UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
HONORARY CONFERRING
Monday, 29 August 2011 at 4.30 p.m.
TEXT OF THE INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS DELIVERED BY PROFESSOR ALEX EVANS, UCD School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin on 29 August 2011, on the occasion of the conferring of the Degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa on JOHN MOLONEY
President, Distinguished Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen
John Moloney was born in Enniscorthy in County Wexford and completed his secondary education in Summerhill College in County Sligo. I learn from the School web site that while there he excelled at Basketball and was a member of the team that won the Connaught Championship in his final year.
In 1972 he came to UCD where interestingly his matriculation subjects included Italian, Geography and Chemistry (amongst other subjects). In the early years he studied Biology, Chemistry, Experimental Physics and Maths and in later years he did particularly well Genetics, Agricultural Chemistry and Animal Husbandry. In the final year he was top of the class in Farm Management. He graduated with an honours degree and I wonder how he sees his time in UCD as contributing to his future success.
After leaving UCD in 1978 he added an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) from NUI Galway to his academic credentials and also worked for the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, and also in the meat industry in Ireland.
In 1987 he joined Waterford Foods and held a number of senior management positions including Chief Executive of Food Ingredients and Agribusiness.
Ten years later, in 1997, Waterford Foods merged with Avonmore Foods and John Moloney was appointed to the Board. In 1999 the company renamed and rebranded its self as Glanbia. In 2000 he was appointed Deputy Group Managing Director and in 2001 he assumed the responsibilities of Chief Operating Officer. John Maloney is now recognised in Ireland as one of the country's leading food company chief executives.
In the late 1990’s Glanbia was not the company it is today, but under John Malony’s stewardship it rationalised operations, sold businesses and cut costs. The company then went on to make acquisitions and form joint ventures. Glanbia is now a company with annual revenues of in excess of €2.5 billion. It is because of this, I repeat that John Maloney is recognised in Ireland as one of the country's leading food company chief executives.
Glanbia is an international cheese and nutritional ingredients group that is headquartered in Ireland. The Glanbia Group has four segments; US Cheese & Global Nutritionals, Dairy Ireland, Joint Ventures & Associates and Other Business. It has operations in Ireland, Europe, USA and China with joint ventures in the UK, USA and Nigeria. Glanbia has over 4,300 employees worldwide with exports and distribution to at least 130 countries.
Now just a few figures on the scale of the business that John Moloney is in charge of. On a world wide scale Glanbia process 5.8 billion litres of milk (that is more than all the milk produced in Ireland), they process about half a million tonnes of cheese products and manufacture about a quarter of a million tonnes of dairy based ingredients each year. This area of dairy based ingredients is the one that John Moloney and Glanbia have developed considerably in recent years. This includes such components as proteins, vitamins, minerals, nutraceuticals that sever the food, beverage and supplement markets. Their philosophy includes science based technical innovation with an eye on market needs and opportunities. They sell quality products but John has stressed that they also sell integrity. All qualities that graduates of today and businesses of the future would do well to follow.
John Moloney’s skills are also sought by those outside Glanbia. For example he is presently the Director of the Irish Dairy Board Co-operative Limited, he is a member of the Board of Directors of the company DCC and is also a Council Member of IBEC (the Irish Business and Employers Confederation).
Presently John Moloney lives in Co Waterford with his wife Joan and their two sons.
Today we honour John Moloney for his leadership and innovation in the agriculture and food industry. He has shown vision, courage and success and is one of Irelands finest in terms of his contribution to agriculture, the employment opportunities that he has created and his entrepreneurial spirit and example to others.
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Praehonorabilis Praeses, totaque Universitas,
Praesento vobis hunc meum filium, quem scio tam moribus quam doctrina habilem et idoneum esse qui admittatur, honoris causa, ad gradum Doctoratus Scientiae; idque tibi fide mea testor ac spondeo, totique Academiae.