Pádraic Gilligan is co-founder of SoolNua, a strategy and marketing consultancy serving destinations, venues, hotels, agencies and associations in the global business events sector. A former educator, he holds BA and MA degrees in Italian and English literature from University College Dublin and a postgraduate diploma in Marketing from Boston College.

Pádraic co-founded Delaney Marketing Consultants in 1994, later building it into the Ovation Group, a US$30 million live events agency that became MCI Group’s Ovation Global DMC network across 100 destinations. At SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence), he has served as International President, Chief Marketing Officer and now Head of Research & Consultancy.

A sought-after moderator and keynote speaker, Pádraic leads IMEX’s Exclusively Corporate program and advises industry boards while consulting on branding, strategy and research projects for destinations, venues and global hospitality brands.