Sophie Duron

Professional Qualifications

Master’s in applied languages (English/Germany) and business studies, Universite Lyon 3-France, 1993 – final year exchange student at the University of Tuebingen, Germany

Postgrade in international relations (DE.S.S.) University Aix-Marseille 1, France

Certificate in credit management (UK), 1998.

CIMA Certificate, 2008

MIICM member Vocational (chartered institute of credit management)

 

French national, grew up and studied in France and Germany. Started my professional career near London in 1995, then moved to the Republic of Ireland in 2000 during the Celtic Tiger years. I have experienced, first hand, the economic burdens of rapid economic growth in a small european country with limited natural resources and allowing foreign investors to dictate economic growth at the cost of local communities outside the capital Dublin.

I have travelled extensively around the world and looked at how communities are managing waste issues with a particular interest in plastic bags. Ireland was the first european country to introduce a plastic bag levy in 2001. This has helped curb illegal dumping in the country side but also forced the government to export their waste/ burden to China and Malaysia. One of my worst memories was the beach waste in Bali, Indonesia and fields of plastic bags in the Transkai in South Africa. I collect plastic from my local beach in my community and educate at work and locally on re-usable goods. am als active in a campaign to stop the eradication of trees to build fast corridors for trucks and buses to Dublin city. Trees are wisdom keepers in the Celtic tradition and must be preserved. Am witnessing less and less insects in particular bees and ladybirds in the country side since Ireland has changed from traditonal farming to mass exploitation in 2007. My current county- Wicklow is a fighting ground of activists creating slowly but surely small heavens of biodiversity and trying their best l to preserve the environmeny by planting edible gardens in local towns and schools.

I bring over 20 years of experience in the corporate field from large multinationals in software industry to small medium size businesses in advertising. I manage medium size projects and teams daily in operations supporting european teams through coaching, mentoring& training in new business trends and associated fraud, regulatory compliance and credit market & economic risks. I have drafted and implemented corporate policies on a global scale with the US and South East Asia. I enjoy consulting, reviewing and advising entrepreneurs on their business plans and market potential and current barriers findjng fit for purpose practical.simple solutions to business needs.