Bord Bia has appointed Conor O’Sullivan to the role of UK market manager, with the appointee bringing experience in Chinese markets to his new post in London.

The UK remains Ireland’s largest export destination for food and drink, taking in €5.6bn worth of shipments from the sector last year.

The new appointee started out his career in Beijing on Enterprise Ireland’s graduate programme, providing market advice for Irish small- and medium-sized enterprises in China.

ADVERTISEMENT

He went on to join Bord Bia as a market specialist in Shanghai with a focus on launching Irish beef into the Chinese market and on promotional strategies for Irish pigmeat.

O’Sullivan was promoted to Bord Bia China market manager in 2020, leading the agency’s team in Shanghai.

Bord Bia director of global business development Shane Hamill stated that O’Sullivan brings “exceptional leadership and strategic insight” to the role having navigated the agency’s China office through the impacts of COVID-19.

Relationship skills

“Over the past five years in Shanghai, Conor has consistently leveraged his strong relationships skills and strategic insight to keep Bord Bia relevant and impactful in a famously fast-moving and complex market,” Hamill commented.

“In the UK, Conor will leverage Origin Green in customer interactions to safeguard Ireland’s global reputation and competitive advantage as a producer of quality sustainable food.”

O’Sullivan signalled that he will be joining Bord Bia’s London team at a “critical time for Irish food and drink exports”.

“Over the last decade, it has been immensely rewarding to play a part in the growth of Ireland's incredible food and drink industry in Asia,” he said.

“I'm excited to continue doing so in Ireland’s largest export market. The interconnectivity of the UK and Irish food and drink industries is unmatched.”

The new appointee said he will support collaboration with Bord Bia’s retail, food service, manufacturing and wholesale partners across the UK.