Our People
Neil Collen, MD & Chairman
Neil is Chairman and Managing Director of Collen Group, a Company whose beginnings go back to the early 1800’s – he is the 19th "Collen" to have worked for the family firm and joined the Company in 1978. There has been quite an amount of change since Neil joined the Company, which was at that time, known as Collen Bros. (Dublin) Ltd. In 1987 Collen Construction Ltd. was formed and Neil became a director at that time. Then in 1996 there was a re-organization and a Group Structure was introduced. Collen Group Ltd. carries out development opportunities and wholly owns Collen Construction Ltd. and Collen Project Management Ltd. which are building & civil engineering contractors and architectural and structural design companies respectively.
Leslie FitzPatrick, Group CFO
Leslie joined Collen Group in August 2008. He was previously the Finance Director/Company Secretary of the Barchester Ireland Group. He was involved in the start up of that business and helped successfully launch their first Care Village in Trim, Co Meath (called Knightsbridge). He helped raised significant equity/bank funding for Barchester and successfully secured a number of other development sites. Prior to that he worked in a DCC plc healthcare subsidiary called Virtus where he was the Group Finance Director/Company Secretary for over 13 years. Virtus had manufacturing and design businesses in Ireland and the USA. Leslie played a leading role in developing a new healthcare service business in Ireland and identified/secured a bolt on’ acquisitions to that company. He also obtained substantial work experience while working in Horwath Bastow Charleton for over six years in audit, tax and the corporate finance departments. Leslie is a qualified Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA) who also has a BA (Honours) degree in Management with the Irish Management Institute.
Paddy Jordan, Property Surveyor
Paddy is involved with site assembly, development appraisals, property disposals and asset managing properties held in the Collen Group portfolio. Prior to joining the company, Paddy worked with Savills Hamilton Osborne King for three years in both the Industrial and Retail Departments, where he was involved in the acquisition and disposal of numerous retail properties, industrial buildings and development land sites. He carried out valuations and development appraisals, and gave development advice to numerous developer clients. Paddy has an honours degree in Real Estate Management, having graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2005 and is a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI).
Sandra Kelly, PA
Sandra Kelly is personal assistant to the Collen Group. Her role is to provide administrative support to the MD and other senior members of staff. In addition she also assists with property management. Prior to working at Collen, Sandra gained experience working in administrative/PA and assistant team management roles. Sandra holds a certificate as a legal secretary and also holds business and advanced secretarial certificates. After further study Sandra is now a qualified psychodynamic psychotherapist.
Kara Stuart, Assistant Company Secretary
Kara is Assistant Company Secretary for the Collen Group. Supporting the Company Secretary, she is involved in all aspects of Company Law and other regulatory compliance, group insurance and claims handling and assisting the Board of Directors of the Group Companies. Prior to her appointment in 2006, Kara worked with Open + Direct Retail Finance as a Compliance & Audit Executive for 1 year and as a Compliance Officer progressing to Company Secretary for the Stuart Group (Insurance Brokers) from 1999 until 2004. Kara holds an LL.B. Honours in Law from Queen’s University at Belfast, which she attained in 1999. After further study she became a Qualified Financial Advisor in 2001 and a Chartered Company Secretary in 2004.
Paddy Wall, Director & Company Secretary
Paddy Wall is a Director of Collen Group Ltd and provides property and company secretary services through his consultancy KFL Corporate Services Limited. He has been with the company since 1961, taking a special interest in the property activities of the Group. Paddy is a Chartered Company Secretary.