Dr Eamonn Butler is co-founder of the Adam Smith Institute which is one of the world’s leading economic and social policy think-tanks.  Eamonn has written books on a wide range of subjects, from economics through psychology and politics.  He has appeared on speaking platforms in every continent except Antarctica, is a regular commentator on TV and radio current affairs programmes, and writes in national and international newspapers.  Eamonn is one of Total Politics magazine’s top 50 Political Influencers, coming in at Number 30 on their list.

Mark Durkan is SDLP MP and MLA for Foyle. He was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998 and has been MP for Foyle since 2005. He is the former SDLP leader and was Deputy First Minister from 2001-2002. He has also served as Minister for Finance and Personnel from 1999-2001 and was Chair of the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee at the Assembly from 2007-2009. He was a member of Derry City Council from 1993-2000.

Simon Hamilton, MLA represents Strangford for the DUP. He was first elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2007. He is the Chair of the Social Development Committee at the Assembly and also sits on the Finance and Personnel and Assembly and Executive Review Committees. He is also Vice Chair of the All Party Assembly Group on Energy. Simon has been a member of Ards Borough Council since 2005.

Jackie Henry is a Partner with Deloitte and leads the firm’s public sector practice in Northern Ireland. She is a chartered accountant by profession and has over 20 years experience and knowledge of public sector organisations. In recent years she has supported the Northern Ireland public sector in a number of key reorganisation and reform projects.

Chris Lyttle succeeded Naomi Long as Alliance MLA for East Belfast on 5th July 2010. Chris, who previously worked for Naomi Long, is Vice-Chair of the East Belfast sub-group of Belfast District Policing Partnership for 2009-2010. He was educated at Queen’s University and Harvard University.

Seamus McAleavey is Chief Executive of NICVA, the representative body for the voluntary and community organisations in Northern Ireland. He is a member of the Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society in the UK and Ireland, established by the Carnegie Trust, whose report was published in March 2010.

Basil McCrea is an Ulster Unionist MLA for Lagan Valley, elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2007.  He is a member of the Education Committee at the Assembly and is the party’s education spokesman.  He has been a member of Lisburn City Council since 2005 and a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board since 2007.

Mitchel McLaughlin is Sinn Féin MLA for South Antrim, elected in 2007. He previously represented the Foyle constituency in the Assembly. He is a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Finance and Per sonnel Com mittee and Public Accounts Committee and is the Sinn Féin economy spokesperson. He is a former member of Derry City Council and has served as Sinn Féin Chairperson and General Secretary.

Joanne Stuart was appointed as the Chairman of the IoD Northern Ireland division in May 2008. With 20 years experience working in the IT industry for a number of multi-national corporations, including Oracle, Joanne branched out to form her own business, in 2006, specialising in providing business and IT consultancy services to large corporate IT companies. Joanne is also a non-executive director of Sentinus and a Trustee of the Integrated Education Fund.