Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s seafood development agency, has named Tara McCarthy as its CEO, a five year-position she will assume this September.
McCarthy is currently director of the food and beverages division in Bord Bia and has led a team of senior executives on the development of the seafood, dairy, prepared foods, alcohol and small business sectors.
“I am delighted that Tara McCarthy is taking up the position of Chief Executive of BIM,” said Kieran Calnan, BIM chairman. “I am confident that Tara will do an outstanding job for BIM and the wider seafood industry. Tara has already demonstrated she has the necessary energy, determination and leadership qualities to drive the development of an industry that is on the cusp of change and has the potential for significant growth.”
According to its strategy, “Capturing Ireland’s Share of the Global Seafood Opportunity,” BIM is seeking EUR 1 billion (USD 1.11 billion) in seafood sales and 1,200 jobs by 2017.
An affiliate of Harvard Business School and IMD Business School, Switzerland, McCarthy has an MBS in Marketing from Smurfit Business School, and worked for more than 10 years in markets like Germany, France and Belgium. She has been a regular contributor to the government’s Food Harvest 2020 and 2025 reports and succeeded in delivering a number of instrumental initiatives for Bord Bia and the Irish Food Industry under the “Pathways for Growth” program.