ACA Leadership Breakfast

We’ll hear from three inspiring entrepreneurs who are reshaping their industries through creativity, resilience, and forward‑thinking leadership. Peter McAuley (Nomadic Watches Belfast), Peter Gilleece (Vikela Armour), and JB Dobbin (Demanu) will share their personal journeys, from early ideas to growth, challenges, breakthroughs, and the mindset that drives their innovation.

Our keynote speaker, Oonagh O’Reilly of MCO Performance, will close the morning with an energising talk on the powerful connection between innovation and performance mindset, exploring how leaders can unlock creativity, fuel progress, and elevate impact within their teams and organisations.

Speaker Details

Oonagh O’Reilly is the co‑founder of MCO Performance, a strategy execution consultancy specialising in systemising commercial operations, enhancing motivation and mindset, and building high‑performance cultures. With over 20 years of industry leadership experience, she has driven transformational growth for top brands, combining commercial expertise with a passion for accountability‑based leadership and positive action.
 

Peter McAuley is the founder of Nomadic Watches Belfast. He has grown the brand from a startup into a globally recognised watch company, known for its craftsmanship, storytelling, and strong connection to Belfast’s heritage. Through Nomadic, Peter has focused on building a brand that blends traditional watchmaking with modern design, while sharing the story of Northern Ireland with a global audience.

Peter Gilleece is the Founder and CEO of Vikela Armour. He started the company straight after graduating with a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University Belfast and was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 (Manufacturing, Europe) in 2025.Vikela Armour is a Northern Ireland company creating the world’s first 3D printed body armour for police and security forces using its own proprietary materials and manufacturing technology.

JB Dobbin is the founder of Demanu, a Ballymena-based design and manufacturing consultancy. With over 10 years’ experience in medical device and industrial design, including leading award‑winning projects such as the Red Dot‑recognised Sydney GoFlat. JB is known for his lean, innovative approach to product development and manufacturing

This promises to be an engaging, insightful, and motivating session for leaders across our community.

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