OUR FOUNDER

RICHARD COLLINS

Richard has over 25 years experience as a finance professional. He worked his way up through the ranks from being an accountant to a Wealth Manager to CEO & Founder of Walfrid Private in 2012. Here, Richard and his team of almost 40, help business owners at the crossroads of life, business and finance to identify their critical path to financial independence. He employs the ethos of “10X: BIG THINK and BIG ACTION”. He is an International Speaker at finance events and speaks at conferences nationally.

When discussing the motivation for creating The Wealth Summit, Richard stated “The Wealth Summit has been in planning since 2012. The pandemic delayed the in-person events but accelerated the growth and need for larger face-to-face, in-person events for Irish business owners. In January 2023, we bounced back from the pandemic with the Wealth Management without Boundaries Conference in the Shelbourne Hotel for 150 entrepreneurs. David McWilliams was the keynote speaker. In May 2023, The Wealth Summit – Summer Edition played host to 250 business owners in The Westin Hotel in Dublin City Centre. Keynote addresses included Ivan Yates, Suzanne Jackson, Niall Quinn & Jim Power. November 2023 brings the Winter Edition of The Wealth Summit in the prestigious RDS”.

Richard shares “The Wealth Summit is Irelands leading growth conference for Irish Business Owners, Entrepreneurs and those that aspire to be; Whether at start-up, scale-up or sell-up phase of the entrepreneurial journey, The Wealth Summit showcases key insights and analysis from world class speakers to help attendees navigate to their critical path to achieve financial independence.”

OUR COO

EDWARD COLLINS

Edward has been an instrumental part of the success of The Wealth Summit as well as Walfrid Private. Edward has had a vast career with 15 years Business Ownership / Leadership experience. Edward’s educational background has been prominent in helping The Wealth Summit and Walfrid Private’s growth pattern. Edward is Chief Operations Officer for The Wealth Summit and Walfrid Private.

SCALABLE GROWTH ADVISOR

MIKE GREENE

Mike Greene is an Entrepreneur, Growth Mentor, Consultant and Speaker on Strategic Change and Leadership.

Born and raised on council estates, Mike Greene has worked hard to achieve success within the business world. Mike rose through the ranks and by his early twenties had established his own retail consultancy business; a meteoric rise, followed by a dramatic change in fortunes, which resulted in him losing everything. Undeterred he did it all again – but this time, he did it right. After taking a few years to rebuild his corporate career working with Global oil companies and retailers to develop their retail businesses and advising across dozens of countries Mike bought retail consultancy “him!” with Tom Fender and together they grew it into a multimillion pound business working across Europe and with offices in the UK, USA, Australia, and New Zealand before selling to WRBM (William Reed Ltd). “him!” advised at main board level to over 100 Global Retailers and suppliers across Retail, Wholesale, and Manufacturing, and Mike became a regular speaker at key global retail events. In 2011/12, Mike starred as one of Channel 4’s Secret Millionaires. Following the programme, he sold his main business and took a three-month sabbatical with the personal challenge to raise £100,000 for 100 charities in 100 days.

He was successful in this bid and was inspired to go on to commit one-third of his time to help charities and mentoring people to change their lives for the better. Mike has supported dozens of charities locally and regionally including Trustee of Peterborough Cathedral 2013 – 2017, Patron of Peterborough lions Rugby between 2014 and 2017, and became a founding member of the committee to lobby for & raise funds for Peterborough University.

Mike is also Chair for the Chamber of Commerce, Peterborough, and Stamford, and an Ambassador for Cambridgeshire Children’s Hospital helping to raise £100m. Mike Greene continues to be a property developer with several large projects in and around the Peterborough area (including the conversion and development of 102 apartments at Bayard Plaza, The former Papworth hospital, Towngate Mews in Market Deeping, and a Grade 2 listed school house in Crowland to name a few).

In addition to his property business and investments, Mike is also a main board member of over 40 businesses. His book Failure Breeds Success was published in 2013 and he was awarded an honorary Doctorate by Anglia Ruskin Uni as Dr of Education in 2013.

