About Us
The Irish Whiskey Growth Fund is a dedicated fund established in 2018 to provide capital to the Irish whiskey sector.
Fearghal Ó Ríordáin
Director
Before setting up the Fund, Fearghal was a partner at a leading European venture capital firm, and previously at a leading US venture capital firm. He has extensive experience in investing in emerging companies at all stages of their development.
Earlier in his career, Fearghal worked for a short period with a top-tier global investment bank in London. An engineer by profession, Fearghal spent the first part of his career in engineering and general management roles within industry. Fearghal has an MBA with distinction from INSEAD and a B.E. and M.Eng.Sc from University College Cork.
In 2018, Fearghal formed the Irish Whiskey Growth Fund, with support from the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF).
- fearghal.oriordain@ilenriverpartners.ie
Triona Hourihane
Director
Triona manages investments for the Irish Whiskey Growth Fund. Triona’s expertise lies in identifying what businesses require to grow and achieve their financial objectives having spent 15 years helping companies develop and implement financial strategies.
A chartered accountant, Triona commenced her career with Deloitte before moving into industry to work in senior financial roles for large multi-national corporations. Triona was responsible for formulating long term financial and operational plans to fit the very specific needs of the companies she was advising.
She holds an MBS in Finance from Smurfit Business School at UCD and a Bachelor Degree in Commerce from University College Cork.
- triona.hourihane@ilenriverpartners.ie
Expertise
The following leading international whiskey experts are working with Ilen River Partners on the Irish Whiskey Growth Fund. They have decades of technical and wider industry expertise to offer to independent whiskey distilleries.
Industry Expertise
Our leading international whiskey experts working with the Fund have decades of technical and wider industry expertise to make available to independent whiskey distilleries.
Dr. Alan Rutherford
Alan has had a distinguished career at the forefront of the whiskey industry for the last forty years, including more than a decade as Production Director for Whisky at Diageo (then United Distillers). He has been President of the Malt Distillers’ Association of Scotland and a member of the Council of the Scotch Whisky Association.
He drove the creation of the renowned International Centre for Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt while at Diageo, and became Visiting Professor there on his retirement from Diageo. In recent years, Alan has taken an active interest in the development of emerging whiskey companies and he is a non-executive director of The Lakes Distillery and Torabhaig Distillery amongst others, as well as Chairman of Compass Box Whiskey Company. Alan has been recognised as a Master of the Quaich and has been appointed OBE for services to the Scotch whiskey industry.
Dr. Alan Rutherford
Alan has had a distinguished career at the forefront of the whiskey industry for the last forty years, including more than a decade as Production Director for Whisky at Diageo (then United Distillers). He has been President of the Malt Distillers’ Association of Scotland and a member of the Council of the Scotch Whisky Association.
He drove the creation of the renowned International Centre for Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt while at Diageo, and became Visiting Professor there on his retirement from Diageo. In recent years, Alan has taken an active interest in the development of emerging whiskey companies and he is a non-executive director of The Lakes Distillery and Torabhaig Distillery amongst others, as well as Chairman of Compass Box Whiskey Company. Alan has been recognised as a Master of the Quaich and has been appointed OBE for services to the Scotch whiskey industry.
Dr. Alan Rutherford
Alan has had a distinguished career at the forefront of the whiskey industry for the last forty years, including more than a decade as Production Director for Whisky at Diageo (then United Distillers). He has been President of the Malt Distillers’ Association of Scotland and a member of the Council of the Scotch Whisky Association.
He drove the creation of the renowned International Centre for Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt while at Diageo, and became Visiting Professor there on his retirement from Diageo. In recent years, Alan has taken an active interest in the development of emerging whiskey companies and he is a non-executive director of The Lakes Distillery and Torabhaig Distillery amongst others, as well as Chairman of Compass Box Whiskey Company. Alan has been recognised as a Master of the Quaich and has been appointed OBE for services to the Scotch whiskey industry.
Dr. Gordon Steele
Gordon is one of the world’s leading experts on whisk(e)y. He was the founding director of the Scotch Whisky Research Institute, the technology transfer company set up by the major Scotch whisky producers, from 1993 until his departure in 2015. He has advised all the major whiskey producers, including Pernod Ricard, Diageo, Beam/Suntory, William Grant, Glenmorangie, Edrington, Dewar and others on all aspects of their whiskey production, from raw materials through to bottling, and from production efficiency to product quality.
