Thomas Hunter McGowan
Thomas joined InterTradeIreland in 2012 as Chief Executive Officer and is based at the InterTradeIreland offices in Newry. InterTradeIreland works with local businesses to help them maximise opportunities across the island and through its activities improve competitiveness, generate economic growth and create sustainable, quality jobs in both jurisdictions through increased levels of North/South trade and co-operation on innovation and business development opportunities.
Prior to this appointment he worked for a short period in local government but is best known for successfully running Swansea Cork Ferries Ltd as Managing Director for eighteen years. Swansea Cork Ferries Ltd . carried over 3 million passengers, employed 200 people directly and supported 600 jobs in the South West Region equivalent to an annual support of €35 million to the region. He was a board member of the Cork Chamber of Commerce and served for two terms on the board of Chambers Ireland. He was also a board member on a number of public, private and voluntary bodies in Ireland. He is a director of the Riverbank Arts Centre Ltd, a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for British-Irish Studies, a member of the North South CEO Pensions Committee, and a forum member of the ESRI.
Thomas is an Honours Commerce graduate of University College Dublin and holds a Masters of Commerce from University College Cork. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators.