EUTOPIA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate Director Netherlands
- Expert
Doron Verstraelen MSc, is an expert in assessing and addressing place potential through place marketing and setting up place based partnerships of stakeholders with the aim to unlock the potential to benefit all partners.
Doron is adept in building support and trust among partners for collective action on place marketing strategy and place development. Doron laid the foundation in the region of Utrecht, the Netherlands (1.4 million residents), for a collaborative multi-stakeholder place branding and place marketing approach for the region to attract and retain talent, FDI, conventions, stimulate trade and diplomacy before becoming Associate Director with eutopia. Doron is an Associate of the Institute of Place Management.
His love for places started when he drew up the place marketing strategy for the German federal state of Thüringen to attract and retain Dutch tourist.
Jillian Ruggiere is an independent consultant working on various projects for Eutopia Strategy. She has extensive experience in project management, marketing and advertising. Jillian has worked as project lead on digital and traditional marketing executions for Pure Michigan: The Official Travel & Tourism Brand for Michigan and the US Army, amongst others. Most recently she has worked on Community Building at The BASE Enterprise Centre, attracting and retaining talent in the region, with the aim to put Stranorlar on the map as a destination for Digital Business in Donegal.
Job Titles:
- Appointed Consultant for the World Bank
- Associate Director, Place Intelligence
Joe Phillips has extensive experience in working with towns and cities across the UK including Newcastle, Bristol, Birmingham, Belfast, Cardiff. Joe has deep expertise in data, analytics and benchmarking and advocates a data driven approach to support strategy development for place.
Joe is also an appointed consultant for the World Bank and regularly contributes to place based projects in developing economies.
Judith O'Doherty has a keen interest in all things place. Judith's career in economic development in both the private and public sector enabled her to travel extensively on an international basis and work on place promotion campaigns across the UK, Europe and the US, often with a focus on foreign investment attraction.
Job Titles:
- CEO of OCO Global
- Non - Exec Director
Mark O'Connell is CEO of OCO Global and also supports eutopia in an advisory capacity for strategic projects. Mark has more than 25 years experience in Place promotion, is a recognised industry leader in economic development and has worked with hundreds of international cities. Mark is also a board member for a number of leading Irish SMEs.