Each month, we put the spotlight on a Tirlán employee and for our January newsletter, we’re talking to Singapore-based Eimear O’Connell

Account Executive for South East Asia, Eimear O’Connell is looking forward to a busy 2024.

The Singapore-based Kildare native moved to Tirlán from Bord Bia just over a year ago and her diverse role sees her involved in everything from managing customer relationships, liaising with distributors and planning Avonmore Professional Launch events across South East Asia.

Tirlán was one of her clients when she worked with Bord Bia and when the role was advertised, she jumped at the opportunity. Irish produce is very much in her DNA. Her grandfather was a dairy farmer and her uncle still farms in Clane, Co. Kildare to this day.

“We’re hiring new chefs in 2024 so we’re looking forward to increasing our chef to chef experience with the brand. This helps our launch events gain traction where we will promote the Avonmore professional brand. We showcase the UHT cream mostly, but also our butter and cheddar cheese. These events also give a great opportunity to interact with customers individually and make the selling interaction more personal.

“It’s a very diverse role. Some days it’s more like an account manager position – I’m managing documents and product orders. Another day could involve doing launch events or visiting a HORECA group in their head offices. It’s fantastic and I get to work with people from all over the world and experience their culture and traditions.

“Singapore is very hot and humid, but you get used to it. It’s very safe, very clean and it’s easy to travel anywhere. I’ve been here for the past two and a half years but I also love to get home to Ireland for Christmas and other family events.”

The Clane native was one of many on the Tirlán team who welcomed the Tirlán board to Vietnam in October. “We shared with them what we do in the market and showed them where their product goes. You can walk into a supermarket at home and see the product on the shelves. The foodservice industry is different and the board were really interested in how their product is used here and what we do to promote it, particularly with the work we do with chefs.

“While our colleagues in Ireland are busiest at Christmas, we also get to see the Chinese New Year and the Thai Water Festival for example. 2024 is shaping up to be equally busy and with more chefs, we will be doing more customer visits, more demonstrations, following new leads and translating them into new business.”

And while Eimear relaxed with family and friends over Christmas, when she’s back in Singapore she loves swimming and hiking. “To relax, I  love swimming and going to the beach. I recently got my scuba diving license so I can now dive deeper.”