President's Address

John Power, President of Engineers Ireland, delivered his Presidential Address on The Weirdness of Reality: Engineering in our time on Thursday, 29 September 2022.

Overview

From the Spanish Flu to the modern day and beyond, John Power transported members and guests through the decades to demonstrate the impact engineering has had during his lifetime and will have on all of us in the future.

Throughout his Address, John brought the world of engineering and its achievements to life for all to appreciate. He demonstrated the great impact engineers and engineering has had on humanity and how Engineers Ireland and engineering will continue to be vital for future generations. 

Biography of John Power CEng FIEI

John Power was inaugurated as the 130th President of Engineers Ireland on Thursday, 2 June 2022.

John Power is an engineering graduate (1975) from University College Dublin (UCD), later completing a Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering (MIE) and an MBA. Following graduation, he began working as a Technical Advisor with General Electric in the USA and South America. In 1978 John joined ESB, where over a 30-year career, he enjoyed a number of diverse roles in Engineering Management, Marketing and Corporate Change before becoming HR Manager in ESB Networks, Executive Director in ESBI, and finally, Head of ESB Corporate Affairs. 

A former Director General of Engineers Ireland (2007 - 2015), he greatly enhanced the profile of the profession by highlighting the contribution of engineering to the quality of all our lives.  He also promoted the title of Chartered Engineer and was instrumental in the inclusion of the CEng title in the revised building regulations. Other initiatives included raising the reputation of Irish engineering qualifications internationally and the requirement for a Masters degree or equivalent, to secure the title of Chartered Engineer. The first television advertisement, promoting the profession, was produced during his time.  During this period, John also chaired the International Centre for Graduate Education in Micro and Nano Engineering (ICGEE) and chaired the Rail Safety Advisory Council for seven years. He received the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland President’s Award in 2013. He is a Past President of the UCD Engineering Graduates Association. John became a Fellow of Engineers Ireland in 1985.

Now practicing as an Executive Coach, John deploys his broad career experience supporting others. He graduated with his Executive Coaching qualification from the UCD Smurfit Business School in 2016.  He is now an accredited Senior Executive Coach with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council. John serves as a Trustee of the Arup Charitable Trust and is a member of the Engineers Ireland Benevolent Fund committee. He was inaugurated as Vice-President of Engineers Ireland in June 2020.

Networking opportunities
Engineers Ireland offers lots of networking opportunities for members on both a local and national level.