GERARD O'HARE, Trent University, Nottingham, UK
Born in Newry, Northern Ireland, Gerard is one of Northern Ireland’s most successful
property and business entrepreneurs with a portfolio of developments across Ireland,
the UK, Central Europe and the USA.
Educated at Trent University in Nottingham as a Surveyor he joined the growing
family construction business Carnbane House Group. Under his guidance
Carnbane House Group became one of Ireland’s leading property investment and
construction companies – today ranked in Northern Ireland’s Top 100 Companies.
He left his position as director of the family firm Carnbane House Group (although he remains a 25% shareholder) to found and manage the investment and property business Parker Green, which has a portfolio of properties and investments fast approaching $1 Billion Dollars.
In more recent years he has pursued a more independent property investment role and has major investments throughout the Island of Ireland and abroad.
Through a commitment to good business practice, sound vision and proven ability he has won the respect of the business community throughout the island of Ireland. He was the catalyst in bringing together the winning consortium bid for Belfast’s Waterfront Lanyon Place in association with the USA Baltimore based Company, EIDC and Dunloe Ewart Plc in 1991. Through his vision and belief in Northern Ireland he has left Belfast with a major project that was deemed not possible by many at the time of conception.
Gerard is recognised as a Champion of Town Centre regeneration. The Minister for the Environment for the Republic of Ireland has asked him to initiate the concept on the back of a major new development in Carlow as a blue print for other Towns and Cities in the Republic of Ireland where Town Centre Management Partnership does not exist.
In April 2006 Gerard was appointed Chairman of the University of Ulster Foundation established to assist the University in obtaining funds for its development programme from philanthropic and corporate sources. He is a Visiting professor at the University of Ulster School of the Built Environment. In July 2004, the Gerard O’Hare Chair was inaugurated to bring a new and wider experience to students in the Faculty of Engineering through a number of new initiatives including a new Degree in Urban Planning and Design common and the launch of a Harvard Graduate School for Design Studio in Northern Ireland.
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