About Us
The Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation was established on 1 June 2011 and became operational on the appointment of a Chairman and Board on 10 September 2012 with the objective of regenerating the site by maximising its economic, historical and reconciliation potential. To this end, it has wide ranging powers to manage, develop, acquire and dispose of land. It is an ‘arms length body’ under the sponsorship of The Executive Office.
The first Board’s term of office ended on 30 September 2023. The Executive Office is in the process of finalising the appointment of a new Board.
The Executive team is led by Dr. Bryan Gregory.
Board
The new board members, who have been appointed to date for a 5–year term are:
Áine Gallagher
A Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, Áine Gallagher brings executive, non–executive and consultancy experience gained across the public, private and voluntary sectors in strategic planning, governance, finance and funding, as well as capital and development projects. Áine is a Board Member of Tourism NI and a Director of St. Columb’s Diocesan Trust (voluntary). Previous roles held include Chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee and Non–Executive Advisory Group Member of the Northern Ireland Audit Office, Director of Finance and Corporate Services for the Northern Ireland Hospice and Director of Operations for Culture Company 2013 Ltd. Áine has not been involved in any political activity in the past five years.
Kevin Gamble
Kevin Gamble is CEO of Féile an Phobail, Irelands Biggest Community Arts Festival. Kevin brings senior management and board level skills with over 15 years’ experience in strategic management and leadership in the public and community sectors and has attained an Executive Level MBA. Kevin has over 15 years’ experience in Strategic Management, Business Planning, Community Engagement, Funding and Sponsorship, Marketing and PR. Kevin holds senior positions on various boards, including: Belfast Taxis CIC, South Antrim GAA, Fáilte Feirste Thiar Visit Belfast Antrim GAA, Brassneck Theatre Company, Belfast Taxis and Coaches CIC, and West Belfast Partnership Board. Kevin has not been involved in any political activity in the past five years.
Diana Fitzsimons
Diana Fitzsimons (MA MSc FRICS MRTPI) is a Visiting Professor at Ulster University and brings her extensive experience as an urban planner, previously working on regeneration projects in the public, private and voluntary sectors. Diana brings knowledge of international regeneration as former deputy President of IFHP and current Chair of the Research Forum of ICLRD. She also brings to the MLKDC Board her strategy development skills from leading a major planning consultancy and senior board roles. Diana is a Belfast Harbour Commissioner and Chair of its Property and Place Committee. Her former board appointments include Chair of Radius Housing. Diana has not been involved in any political activity in the past five years.
Cathy Gormley–Heenan
Cathy Gormley–Heenan is University Provost at Ulster University, playing a major role in institution–wide strategic leadership and planning, including shaping institutional strategies and priorities and communicating the strategies and priorities to internal and external stakeholders. In 2021, Cathy was appointed as a fiscal commissioner in the Independent Fiscal Commission for Northern Ireland to consider the case for increasing fiscal powers available to the NI Assembly. As a qualified IoD Chartered Director, she has extensive non–executive and board experience having served as either a Trustee, Director, board member or advisor on a wide range of external bodies and organisations. Current ministerial appointments include DLUCH’s Levelling Up Advisory Council and UKRI’s Research England. Cathy has not been involved in any political activity in the past five years.
Maurice Johnston
Maurice Johnston is Architect / Director for Bryson Architects Ltd, Belfast. A member of both the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, Maurice oversees private and public sector construction projects ranging from thousands to millions of pounds, having sound commercial knowledge. A specialist recruited member on the Board of the Irish Football Association 2012–16 for a £35M national stadium development and was on the associated NI Government partnered National Football Stadium Project Board, and now latterly on the IFA’s Stadium Development Company Board. Also, was publicly appointed Chair of the Construction Industry Training Board NI 2014–2022. Maurice has not been involved in any political activity in the past five years.
Senior Management Team
Interim Chief Executive: Dr Bryan Gregory
Bryan is a Chartered Engineer, and a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and Engineers Ireland. He has wide experience in the delivery of complex multi–stakeholder projects ranging from policy development, and planning and stakeholder engagement, to infrastructure and regeneration projects. Bryan’s background is in the private sector, but he has been a Strategic Advisor with the Strategic Investment Board since 2008, where he has been responsible for overseeing the delivery of a number of major projects, including Titanic Belfast.
Director of Finance and Corporate Services: Mark Smyth
Mark is a qualified Chartered Accountant and member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, a qualified Prince2 Project Manager and mathematics graduate from Queen’s University. Mark is Big 4 trained at manager level with over 25 years of finance experience and has held senior management and director positions in private, public and charity organisations, managing budgets and strategies exceeding £100M. Outside of work, Mark is working on getting his private pilot’s licence with over 25 hours flying experience.
Director of Development: Neil McIvor
Neil is our Development Director. Neil is a Chartered Surveyor and Chartered Town Planner with 20 years experience in the private sector and has been heavily involved in major development opportunities and assets in the British Isles and Europe. He has held various high level positions within the industry such as Directorships with Vico plc, Murdock Developments, and Cuan Estates Limited. He also developed the strategy, initiated and delivered the store development programme in Northern Ireland for Lidl GmbH.