He has also advised the UK government and the EU. Since leaving the SWRI, Gordon has worked with a number of international companies, including several new distillery operations in Scotland and Ireland, advising on spirit production and quality. Gordon’s eminent career in the whiskey industry has been recognised through awards such as Freeman of the City of London and Keeper of the Quaich; and through his Fellowship of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and his Visiting Professorship at the Heriot-Watt University. His D.Phil. is from Oxford University.
Dr. Gordon Steele
Gordon is one of the world’s leading experts on whisk(e)y. He was the founding director of the Scotch Whisky Research Institute, the technology transfer company set up by the major Scotch whisky producers, from 1993 until his departure in 2015. He has advised all the major whiskey producers, including Pernod Ricard, Diageo, Beam/Suntory, William Grant, Glenmorangie, Edrington, Dewar and others on all aspects of their whiskey production, from raw materials through to bottling, and from production efficiency to product quality.
He has also advised the UK government and the EU. Since leaving the SWRI, Gordon has worked with a number of international companies, including several new distillery operations in Scotland and Ireland, advising on spirit production and quality. Gordon’s eminent career in the whiskey industry has been recognised through awards such as Freeman of the City of London and Keeper of the Quaich; and through his Fellowship of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and his Visiting Professorship at the Heriot-Watt University. His D.Phil. is from Oxford University.
Dr. Gordon Steele
Gordon is one of the world’s leading experts on whisk(e)y. He was the founding director of the Scotch Whisky Research Institute, the technology transfer company set up by the major Scotch whisky producers, from 1993 until his departure in 2015. He has advised all the major whiskey producers, including Pernod Ricard, Diageo, Beam/Suntory, William Grant, Glenmorangie, Edrington, Dewar and others on all aspects of their whiskey production, from raw materials through to bottling, and from production efficiency to product quality.
He has also advised the UK government and the EU. Since leaving the SWRI, Gordon has worked with a number of international companies, including several new distillery operations in Scotland and Ireland, advising on spirit production and quality. Gordon’s eminent career in the whiskey industry has been recognised through awards such as Freeman of the City of London and Keeper of the Quaich; and through his Fellowship of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and his Visiting Professorship at the Heriot-Watt University. His D.Phil. is from Oxford University.
Dr. Jack O’Shea
Jack distilled his first batch of spirit in 1979, and never looked back. While he initially qualified with a degree in biochemistry, he has an MSc and a PhD in Brewing and Distilling. He also holds an MBA. Jack has held leading technical and general management roles across the industry. He has worked and lived not just in Ireland, but across the world in many countries, including the United States and Brasil.
He spent many years at Alltech, including as the General Manager of their European business. He also set up Alltech’s first Irish whiskey distillery in 2012. Since his retirement from Alltech, Jack has taken an active interest in supporting the blossoming independent Irish whiskey sector, both through direct involvement with a number of whiskey distilleries, as well as through his mentoring activities through the Institute of Brewing and Distilling.
Dr. Jack O’Shea
Jack distilled his first batch of spirit in 1979, and never looked back. While he initially qualified with a degree in biochemistry, he has an MSc and a PhD in Brewing and Distilling. He also holds an MBA. Jack has held leading technical and general management roles across the industry. He has worked and lived not just in Ireland, but across the world in many countries, including the United States and Brasil.
He spent many years at Alltech, including as the General Manager of their European business. He also set up Alltech’s first Irish whiskey distillery in 2012. Since his retirement from Alltech, Jack has taken an active interest in supporting the blossoming independent Irish whiskey sector, both through direct involvement with a number of whiskey distilleries, as well as through his mentoring activities through the Institute of Brewing and Distilling.
Dr. Jack O’Shea
Jack distilled his first batch of spirit in 1979, and never looked back. While he initially qualified with a degree in biochemistry, he has an MSc and a PhD in Brewing and Distilling. He also holds an MBA. Jack has held leading technical and general management roles across the industry. He has worked and lived not just in Ireland, but across the world in many countries, including the United States and Brasil.
He spent many years at Alltech, including as the General Manager of their European business. He also set up Alltech’s first Irish whiskey distillery in 2012. Since his retirement from Alltech, Jack has taken an active interest in supporting the blossoming independent Irish whiskey sector, both through direct involvement with a number of whiskey distilleries, as well as through his mentoring activities through the Institute of Brewing and Distilling.