Brand Forum member companies can avail of 16 hours one-to-one project assistance from the following mentors. This is part of the membership fee, with no additional cost to the companies. However the mentoring is subject to De Minimis. The mentoring is designed to assit you with development of your brand strategy.
To avail of this service, please contact Paula at Brandforum@bordbia.ie.
Bord Bia’s Brand Forum Mentoring Panel
Siobhan Collins
Siobhán Collins has over 20 years experience in the food industry having held a wide variety of positions from Brand Manager to Trade Marketing Manager to Marketing Manager and Commercial Strategy Manager including responsibility for brands in international markets. Having been a client for so long in such a diverse range of roles she can readily understand companies’ needs and empathise with the issues they face.
Siobhán’s particular area of expertise is in the area of branding having worked with some of Ireland’s iconic brands including Cadbury, Jacob’s, Bolands, Maynards, Flahavans, Goodfellas, Olhausens and newer brands such as Brodericks. Her clients include established brands and smaller emerging brands. Her experience includes new brand launches, brand renovation, brand franchising and channel strategies including foodservice as well as international market experience.
Valerie Rice
Valerie Rice has worked at board level in a range of food, drink and retail businesses such as Guinness Ireland, Diageo and Superquinn. Valerie’s proven expertise is based on firsthand experience in senior positions, providing her with a deep understanding of the marketing and sales challenges faced by businesses in today’s competitive marketplace.
As former Marketing Director for Superquinn she led the development of the brand post sale and has worked on brands such as Guinness, Baileys, Boru Vodka and Smirnoff. This has given her a unique combination of consumer insight combined with a pragmatic understanding of what it takes to build a successful business.
Valerie set up Valerie Rice & Associates in 2008 and works with clients such as Glanbia, Dawn Farm Foods, Heineken, Santa Rita Wine Company and Bulmers as well as growing food brands like Donnelly Fresh Foods, Cooleeney Cheese and Burren Smokehouse.
Aisling Roche
Aisling Roche is the founder and director of ARMS Marketing & Training.
She is at mentor to a wide range of Irish food companies, and has been lecturing in marketing at the UCD School of Business for the past twelve years. Before founding ARMS Marketing & Training Aisling held a variety of international marketing and communications roles with companies such as HJ Heinz, Ogilvy and Bord Bia living and working in Italy France and Ireland.
Some of the food companies Aisling has recently worked with on brand
development and marketing projects include: Greenfield Foods, Oliver Carty Meats, Gilligan Meats, Keans Butchers, Lamb Direct, Flemings Seafoods, Breizon Seafoods, Achill Island Turbot, Sexton Seafoods, Aran Gourmet, Riverview Eggs, Kerrigan's Mushrooms, Aines Chocolates and Corrry's Food Hall & Cafe.