Chartered Director and IoD member Chris Conway has recently made the move from the high-tech telecommunications sector at Nortel, to the fast growing steel industry at Corus, as Director for Ireland.

Corus in Ireland is part of the international steel company and processes and distributes steel across the island of Ireland from its Steel Service Centres in Lisburn, Dublin, Cork and Athlone.

Chris explained what had attracted him to make the move.

"Steel and commodities are making a real re-birth at present, driven by a fast-growing global demand for steel and the growth market here in Ireland with so many infrastructure construction projects.

"There is very little in our modern world that isn't made from, made by or transported by steel products in some way, which makes the steel industry a very dynamic one to be involved with," he added.


"Coupled with the growing ability of construction and engineering sectors to re-use and recycle steel, then steel becomes an environmentally sound and sustainable commodity for the future.

"Corus Ireland operates fully on an all-island basis and is now part of Tata Steel, the world's sixth largest steel maker, so there is much scope in my new role to be part of a very large and growing organisation."

Chris, who is one of only 40 Chartered Directors in Northern Ireland, with over ten years senior management experience, is also pleased to be heading up such a forward thinking organisation in management issues such as Health and Safety and developing people.

Corus in Ireland has one of the highest accredited levels of Health and Safety in any company across the island of Ireland, having taken a journey of improvement and cultural change over the last five years to achieve their current ISRS* level 8. They were also recently commended in the NI Business Awards for their commitment to Health and Safety at their four sites.

Chris is a member of the IoD Education and Skills committee. He is looking forward to continuing this work through Corus who also have a strong commitment to the local communities in which they operate.

Chris is also a board member of the Centre for Competitiveness and a NI council member of Young Enterprise.