director

From: Dublin, Ireland

Industry: Technology

About: I’m originally from Dublin, Ireland.

My career first brought me to Japan in 2013. My company, at the time, had its Japan headquarters in Yokohama. I've spent my 20-year career working for multinationals in the Information Technology sector.

Since 2014, I’ve been a Program Manager with Rakuten. Based in Tokyo, I help Rakuten expand their e-commerce services to European and North American markets.

When I first moved to Japan, the IJCC were of great assistance to me – providing contacts, advice, encouragement and a support network. I'm excited for the future of Ireland Japan business relations. We have plenty to look forward to - the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and Japan, the Rugby World Cup & the Olympics.  Business activity between the two countries continues to go from strength to strength.

Name: Philip Greenan

IJCC Position: Director

From: Monaghan, Ireland

Industry: IT

About: As a 30+ year resident of Tokyo, involved in business (mostly technical, in mobile technology area) my experiences include: courting, marrying, fathering, rearing two bilingual Irish-Japanese children, have bought several residential properties (for my own use), working for large and small companies, and starting my own small business. 

Specifically, I`ve spent the last 20 years in the mobile infrastructure industry, selling mainly software solutions to the large Japanese mobile operators – NTT Docomo, KDDI and Softbank. The last 8 years have been my company providing business development services mainly to Irish technology firms entering and growing in the Japanese market, coupled with a software development business providing customized software solutions to KDDI and Softbank in the areas of charging, messaging and roaming.

In the chamber, my focus is on planning events. From networking opportunities with the American and British chambers to guest speaker events to Spring and Autumn golf outings.

If you think I can be of some assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Name: Tamaki Hashimoto

IJCC Position: Director

From: Tokyo, Japan

Industry: Hotels

About: I’ve been in the logistics business for more than 30 years. In 2015 I joined Toyoko-Inn. Toyoko-inn was built based on the fundamental concept of a “Modern, Japanese-style inns located near railway stations.” And we provide hotels with “cleanliness, reliability and reasonable rate.” We accept internships from Limerick University, Ireland every year since 2014.

Since 2015 I’ve been with Toyoko-inn Economy Hotel Planning & Development Co. Ltd as a Director, Toyoko-inn UK Ltd as a Director and 2016 Toyoko-inn International Ltd. in Ireland as a Director. My target is to build a Toyoko-inn Hotel in Dublin.

Name: John Blakeney

IJCC Position: Treasurer

From: Dublin, Ireland

Industry: Professional Services

About: I have a long-standing relationship with Japan (I have childhood friends from Japan), and I first came here as a JET Programme participant in 2006, when I was placed in Kyoto Prefecture, and subsequently spent another few years studying for a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning at the University of Tokyo under a Japanese Government scholarship scheme. I then trained as an accountant in the audit practice with EY in Dublin serving large indigenous and multinational clients across a range of sectors.

Since 2017 I have worked with EY ShinNihon in the Capital Markets Group with a broad scope of work including supporting clients with international debt and equity offerings, implementing audit quality initiatives for US audit clients and Japanese foreign private issuers in the US, providing technical accounting guidance for US GAAP, and addressing regulatory matters for clients and the EY ShinNihon firm. I am delighted to have the opportunity to serve as Treasurer of the Chamber and hope that my experiences and network here will help me contribute to the Chamber and Ireland-Japan business relations.

Name: Andy O’Doherty

IJCC Position: Director

From: Wicklow, Ireland

Industry: Foodservice/Manufacturing/Logistics

About: I came to Japan in 2004, and after spending several years in Mie Prefecture and Tokyo, I moved to Osaka in 2013 to join a new Irish company setting up in Japan. IJCC members were able to give plenty of invaluable advice as we established our Office and Warehouse. After setting up ground operations here with our Dublin team, I moved to take up Japan General Manager role in 2014. I'm very happy to discuss my experiences of setting up a business in Japan to anyone facing a similar challenge.

My main role in the IJCC is the board member with responsibility for Kansai. We have fewer members than the Tokyo area, but we keep active with an Annual Dinner, some smaller events and sharing of information.

Name: Elliot Milton

IJCC Position: Director

From: Dublin, Ireland

Industry: Aircraft Leasing 

About: I loved Japan so much that 1.5 years studying here as a postgrad and 4 years as a diplomat with the Irish Embassy was not enough for me and I am now back since October 2016 in my third Japanese iteration, working for the Dublin-headquartered SMBC Aviation Capital. The company is one of the largest aircraft leasing companies in the world and was bought from RBS in 2012 by a consortium of SMBC bank and Sumitomo Corporation. Ireland is the leading centre in the world for aircraft leasing, with approximately half of all leased aircraft managed from there. My specific role with the company in Japan is to market our on-lease aircraft for sale to Japanese investors.

During my time with the embassy, I was very involved with the Chamber and am delighted to have this opportunity to work on the Board. Originally from Clare and then Dublin, I consider myself a proud Irishman and European and look forward to helping the Chamber develop and grow further and be an important part of the Irish-Japanese relationship.

Name: Robert Nestor

IJCC Position: Non-Voting Board Member

From: Limerick, Ireland

Industry: Government

About: I worked in Sales and Marketing in the Electronics Component Industry in Japan since October 2003. In June 2017, I joined IDA Ireland in Tokyo with responsibility for promoting and attracting Foreign Direct Investment from Japan into Ireland, by helping companies to expand and internationalize from Ireland.

Focus Business Sectors include ICT (Information, Communication & Technology), CCBS (Content, Consumer & Business Support) and Life Sciences industries.

Name: Richard Grehan

IJCC Position: Director 

From: Belfast, Ireland

Industry: Branding and Film Production

About: I've been working as a creative director in advertising and branding for over 20 years spanning the globe from London to Johannesburg and now Tokyo, picking up some awards on the way. I founded imageMILL the first ethical and sustainable branding company in Japan, creating high-end advertising and branding for some of the biggest and smallest brands in the world. We focus on branded journalism as a new form of advertising and communication. Whether working in print, digital or film we create inspiring brand stories that resonate with the targeted consumer and create meaning for the brand.

We act as a bridge between Western and Japanese communication, helping international companies customize their communications for the Japanese market and in return helping Japanese companies learn and leverage design and marketing principals from the west.

Personally, I'm a peace and sustainable life activist dedicated to promoting non-violence and preventing abuse; human, animal and environmental. Deeply committed to corporate social responsibility and the next generation of social business. We have a long history of Pro Bono work for NGOs and charities such as UNICEF, Greenpeace, Amnesty International and Peace Boat.

At the IJCC, I plan to update and renew the brand image of the IJCC, which started with the new logo and then the redesign of the website, then extending into the different events and overall public profile of the chamber. At the same time, I hope to guide the chamber to engage effectively with sustainability and ethics.

Name: Patrick O’Riordan 

IJCC Position: Non-voting Board Member

From: Co. Limerick, Ireland

Industry: International Trade Development

About: Representative Director for Enterprise Ireland in North Asia (Japan & Korea).  Enterprise Ireland is the Irish state agency charged with the responsibility to support ambitious Irish companies to start, grow and scale in global markets.

Resident in Tokyo since 2015 with prior assignments with Enterprise Ireland in Singapore and India.  MSc Business Graduate NUI Galway.  Married to Mizue with one son.

The IJCC is a valued partner to Enterprise Ireland in Japan with one of our shared objectives being to stimulate & support new business activity between Ireland and Japan.