Michael is the Chairman and founder of Trade Advisers. He has spent his career managing and delivering consulting, research and technical assistance programmes in international trade development and investment promotion throughout the world. His early career was with the IDA and CTT–the Irish Export Board, at home and overseas. He set up the TDI group of companies to provide international trade development advice and co-founded the International Trade Institute. Michael has worked for trade ministries, the World Bank, the European Commission, BP, Vodafone, Rio Tinto and London financial services companies. He was Chairman of British Expertise, the industry body responsible for promoting UK development companies throughout the world, helping members to explore, assess and win business opportunities across the globe. Michael currently manages a portfolio of advisory and training projects relating to international trade challenges and opportunities. Michael holds a B.Comm from University College Dublin and is a Barrister at Law. He has completed management and investment executive education courses at Harvard and London Business Schools.

Brendan is an experienced consultant and EdTech entrepreneur with a track record of leading international projects across Africa, Asia and Europe. He has advised governments and multinationals on trade strategy, helped raise private and public investment and delivered impactful consulting and training services to global clients. He co-founded the International Trade Institute and has been a member of Irish Revenue’s Customs Consultative Committee. His work at Trade Advisers has included studies for industry bodies and private sector clients on what they might face under a variety of trade scenarios. He specialises in the Customs, tariff, non-tariff barriers, logistics and supply chain implications of the changed EU-UK relationship. He also provides research studies and strategic business advice to companies on market diversification/entry. He has worked in trade compliance, trade facilitation, trade policy, political risk and market intelligence in Africa, Asia and Europe, including at United Nations ESCAP. He has guest lectured on Brexit and future trade, provided training on government trade compliance programmes and featured as a guest speaker for industry associations in the UK. Brendan has a Bachelors in Law, a Masters in International Management and has studied at the University of Edinburgh, National University of Singapore, Peking University and ESADE Business School.‍‍

Michael is the Financial Director of Trade Advisers. He has spent more than 40 years in a variety of roles - mainly in senior finance positions in multinational companies - and has worked in over 70 countries. Michael has worked for Accenture, Guinness (worldwide Finance Director for its beer division), HSBC, Laporte plc (Finance Director), Lloyds Register (CFO and Chief Operating Officer), Royal Bank of Scotland (private equity) and Unilever. He has held a variety of non-executive director roles, including at Stobart Group, a leading UK transport company. Michael is currently CEO of a leading military charity in addition to his role at Trade Advisers. He is a graduate in Economics from Leicester University.