2. Thank you for your interest in the US–NI Mentorship Program. I established this
program with the support of The American Ireland Fund when I served as US
Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland. The program was designed to provide young
people from Northern Ireland with the opportunity to work in the United States
and gain valuable experience in a US corporate environment.
From September 2009 until May 2011, I had the privilege of serving as the
US Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland. In that role, my office worked to
increase economic opportunities between the US and Northern Ireland, and to
develop programs that would have a long-term impact on the region. One of
the first things I discovered about Northern Ireland was the strength of the
region’s incredible young people. Northern Ireland’s universities produce some
of the highest quality graduates anywhere in the world, and these graduates
play a key role in attracting foreign direct investment to the region.
When I stepped down as Envoy, I was anxious to continue to support and fund the Mentorship Program
in a personal capacity. Feedback on the program from both participants and host companies continues to be
exceptionally positive and I am pleased to report that many of the world’s leading corporations have signed
up for the program again for 2012.
The program selects top graduates from across Northern Ireland and places them in US corporations for a
one-year work period. The graduates are individuals who have demonstrated academic promise and have
shown an interest in developing entrepreneurship and management skills.
The goal of the program is for the participants to be able to return to Northern Ireland with the skills and
experience to start businesses and become business leaders in their communities. Having had the opportunity
to meet with many of the participants in the first year of the program, I can tell you that they will be well
prepared to return and invest in the future of Northern Ireland.
Message from Declan Kelly
The US–NI Mentorship Program participants meet with Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Rt. Hon Peter Robinson MLA and
Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness MP, MLA, and Kieran McLoughlin, President and CEO, The Worldwide Ireland Funds,
during their recent visit to New York.
US–NI Mentorship Program 18/06/2012 11:51 Page B
3. Robert McCann
CEO of UBS Wealth Management Americas
Chairman, Mentorship Program Steering Committee (US)
‘I became involved with the mentorship program because I believe it will
provide a great opportunity for young people in Northern Ireland to gain
valuable business experience. The companies participating in the program
are all world-class organizations, and I have no doubt that the mentorship
program will help produce business leaders for Northern Ireland.’
Joanne Stuart OBE
Director Northern Ireland Science Park
Chairman, Mentorship Program Steering Committee (NI)
‘The opportunity to spend a year working in the US and interacting with a
different culture will undoubtedly stand to the participants for the rest of their
future careers. I look forward to watching these young achievers continue to
enjoy great business success when they return to Northern Ireland.’
Loretta Brennan Glucksman
Chairman of The American Ireland Fund
‘The American Ireland Fund is committed to helping Northern Ireland reap
the benefits of a lasting peace. Through our participation in the mentorship
program, we are working to provide young people across the region with
business experience that will allow them to return to Northern Ireland as
leaders that can help further transform the region.’
We gratefully acknowledge support from participating companies:
Allstate Almac
AXA Equitable Bank of America
Coca Cola Cowen Group
Credit Suisse HBO
HSBC Keefe Bruyette & Woods
KPMG Moët Hennessy
New York E-Health Collaborative PwC
Sesame Workshop Targus Info
Teneo UBS
Program Leadership
US–NI Mentorship Program 18/06/2012 11:51 Page 1
4. PwC has supported the US–NI Mentorship Program
since its inception in June 2010 and thus far has
hosted 3 candidates in the Banking and Capital
Markets practice within their Assurance business.
Rob MacGoey is a prominent member of the AIF
Young Leaders and has been actively involved in
PwC’s participation in the US–NI Mentorship Program.
Rob’s experience to date with the program has been
very rewarding and has resulted in PwC permanently
employing a US–NI Mentorship Program candidate,
Emily Gaston, and continuing to commit to the
program – welcoming two more participants;
Conall Burns and Bryan Henderson to PwC this year.
Demonstrating the success the program has
had amongst its host companies, Rob has stated
that the caliber of the candidates on the program
has been exceptional and PwC’s New York teams
have been greatly enriched by the addition of
US–NI Mentorship Program participants. Through
their participation, host companies have been
exposed to highly educated individuals with the
passion and drive to embark on an international
position to further both their career and ambition
in representing Northern Ireland as an attractive
location for business development.
