Meat Business Women Conferences in Dublin & Belfast

Senior leaders from Marks & Spencer Ireland, Sysco, Bord Bia and OSI Europe will share practical leadership insights at this year's Meat Business Women Regional Conferences, as the organisation returns to Belfast following a successful 2024 event and to Dublin's Bord Bia headquarters.
Taking place on 29 September in Dublin, supported by Bord Bia – The Irish Food Board, and 30 September in Belfast, sponsored by KPMG, the conferences will bring together professionals from across the food industry for a day focused on turning ambition into action.
Among the keynote speakers are Laura Harper, Trading Director at Marks & Spencer Ireland, Joanne Cunningham, Merchandising Director at Sysco Ireland – making her first appearance as a Meat Business Women conference speaker – and Deirdre Ryan, Director of Sustainability & Quality Assurance at Bord Bia.
The programme combines senior leadership perspectives, practical business insight and professional development, alongside new findings from Meat Business Women's Global Gender Representation Report 2026.
The research, spanning almost 280,000 employees across global food manufacturing, found that women now represent 34% of the workforce across the global food manufacturing sector, and that gaps appear at every stage of the career. 
Delegates will hear what those findings mean for employers across Ireland and Northern Ireland, with an honest panel discussion exploring leadership through three different career perspectives, including topics such as flexibility, career progression, male allyship and the everyday decisions that help people succeed.
The day also includes consumer and industry insight, a practical personal development workshop led by executive coach Jodi Goldman, dedicated networking opportunities, and time for delegates to build meaningful connections with peers from retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and industry organisations.
Joanna Parnell, Managing Director at Meat Business Women, said:
"These conferences have always been about bringing together brilliant people from across the industry to have conversations that genuinely help people move forward in their careers. We're delighted to welcome such a strong line-up of speakers from organisations, alongside the latest industry insights from our Global Gender Representation Report.
"We're particularly excited to return to Belfast after such a fantastic response to our 2024 event. Whether people work in manufacturing, retail, agriculture or the wider supply chain, the day is designed to leave them with practical ideas, new connections and fresh perspectives they can take straight back into their business."
The conferences form part of Meat Business Women's ongoing commitment to supporting the attraction, development and progression of talent across the food industry through research, networking and professional development.

Event details
Dublin Regional Conference: Tuesday 29 September 2026, Bord Bia Headquarters, Dublin
Belfast Regional Conference: Wednesday 30 September 2026, KPMG, Belfast
For further information or media enquiries, please contact Meat Business Women. 

Book your ticket here: MBW I Northern Ireland Conference 2026