George McCracken

Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Director of Estates Risk and Environment

George joined the Health Service in 1993 as a Hospital Engineer in Down Lisburn Trust.  Prior to this appointment he worked in Industry in cable manufacturing and foundry works.   In 2002 he moved to the Royal Group of Hospitals, Belfast, to take up post as a Senior Engineer, then in 2007 George took up post as Head of Estates Risk and Environment in the new Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, which is one of the largest Trusts in the UK.

He holds a 1^st Class Honours Degree in Construction Engineering & Management, is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Building and an associate member of IHEEM.

Currently George leads a Risk Team that has and continues to provide an innovative approach to the management of risk with an Estates Healthcare Environment.

He also leads the Estates Environmental Team, which has been at the fore front of developing new and innovative technologies which promote sustainability in healthcare and also contribute to reducing healthcare inequalities to the population of Belfast and beyond.

Sharon Callanan

Head of Asset Management, Waterways Ireland

Sharon Callanan is a Chartered Civil/Structural engineer with over 17 years’ experience encompassing asset management, project management, bridge design and construction supervision across a range of infrastructure assets in both private and public organisations.

She is currently the Head of Asset Management for Waterways Ireland, where she is responsible for developing Waterways Ireland Asset Management Strategy, leading the Asset Management Team and building Waterways Ireland asset management capabilities.

Sharon holds a BA/BAI in Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering from Trinity College Dublin, post graduate diplomas in both Project Management and Bridge Engineering and a Diploma in Asset Management from the Institute of Asset Management.

She is a Chartered Member of Engineers Ireland, a member of the Institute of Asset Management, co-chair of the newly launched IAM Ireland Chapter Leinster Branch, an active member of the Engineers Ireland Project Management Society and the NSAI TC 048 SC 09 Asset Management committee.

Paul Harper

NI Water, Director of Asset Delivery

Paul Harper is a chartered engineer and water industry expert with over 35 years’ experience. As Director of Asset Delivery in NI Water, responsible for NIW’s major capital portfolio, scientific and water/ wastewater regulation and safety teams. Previously Jacobs Water Asset Management Lead in the UK working for water companies in the UK and Ireland.

Specialisms include Asset Management and Project Management, Business Planning, Totex / Whole Life Cost and Carbon, Efficiency, Risk, Value, Business Advisory/ Business Improvement and Innovation.

Paul has extensive experience with England and Wales Water Companies, Scottish Water, Irish Water and Northern Ireland Water.

Robert Clements

NI Housing Executive, Sustainable Development Manager

Robert Clements is the Sustainable Development Manager for the NIHE, working within Regional Services. His unit is the custodian for the Home Energy Conservation Authority statutory function and the Housing Executive's environmental management system. Robert has worked in social housing for over 20 years and has extensive experience in residential maintenance and refurbishment with his previous experience in the Private Grants Department and Housing Association sector.

Having worked in residential energy efficiency for over 5 years, Robert is the author of the recent 'Energy Efficiency Good Practice Guide for Refurbishment of the Residential Sector' and is a certified Passive House Consultant. 

John Glass

Director of Infrastructure and Projects, Translink

John worked for McLaughlin & Harvey as a civil engineer for over 20 years after graduating from the University of Ulster. John rapidly progressed from the role of site engineer to senior management roles, before becoming the Civil Engineering Director in January 2009. During this time, he was also a Director and the Chairman of Gael Force Renewables Ltd, a joint venture between McLaughlin & Harvey Ltd and Henry Alexander Ltd to deliver renewable opportunities in the UK & Ireland.

John joined Translink in 2016 as Head of Project Delivery and was appointed the Director of Infrastructure & Projects in 2018 and is Chairperson of the Translink Asset Management Working Group.

Throughout his career he has gained extensive experience in a wide variety of civil engineering projects including marine and harbour works, railway works, road schemes, bridge construction, offshore and onshore energy projects, and building works.

John was Chairman of the Northern Ireland region of the Institution of Civil Engineers from September 2019 - March 2021.