Forest Industries Ireland has announced that a Laois businessman has been elected as its chairman.
Mark Sheeran, Managing Director of Laois company CJ Sheeran Ltd, has been selected as the forestry body’s new chairman.
Following his graduation from UL in 1988 with a Bachelor in Business Studies, Mark Sheeran worked in various marketing roles in both London and San Francisco.
He returned to Ireland in 1994 to work alongside his late father Canice in a burgeoning timber business in Coolrain with just five employees at the time (including themselves).
As Chief Executive of Ireland’s largest pallet manufacturer, Mark brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the role.
CJ Sheeran Ltd is also the owner of Coolrain Sawmills, giving him valuable insight into the timber supply chain from raw material to finished product.
Mark McAuley, Director of Forest Industries Ireland, welcomed the appointment, stating: “The council of FII is delighted to announce that it has elected Mark Sheeran as its new Chairman.
“Mark brings a huge amount of experience and energy to the role.
“Mark is deeply committed to strengthening the entire forest products supply chain and building on the commercial success of an industry that has expanded significantly over the last two decades, driven by a growing supply of raw material and the ambition of family-owned firms which lead wood processing across Ireland.
“This experience aligns well to Forest Industries Ireland’s commitment to supporting the continued growth of the Irish forest sector.
“We need to boost tree planting rates in this country if we are to realise our environmental ambitions and secure Ireland’s world-class timber supply for many years to come.”
In accepting his new role, Mark Sheeran said: “As the new Chairman of FII, I have strong hopes for the continued expansion of the forest products sector.
“Ireland enjoys key competitive advantages—particularly our ability to grow fast-growing conifers and access large markets in the UK and Continental Europe with high-quality, competitively priced timber products.
“I’m also passionate about ensuring the sector fully embraces its environmental and climate-related potential.
“Forestry and timber products are essential components of Ireland’s growing bioeconomy and make a major contribution to achieving our climate action goals.”
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