Can you start by sharing a bit about your professional background and what led you to the role of CIO at WElink Group?
My professional career began at Smurfit Kappa, where I developed manufacturing solutions for companies like Pepsi and Smurfit themselves. I then moved to Power Supermarkets, which was later acquired by Tesco. At Tesco, I played a key role in implementing the Clubcard program in Ireland which gave me my first exposure to data mining and data driven decision making. I also lead the retail systems team, where real time systems thought me the importance of secure and dependable solutions.
From there, I joined Kerry Group working my way to CIO of their consumer foods business, where I led significant business transformations and restructurings. My work at Kerry also involved mergers and acquisitions, focusing on the integration and disposal of businesses.
Afterward, I ventured out on my own, helping companies realize the true value of IT in driving profitability and success. During this period, I also worked on several energy-related projects, which eventually led me to WElink.
At WElink, I’ve found an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the world of renewables. My purpose is to help people reach their full potential and to contribute positively to the world. At WElink, I’m able to implement solutions that not only drive business success but also contribute to a better future for my children and yours. This is why I’m passionate about my role at WElink and committed to making a difference.
How do you see technology and digital transformation enabling businesses like WElink to scale, especially in the renewable energy and sustainable housing sectors?
In renewable energy, digital transformation offers the chance to harness vast amounts of data from solar, wind, and battery projects. By leveraging advanced analytics, AI, and IoT technologies, WElink can move from very labour intensive data collection and analytics to technology generating actionable insights that optimize energy production, enhance asset management, and predict maintenance needs. This not only improves operational efficiency but also enables us to scale our renewable projects more effectively, expanding our reach and impact globally.
For the sustainable housing sector, technology presents an opportunity to revolutionize the design and construction process. Digital tools can assist with the design and AI-enabled construction technologies can streamline workflows, reduce costs, and ensure higher precision in building energy-efficient homes. As we looks to scale our housing projects, these technologies will play a crucial role in delivering sustainable housing solutions more rapidly and at a larger scale.
Digital transformation offers the opportunity to create a more connected and intelligent energy ecosystem. By integrating smart grid technologies and advanced energy management systems, We can enable more efficient energy distribution and consumption, supporting the broader adoption of renewable energy in both residential and commercial settings.
Ultimately, the opportunity lies in using digital transformation not just as a tool for efficiency but as a catalyst for innovation and growth.
What key systems and digital initiatives are you currently implementing at WElink to drive efficiency and support the company’s growth?
Sometimes it is the simple things that helps the most, recently we’ve integrated Captio for managing expenses, which streamlines the process of expense reporting and ensures compliance across the organization. We have a very mobile team and when we can remove the everyday admin tasks we allow them to focus on the important stuff.
For our HR needs, we utilize HRPeople, a comprehensive HRIS that supports everything from recruitment to employee management. This system enhances our ability to manage HR functions efficiently, ensuring that our teams are well-supported as we scale.
We are beginning to digitize construction processes for our renewable energy projects. This includes exploring advanced construction management software and digital tools that can optimize the planning, execution, and monitoring of construction activities. WElink has very good business processes in place and we want to scale those processes, digital solutions allow us to achieve this.
We are building out an AI and optimization team focused on energy trading and battery optimization. This initiative is crucial as we aim to enhance the efficiency and profitability of our energy operations. By leveraging AI, we can better predict energy market trends, optimize battery storage, and ultimately improve our energy trading strategies. This is just the start, this team will bring those skills to bear across all our data driven activities.
In our housing business, we are implementing tools for design and construction processes. These tools allow us to digitize construction both in the factory and on-site, ensuring precision in design, reducing waste, and improving the overall quality and efficiency of our sustainable housing projects.
These initiatives are part of our broader digital transformation strategy at WElink, where we aim to harness the power of technology to drive efficiency, scalability, and sustainability in every aspect of our business.
Artificial Intelligence is transforming industries across the board. How do you envision AI playing a role within WElink Group, particularly in terms of operational efficiency and innovation?
At WElink, we gather extensive data from our solar farms, and as we integrate more wind and battery projects, this data pool will only grow. AI plays a crucial role in turning this data into valuable insights. For instance, AI can optimize energy production by analysing weather patterns, equipment performance, and energy demand in real time. This enables us to adjust operations dynamically, ensuring maximum efficiency and reducing operational costs.
By analysing sensor data from our equipment, AI can predict potential failures before they occur, allowing for proactive maintenance that minimizes downtime and extends the lifespan of our assets.
In terms of innovation, AI opens up new avenues for optimizing energy trading and battery storage. By accurately forecasting energy prices and demand, AI helps us make informed decisions in the energy markets, improving profitability. Additionally, AI algorithms can optimize the charging and discharging cycles of our battery systems, ensuring they operate at peak efficiency and longevity.
For a global business like WElink, having streamlined access to data is critical. What strategies or systems are WElink putting in place to ensure all teams—regardless of location—have quick and effective access to the data they need?
