Allstate Northern Ireland Executive Bios

Bro McFerran CBE
Managing Director
Bro took up his current position in January 1999 when the company set up in Northern Ireland. He has held previous positions as Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing for IMRglobal Corporation, an IT Outsourcing company, based in Clearwater, Florida. He was joint-founder and Managing Director of Logicom Limited, a Northern Ireland based IT Services company which he set up in 1980 and sold on in 1997. He is a shareholder in Relay Business Software, one of Northern Ireland's largest indigenous software companies.

He was one of the founding board members of the Software Industry Federation in Northern Ireland (now Momentum), and its second Chairman, and has served on a number of public advisory boards including being a board member of the Information Age Initiative (Leapfrog) and being a previous Chairman of the ICT Forum for Belfast City Council. He is currently a non-Executive Director of the Northern Bank, a board member of the Centre for Software Process Technologies (CSPT) based at the University of Ulster and a Board Member of Springvale Training. He is the 2008 President of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Mr. McFerran was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, announced on 11th June 2005, for services to the IT Industry of Northern Ireland. He was presented with the Institute of Directors/Lunns Award of Excellence at a Gala Dinner in January 2007.

Rose Kelly
Director of Human Resources
Rose commenced employment with Allstate NI in January 1999, as Director of Human Resources, to lead the company start-up with MD, Bro McFerran. Prior to joining Allstate NI, Rose held a position of Senior Legal Advisor with the Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland for ten years. Over the last 10 years Rose has been responsible for a comprehensive range of successful and innovative HR strategies and initiatives across the three business locations, which have resulted in over 50 highly prestigious HR and Training business awards at local and national level. The HR function is profiled at the top of the business and Rose is a key member of the senior management team contributing to high-level business strategy in relation to organizational structure and policy.

Jim Bannon
Area Leader, Product Technology
Prior to Allstate NI, Jim was employed by NevadeTele.com, IMRGlobal, Logicom and a Healthcare Trust, gaining experience in project managing web development, web hosting, eSecurity & communications solutions, bespoke development, document management, imaging and workflow products, and client-server technologies. Jim has been with Allstate NI for 7 years and has worked in various areas within Allstate NI, including Access Allstate and Cyberlife in Allstate Financial Technology and for ISG in WebFocus, Crystal and Business Objects. In 2007, he spent 6 months in the role as a Business Improvement Agent, developing Allstate NI's Innovation Strategy.

Joy Chambers
Area Leader, Workforce Solutions & Talent Management
In her early career, Joy was employed by the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service as part of their management services team. She joined Allstate NI in 1999 as employee number 12, in the Human Resources department, initially taking on the role of Training Manager. Subsequent promotions within the Human Resources department include her appointment to the role of Resource Manager and most recently Area Leader - Workforce Solutions. In her current role, Joy is responsible for a wide range of resource related activities, including strategic resourcing and talent management.

Sam Johnston
Area Leader, Claims Technology Services
Sam started his career as a programmer with Northern Ireland Electricity, working in a variety of application development roles through the entire development lifecycle. He has also been a Project Manager and has experience in Data and Call Centre Management. He joined Allstate NI in 2002 as a Senior Team Leader and within 6 months was promoted to the position of Area Manager. He has worked in Allstate NI in the following Allstate areas: Allstate Financial Technology, Allstate Product Technology and now with Claims Technology Services.

Tony Mulvenna
Area Leader, Technology Solutions
Tony started working in the IT industry in 1978 as a Computer Operator and over the next 8 years fulfilled various roles from Programmer to Project Manager, until relocating to Omaha, US in early 1997. During a stay of five years in the US, Tony was employed in a range of senior IT positions before returning to Northern Ireland in 2005. He commenced employment at Allstate NI in March 2002 as a Senior Team Leader. Shortly after, he was promoted into the position of Project Manager (June 2002). In November 2004, he became the North West Area Manager and, in 2006, the Head of Operations in Belfast.

Georgina O'Leary
Area Leader, DMEA & PPIRM
Gina started her career in software development in London and subsequently travelled to Europe for several years before relocating to the North West. She specialized in telephony software development utilizing OO technologies from C++ to Java and concentrated on her technical career for 10 years, progressing to an architecture position. Gina joined Allstate NI as a Senior Software Developer in November 2003, before being promoted to Lead Technical Consultant, then Project Manager and progressed to North West Head of Operations and most recently Area Leader of DMEA & PPIRM. Gina has worked on numerous projects, including Alliance and AMC (Allstate Motor Club) and has managed in areas including Infrastructure Services and Marketing Technology.

Karen Sleat
Area Leader, Customer Enterprise Services
Karen began her career as a COBOL programmer with a large employer and progressed to a systems analyst and department manager after 5 years, when she left to work in a consultancy organization. She then had the opportunity to take a position as Operations Director in an Irish software house specializing in insurance broker software. Prior to 2000, she was involved in the set-up of a US outsourcing subsidiary, IMRGlobal in Belfast as their Head of Operations - until it closed, at which time she joined Allstate NI as a Senior Manager.

