Elaine Hartin is the Chief Strategy and Finance Officer at Ulster University, playing a major role in institution-wide strategic leadership and planning, including shaping institutional strategies and priorities and aligning institutional resources to deliver against these. Prior to joining the University in 2021 Elaine was Chief Operating Officer at Belfast Metropolitan College and a Director in Deloitte. Elaine has a strong public service ethos and has contributed significantly to the sustainable success of a number of large complex organisation while maintaining strategic and financial oversight, including Procurement Strategy. Elaine has also served on a range of boards and panels, including accepting a Prime Ministerial Appointment to serve as the NI representative on a Pay Review Body. She is currently on the Finance Committee for a local Housing Association. She holds a first-class honours degree in Accounting from Ulster University, a master’s degree in Accounting from Queens University Belfast and is a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants in Ireland.

Clare Egan is Head of Procurement at Ulster University. Clare is an experienced, enthusiastic, and highly motivated individual with over 30 years’ experience in procurement working in both the private and public sector. In her procurement career Clare has worked for multinational companies such as Pepsi Co Restaurants (London), Wyeth Medica (Newbridge, Co. Kildare) and Tyco Healthcare (Europe). Clare has achieved high success rates throughout her working career in procurement. As Head of Procurement at Ulster University, Clare provides leadership and strategic direction to the procurement team and across the institution, employing procurement methods that enable end users to consider multiple objectives including social values, financial considerations allowing them to consider the balance between cost, risk, and benefits.

Sharon has been involved in public procurement since November 2001 and has been the Head of Construction and Procurement Delivery for the NI Civil Service since 2021. In her current role, Sharon has responsibility for helping the NI Executive procure the goods, services and works needed to deliver public services and develop public procurement policy which underpins procurement practice in Northern Ireland. Sharon is an advocate for the professionalism of public procurement and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply. She was awarded a CBE in the 2025 New Years Honours List for her services to public procurement and has commented that the Honour reflects the work carried out by the NI Public Sector procurement profession particularly during the supply chain disruptions over the last 5 years.