Colin Moran, CEO Delegate, Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland

Colin Moran is the CEO Delegate at the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI), the state-owned development bank that supports the provision of lower cost and more flexible debt funding to Irish SMEs.

Since its foundation in 2014, the SBCI has supported lending of over €4.2bn to over 68,000 Irish SMEs through its on-lending partners which include a wide range both bank and alternative on-lenders.  

Prior to joining the SBCI in 2022, Colin spent over 20 years working for Bank of Ireland in a range of senior positions across its Corporate Banking, Business Banking and Asset Finance divisions.  

Katherine Byrne, Head of Deal Advisory, BDO Ireland

Katherine is Head of Deal Advisory in BDO Ireland and member of BDO International M&A Group. She has specialised in this area for over 20 years, having previously qualified as a Chartered Accountant in our Business Assurance & Advisory department. Katherine is also a member of BDO Global Private Equity Group and the Financial Services Steering Group. 

Katherine has built up considerable experience advising public and private companies on mergers, acquisitions, disposals equity capital raising, finance options as well as advising management teams on management buy-outs (MBO). 

Katherine has considerable experience as a strategic advisor to companies on business planning and diversification strategies. She has supported entrepreneurs and ambitious companies across a broad range of sectors, advising key stakeholders on their growth plans and assisting in raising funding for the development of their business internationally. She has also been very active in sales of Irish mid-market companies to international trade and private equity buyers and has extensive experience in preparing companies for the sales process. 

Katherine is a Law Graduate from UCD and is a Fellow Chartered Accountant. She also holds a Certificate in Sustainability Strategy Risk and Reporting from Chartered Accountants Ireland. 


Brian Walley, Head of Business Banking, Bank of Ireland

Brian Walley is currently the Head of New Business Origination in Business Banking at the Bank of Ireland, a position they have held since 2022. They previously served as a Relationship Director in Corporate Banking at Ulster Bank from 2016 to 2019 and as a General Manager at Castle King Services Ireland from 2015 to 2016. Brian's career began with the Bank of Ireland, where they worked in various roles including Corporate Banking and Senior Business Manager, with credit management and people management responsibilities. Brian holds multiple degrees, including a BSc in Business Information Systems from University College Cork and qualifications in direct and indirect tax from the Irish Taxation Institute.