Business & Politics

Photos by Malcolm McNally

12 September 2019.  The US-Ireland Alliance and Morgan Stanley teamed up for their annual London reception. Thanks to Ronan Harris, Google’s Vice President & MD of the UK & Ireland, the event was held at Google’s Pancras Square office. Guests enjoyed the beautiful view on a lovely evening.

It was Belfast-born Googler Tony McGaharan’s idea to hold this year’s reception at Google. Tony has just relocated to Google’s Dublin office where he will soon take up the role of Global Learning Lead.  

Welcoming guests were Trina Vargo, founder and president of the US-Ireland Alliance, and Caroline McLaughlin, co-Chair of Net-Éire, Morgan Stanley’s Irish network.  Morgan Stanley is also a sponsor of the Mitchell Scholarship program.   Mitchell Scholars Winnie Li and Tyler Dillard were on hand as were recent graduates Laura Finnerty (Trinity College Dublin) and Ellen McMahon (University College Dublin) who recently joined Morgan Stanley as analysts.

The always eclectic guest list included many Morgan Stanley executives and others in finance, law and academia.  Alliance events also always include artists, and this reception was no exception. Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey, a recipient of the Alliance’s Oscar Wilde Award, is in London as the DP on Joss Weedon’s sci-fi drama, tv series, The Nevers. Actress Dearbhla Molloy is about to head to Ireland for a role in John Patrick Shanley’s upcoming film WILD THYME, also starring Emily Blunt, Jamie Dornan, Jon Hamm and Christopher Walken. Anne Morrison, originally from Northern Ireland, is the Chair of BAFTA’s International Committee and Director of Women in Film & Television UK.

Also present were Ross Finegan of Lonsdale Capital Partners; Mark Gallagher of Crownway Investments; former US Ambassador, Lewis Lukens; Enterprise Ireland Director Marina Donahue; and media’s Tadhg Enright of BBC, Blathnaid Healy of CNN, and Ciara Byrne of Conde Nast.