	Bro McFerran CBE Managing Director Bro took up his current position in January 1999 when the company set up in Northern Ireland. He has held previous positions as Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing for IMRglobal Corporation, an IT Outsourcing company, based in Clearwater, Florida. He was joint-founder and Managing Director of Logicom Limited, a Northern Ireland based IT Services company which he set up in 1980 and sold on in 1997. He is a shareholder in Relay Business Software, one of Northern Ireland's largest indigenous software companies. He was one of the founding board members of the Software Industry Federation in Northern Ireland (now Momentum), and its second Chairman, and has served on a number of public advisory boards including being a board member of the Information Age Initiative (Leapfrog) and being a previous Chairman of the ICT Forum for Belfast City Council. He is currently a non-Executive Director of the Northern Bank, a board member of the Centre for Software Process Technologies (CSPT) based at the University of Ulster and a Board Member of Springvale Training. He is the 2008 President of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Mr. McFerran was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, announced on 11th June 2005, for services to the IT Industry of Northern Ireland. He was presented with the Institute of Directors/Lunns Award of Excellence at a Gala Dinner in January 2007.
	Rose Kelly Director of Human Resources Rose commenced employment with Allstate NI in January 1999, as Director of Human Resources, to lead the company start-up with MD, Bro McFerran. Prior to joining Allstate NI, Rose held a position of Senior Legal Advisor with the Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland for ten years. Over the last 10 years Rose has been responsible for a comprehensive range of successful and innovative HR strategies and initiatives across the three business locations, which have resulted in over 50 highly prestigious HR and Training business awards at local and national level. The HR function is profiled at the top of the business and Rose is a key member of the senior management team contributing to high-level business strategy in relation to organizational structure and policy.
	Jim Bannon Area Leader, Product Technology Prior to Allstate NI, Jim was employed by NevadeTele.com, IMRGlobal, Logicom and a Healthcare Trust, gaining experience in project managing web development, web hosting, eSecurity & communications solutions, bespoke development, document management, imaging and workflow products, and client-server technologies. Jim has been with Allstate NI for 7 years and has worked in various areas within Allstate NI, including Access Allstate and Cyberlife in Allstate Financial Technology and for ISG in WebFocus, Crystal and Business Objects. In 2007, he spent 6 months in the role as a Business Improvement Agent, developing Allstate NI's Innovation Strategy.
	Joy Chambers Area Leader, Workforce Solutions & Talent Management In her early career, Joy was employed by the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service as part of their management services team. She joined Allstate NI in 1999 as employee number 12, in the Human Resources department, initially taking on the role of Training Manager. Subsequent promotions within the Human Resources department include her appointment to the role of Resource Manager and most recently Area Leader - Workforce Solutions. In her current role, Joy is responsible for a wide range of resource related activities, including strategic resourcing and talent management.
	Sam Johnston Area Leader, Claims Technology Services Sam started his career as a programmer with Northern Ireland Electricity, working in a variety of application development roles through the entire development lifecycle. He has also been a Project Manager and has experience in Data and Call Centre Management. He joined Allstate NI in 2002 as a Senior Team Leader and within 6 months was promoted to the position of Area Manager. He has worked in Allstate NI in the following Allstate areas: Allstate Financial Technology, Allstate Product Technology and now with Claims Technology Services.
	Tony Mulvenna Area Leader, Technology Solutions Tony started working in the IT industry in 1978 as a Computer Operator and over the next 8 years fulfilled various roles from Programmer to Project Manager, until relocating to Omaha, US in early 1997. During a stay of five years in the US, Tony was employed in a range of senior IT positions before returning to Northern Ireland in 2005. He commenced employment at Allstate NI in March 2002 as a Senior Team Leader. Shortly after, he was promoted into the position of Project Manager (June 2002). In November 2004, he became the North West Area Manager and, in 2006, the Head of Operations in Belfast.
	Georgina O'Leary Area Leader, DMEA & PPIRM Gina started her career in software development in London and subsequently travelled to Europe for several years before relocating to the North West. She specialized in telephony software development utilizing OO technologies from C++ to Java and concentrated on her technical career for 10 years, progressing to an architecture position. Gina joined Allstate NI as a Senior Software Developer in November 2003, before being promoted to Lead Technical Consultant, then Project Manager and progressed to North West Head of Operations and most recently Area Leader of DMEA & PPIRM. Gina has worked on numerous projects, including Alliance and AMC (Allstate Motor Club) and has managed in areas including Infrastructure Services and Marketing Technology.
	Karen Sleat Area Leader, Customer Enterprise Services Karen began her career as a COBOL programmer with a large employer and progressed to a systems analyst and department manager after 5 years, when she left to work in a consultancy organization. She then had the opportunity to take a position as Operations Director in an Irish software house specializing in insurance broker software. Prior to 2000, she was involved in the set-up of a US outsourcing subsidiary, IMRGlobal in Belfast as their Head of Operations - until it closed, at which time she joined Allstate NI as a Senior Manager.