UN International Procurement Seminar 2025

11–12 Mar 2025 | Copenhagen, Denmark

rachel Mccarthy

Chief Operations Officer (COO)

Shannon International Development Consultants

Limerick, Ireland

33 profile visitsIE company

Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight. With over a decade of experience in economic development, I have led projects across various countries

My organisation

Shannon International Development Consultants (SIDC) is a leading consultancy firm. Founded in 2003, SIDC has been instrumental in advising governments, economic development agencies, and private-sector clients worldwide. SIDC is embedded in the success of the Shannon Free Zone in Ireland, the world’s first airport-related industrial free zone. Drawing inspiration from this pioneering model, SIDC’s experts have not only gained invaluable expertise within the Shannon Free Zone but have also applied these innovative economic development strategies worldwide. Over the years, SIDC has built a reputation for delivering transformative projects across a wide range of sectors, including zone management and operation, business park development, industrial development, FDI attraction, tourism, export promotion, and SME development. Our experts bring a wealth of experience from both the public and private sectors, having played pivotal roles in shaping Ireland’s economic transformation, from an agricultural economy on Europe’s periphery to a knowledge-driven hub at the heart of the European Union.
Read more

About me

I am the Chief Operating Officer at Shannon International Development Consultants (SIDC), where I provide strategic leadership and operational oversight. With over a decade of experience in economic development, I have led transformational projects across the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa. My expertise spans investment attraction, export promotion, SME development, special economic zones management, regulation, tourism, and research and innovation.

I have also worked extensively with major funding agencies, including the World Bank, the European Commission, and the African Development Bank.

I hold a BSc in International Development and Food Policy from University College Cork and a Master’s in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development from University College Dublin.

Social media

Skills

  • Management
  • Strategy
  • Marketing
  • Communication
  • negotiations

Interests

  • Sports
  • Outdoors
  • Cooking