We partner with Microsoft which forms the backbone of our data management and collaboration strategies. By standardizing on a suite of Microsoft tools, such as SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams, we ensure that our teams can easily access, share, and collaborate on data in real-time, regardless of their location. These tools are not only user-friendly but also integrate seamlessly with our existing IT infrastructure, which simplifies the implementation process and reduces the learning curve for our employees.
Security is another critical aspect of our data strategy. Microsoft’s robust security features, including advanced threat protection and data encryption, ensure that our data is protected from unauthorized access and potential breaches. This is particularly important for us, where data must be securely accessible across different regions with varying regulatory requirements.
Additionally, by leveraging Microsoft’s cloud-based solutions, we can maintain consistency in how data is stored, accessed, and managed across the organization. This uniformity reduces the risk of errors and ensures that all teams are working with the most up-to-date information, which is crucial for making informed decisions quickly.
Alongside Microsoft we use best of Breed solutions that enhance our overall offering, for example we use Huntress to enhance our security posture
What are the unique challenges and opportunities that come with digitizing operations in both the renewable energy and housing sectors, and how is WElink addressing them?
As operations become more digitized, the risk of cyber threats increases. Protecting sensitive data, especially in critical infrastructure like energy systems, is critical. This includes safeguarding intellectual property in housing and energy designs and personal data internally and related to housing projects. To that end we have done a lot of work on Microsoft Intune and End point protection using Huntress.
Implementing new digital tools and processes requires significant change management. Ensuring that teams across different regions and with varying levels of digital literacy can adopt these tools effectively is a considerable challenge. Key to addressing this challenge is giving the business ownership of our digital solutions. Solution should be treated as ‘mine’ rather than ‘Owned by IT’.
In the renewable energy sector, digitization involves managing vast amounts of data from various sources, such as solar panels, wind turbines, and battery storage systems. Integrating this data to create a unified, actionable view can be complex, particularly when dealing with different formats and standards. Creating an AI and Optimization team should help put the correct structure and controls in place.
In the housing sector, digitization requires the integration of various design, construction, and operational systems. Ensuring these systems communicate effectively to streamline processes from design through to on-site construction can be challenging.
All these challenges also leads to opportunities. With data comes knowledge, knowledge allows us to make good business decisions, when it comes to new project identification, and execution in both Energy and Housing markets.
As we digitise it allows us to scale more easily as the IT solutions give guide rails for those doing their job.
Digital platforms facilitate better collaboration between teams, suppliers, and partners, regardless of their location. This is particularly beneficial where coordination across different regions and countries is essential.
For me the biggest opportunity is innovation, once we have access to deep insight from data using AI we then see opportunities and innovation that would not have been obvious to us before.
What excites or energizes you most about working at WElink Group and driving its digital agenda?
What excites and energizes me is the opportunity to make a tangible difference in the world, particularly in the realm of renewable energy. Knowing that my efforts contribute to a better future for the planet, and more specifically for my children, is incredibly motivating.
Working in the renewables sector allows me to help WElink scale strategies that not only enhance our business but also support the global transition to sustainable energy. This is not just about improving efficiency or optimizing operations—it’s about being part of a larger mission to create a cleaner, more sustainable world. The digital agenda at WElink is key to this mission, as it enables us to leverage cutting-edge technologies to optimize our renewable energy projects and expand our impact.
Being at the forefront of this digital transformation within WElink, I feel a deep sense of purpose. Every digital initiative we implement—whether it’s enhancing our energy trading capabilities through AI, optimizing our construction processes, or improving data accessibility—brings us closer to our goal of making a positive difference on a global scale. This work aligns perfectly with my personal values and drives me, knowing that I’m contributing to something that will benefit not just our company, but the world at large.
Looking ahead, several technology trends and innovations have the potential to further enhance WElink’s ability to deliver sustainable solutions at scale, particularly in the energy and housing sectors?
Implementing blockchain technology could revolutionize the way energy is traded and managed. Blockchain can facilitate peer-to-peer energy trading, allowing consumers and businesses to buy and sell renewable energy directly. This technology also enhances transparency in energy transactions, providing a secure and immutable record of energy production and consumption. For WElink, leveraging blockchain could not only streamline energy trading processes but also build trust with customers and partners by ensuring transparency and traceability in the energy supply chain.
VR and AR technologies can significantly enhance both the planning and training phases of renewable energy and housing projects. For instance, using VR, project stakeholders can visualize and explore a solar farm or housing development before it’s built, allowing for better planning, design adjustments and investor buy-in. AR can be used on construction sites to guide workers through complex tasks, overlaying instructions directly onto the physical environment. These technologies can improve accuracy, reduce errors, and enhance safety, ultimately leading to more efficient project delivery.
Developing or integrating advanced analytics tools that track and report on sustainability metrics in a very visual way can help us and our partners better understand the environmental impact of our operations. These tools can provide real-time insights into energy usage, carbon emissions, and other key metrics, enabling more informed decision-making and demonstrating WElink’s commitment to sustainability to stakeholders and the public.
The beauty of technology advancements is that it may not even be invented yet, that is why I always try to keep on top of emerging technologies to see how we can leverage the latest opportunities to grow WElink and protect our planet.