Emily Gaston who commenced work at PwC in
December 2010, is testament to the benefits the
US–NI Mentorship Program can create for host
companies. From the outset, Emily has embraced
her challenging role by gaining a strong knowledge
of capital markets. Emily has proved popular with
both her clients and peers by impressing them with
her high standards of work, dedication and above
all her positive attitude. Emily is currently sitting her
CPA (Certified Public Accountant) exams in which
she hopes to complete by the end of 2012.
Emily’s success is an example of what strong
players within the US–NI Mentorship Program can
help achieve. Rob proved to be an invaluable source
of advice and support, not only to Emily but also to
the other participants of the US–NI Mentorship
Program. Rob’s commitment to The American Ireland
Fund and other philanthropic activities has created a
positive role model for the participants. In following
this role, Emily has found herself acting as a mentor
to the second round of candidates, a role in which she
hopes to continue in the coming years.
PwC hosted the US–NI Mentorship Program
graduation in November 2012 and will be
participating in the program for 2013 and 2014.
The US–NI Mentorship Program is exceptionally
grateful to the ongoing support from PwC and for
Rob’s personal commitment to the program.
The full circle of mentoring –
PwC plays a pivotal role
Emily Gaston addressing the attendees at the 2011
US–NI Mentorship Program graduation event,
hosted by PwC, November 2012.
Rob MacGoey, PwC – US–NI Mentorship Program mentor.
US–NI Mentorship Program 18/06/2012 11:51 Page 2
5. Coca–Cola has hosted two participants
from the US-NI Mentorship Program at its
corporate headquarters in Atlanta over the
past two years. Coca-Cola has provided the
US-NI Mentorship Program candidates with
the opportunity to work across functions
and teams which have enriched their
skillset and fostered their capabilities. Chris
Aisenbrey, Director of Talent Management
at Coca-Cola has remarked at how capable
the participants are in adapting to their new
life in Atlanta and how easily they
integrated into the Coca-Cola culture;‘the
attitudes and willingness of the participants
to embrace this opportunity and generate
the maximum value from their year has
truly impressed the team at Coca-Cola.’
Coca-Cola has demonstrated a sincere
level of commitment to developing and
nurturing the talent of US–NI Mentorship
Program participants and has provided global
opportunities to those who complete their year stint
with the company in Atlanta. As a result of her work
with Coca-Cola, US–NI Mentorship Program
participant, Emma Bleakley was offered the
opportunity to continue her training with CCEAG
(Coca-Cola Erfrischungsgetränke) in Berlin.
Emma now works as a Supply Chain Development
Coordinator having spent a year as a trainee in this
department in Atlanta. Emma has stated that her year
with Coca-Cola exposed her to business functions
which she had never considered before;‘I was
fortunate to be part of a team which had up to twenty
years of expertise in the supply chain industry and
they immediately sparked my interest into the
importance of this function as one of the key drivers
of growth in any organization. As a result I have
gained a special insight into areas of development
and challenges which I never would have been aware
of before my time with Coca-Cola.’
The opportunity with Coca-Cola Germany has
enabled Emma to build upon the skills she acquired
in Atlanta and undoubtedly this new European
experience will prepare her to come back to Northern
Ireland at a later stage in her career to grow the
economy and contribute the vast breath of
knowledge she has gained to fellow business leaders.
Coca-Cola is currently hosting two more
candidates at their Atlanta headquarters this year
and is committing to the program for 2013 and 2014.
The US–NI Mentorship Program Team is exceptionally
grateful to Irial Finan and all the team at Coca-Cola for
their continued support of this important initiative.
Coca-Cola creates global opportunities for
US–NI Mentorship Program participants
Emma Bleakley pictured with Chris Aisenbrey, Director, Talent Management,
The Coca-Cola Company and Doug Thomas, Capital Manager, Bottling
Investments, The Coca-Cola Company at the US–NI Mentorship Program
graduation event in New York, 2011.
Emma Bleakley pictured at her new offices in Berlin, Germany.
US–NI Mentorship Program 18/06/2012 11:51 Page 3
6. In November 2011, the first group of young people
from Northern Ireland graduated from their
placements with US companies to return to
Northern Ireland.