SCALABLE GROWTH ADVISOR

TOM GANNON

Tom Gannon is an innovative entrepreneur and visionary behind two successful health-centric ventures, Fulfil Nutrition Bars and Cali Cali Foods. With a passion for nutrition and a deep commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle, Tom has carved a remarkable path in the health food industry. Born and raised in a small town in Dublin, Tom’s journey began with a personal mission to revolutionize the way people perceive nutrition and wellness. Armed with a background in food science and a keen eye for emerging trends, he embarked on his entrepreneurial adventure to create Fulfil, a pioneering brand that offers a delightful range of wholesome, protein-packed bars. His dedication to using only the finest, all-natural ingredients and a relentless pursuit of taste and texture perfection quickly propelled Fulfil Bars to become a favourite among fitness enthusiasts and health-conscious individuals alike.

Tom’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to dream even bigger. Drawing inspiration from his travels and love for the vibrant cuisine of California, he co-founded Cali Cali Foods, an exciting health food brand that celebrates the flavors of the West Coast while prioritizing nutrition and mindful eating. Through Cali Cali, Tom has successfully bridged the gap between fast food and healthy fare, making it an accessible choice for people seeking delicious, nourishing meals on the go. Under Tom’s leadership, both Fulfil and Cali Cali have experienced exponential growth, receiving widespread acclaim and numerous accolades within the health food industry.

Tom’s relentless pursuit of excellence and his passion for empowering individuals to make healthier choices have not only fuelled his own success but have also inspired countless others to embrace a balanced and mindful approach to their well-being.

SCALABLE GROWTH ADVISOR

CHRIS MATTHEWS

Chris Matthews is the Managing Director of Svella AI. With over 30 years of diverse experience in civil engineering, project management, IT infrastructure, and healthcare leadership, Chris brings a unique blend of technical and strategic expertise is passionate about leveraging AI to drive business transformation and innovation.

Chris has successfully exited two businesses in physiotherapy clinics. He brings his expertise of how AI can assist in scaling and exiting businesses successfully.

SCALABLE GROWTH ADVISOR

ALAN DEVINE

Alan Devine is a Senior Finance and Business Leader at global multinational level with twenty years of progressive experience spanning global multi-billion-dollar organisations to high-potential indigenous start-ups. He has led global teams as a C-Suite partner on the leadership team.

Previously, He has have owned and led smaller, family oriented high growth businesses, and is adept at managing funding stakeholders. In the past Alan has secured small business growth funding from Government Agencies, and managed lender relationships in highly geared smaller organisations.

Currently, Alan is Finance Director for the global finance function of the Integrated Strategic Solutions (ISS) portfolio (turnover $1.8bn) within global medical research multinational ICON PLC. The function partners with the global organisation, leads out on budgeting, forecasting, driving profitability and initiatives, and providing solutions to complex business challenges. He leads the global remote finance team of eighteen and represents the portfolio at Board level. He specialises in taking bespoke decisions based on unique, complex, multi-faceted problems and circumstances to assist in delivering on strategic objectives. He analyses the big picture and brings a straightforward approach to defining and delivering recommendations and solutions.

Alongside this brief Alan is driving a post M&A change programme within the ISS function, transformation roles and responsibilities, and steering the agenda for process and system transformation across the wider function in conjunction with IT contractors.

SCALABLE GROWTH ADVISOR

PAUL MORAN

Paul Moran is an Executive Team Lead here in Walfrid Private. He quickly progressed to the Executive Committee after showcasing his desire, knowledge and skills. He manages two teams here including our Zero Tax Property team to ensure the highest levels of customer service and experience. Paul is resourceful, enthusiastic and motivated with over 20 years’ experience working in busy deadline driven office environments. Paul’s skillset incorporates organising, planning and coordinating his team with a keen eye for detail. Paul brings his years of experience in building High Output Teams to our Founders Board members.