The success of the program has been confirmed
by the number of companies who have indicated
they will participate in 2012. Follow up support by
The Ireland Funds for the graduates will include
career advice, an opportunity to connect with
The Ireland Funds Young Leaders network and,
where possible, interviews for placements with
leading companies in Northern Ireland.
Events and Accolades
US–NI Mentorship Program candidates celebrate the completion of their year work placements.
2011 US–NI Mentorship Program graduation –
participants complete first year
2012 US–NI Mentorship Program participants attend
‘welcome luncheon’and AIF St Patrick’s day party
The participants of the 2012
US–NI Mentorship program were
welcomed at a luncheon hosted
by Declan Kelly and Caitriona
Fottrell in March. The luncheon
coincided with the AIF Young
Leaders St Patrick’s day celebration
which the participants had the
opportunity to attend later that
evening and connect with their
AIF Young Leader buddies.
US–NI Mentorship Program 18/06/2012 11:51 Page 4
7. Each year, qualified candidates will be selected to work with a mentor at a
US-based firm and gain valuable experience in a corporate environment.
The US–NI Mentorship Program will enable each candidate to:
l Gain valuable experience in a corporate environment.
l Benefit from consistent mentoring and interaction with AIF Young Leaders.
l Develop a range of essential business, management and leadership skills.
l Develop a strong network of contacts and business links within the United States.
l Develop an understanding of the international dimension to business.
l Experience a different culture.
l Have the opportunity to contribute to Northern Ireland’s future prosperity.
The US–NI Mentorship Program Steering Committee is currently in the process of securing
placements for the next year of the program.
Participating companies are able to:
l Benefit from international members interacting with their teams.
l Access highly skilled and talented young professionals from Northern Ireland.
l Establish new links with Europe/Northern Ireland.
Benefit from the academic knowledge of University of Ulster, Queen’s University Belfast and
other Northern Ireland institutions.
The US–NI Mentorship Program
US–NI Mentorship Program Alumni make national
headlines, Belfast Telegraph, May 2012.
US–NI Mentorship Program Alumni attend Institute of Directors
Annual Dinner at City Hall in Belfast, February 2012.
US–NI Mentorship Program Alumni in the news
US–NI Mentorship Program 18/06/2012 11:51 Page 5
8. Testimonials
Participants
‘This program has given me so much more confidence in my own ability than I ever had before.
The opportunity to work with such skilled and enthusiastic colleagues has been enormously
valuable, and this attitude towards work is one I will carry with me throughout my career’.
David Bell (US–NI Mentorship Program participant – AXA)
‘The mentorship program has provided me with a tremendous opportunity. I intend to take full advantage
of my time in the US to learn as much as I can and to develop a new network of business contacts’.
Gemma Rafferty (US–NI Mentorship Program participant – Credit Suisse)
‘In this job I have been exposed to the highest level of professional standards. The work ethic of
my colleagues has really struck me. As a graduate in my first full time job since leaving
university I can’t think of a better organization to begin my career’.
Andrew McMaster (US–NI Mentorship Program participant – UBS)
Companies
‘The caliber of students we have access to is exceptional and the support of the program in
matching the right candidates with the right firms is very valuable. A tribute to that success is
that we are doubling our participation in the program this year’.
Robert McGoey (PwC)
‘It has been truly rewarding to have had the opportunity to host and interact with such a fantastic
ambassador for Northern Ireland. This experience has significantly added to the international
dynamic that we have in our company’.
Barbara Evanchick (UBS)
‘One of the US–NI Mentorship Program participants – Gemma, joined our team earlier this year.
We have honestly been so impressed with the skills, attitude and dedication exhibited. It has been a
pleasure getting to know and work with such a driven and entrepreneurial individual’.
Michael Brewster (Credit Suisse)
To learn more about the US–NI Mentorship Program, or to sign up to host an intern, please visit
our website at www.usnimentorship.org or email us at info@usnimentorship.org
US–NI Mentorship Program
Supported by The American Ireland Fund · Northern Ireland Science Park CONNECT · Declan Kelly
US–NI Mentorship Program 18/06/2012 11:51 Page 6
