About Us
Building Ireland’s Future Productivity - Powered by Lean, Digital, and People.
Li4 is leading Ireland’s next productivity revolution, combining Lean thinking, digital innovation, and human-centred transformation to help enterprises grow smarter, cleaner, and more resilient.
Our Story
Li4 was established in 2023 by South East Technological University (SETU) as Ireland’s National Centre of Excellence in Lean Industry 4.0.
Our mission is simple but ambitious, we want to make Ireland a world leader in productivity, sustainability, and digital transformation.
We work across sectors where performance and resilience matter most, from pharma and food to manufacturing, healthcare, and services.
By helping organisations connect people, process, and technology, we turn complex challenges into practical, measurable improvement.
At Li4, innovation isn’t theory - it’s action.
Every collaboration we lead delivers real impact: higher productivity, lower waste, smarter systems, and stronger capabilities that last long after the project ends.
From our base in Waterford, we’re building a national ecosystem of excellence, where industry, government, and academia come together to design the intelligent, sustainable enterprises of the future.
To lead Ireland’s transformation in productivity, sustainability, and digital capability by integrating Lean thinking with Industry 4.0 technologies.
We help organisations achieve smarter performance by connecting people, process, and technology to create measurable, lasting impact.
A more productive, sustainable, and innovative Ireland where enterprises of every size can thrive through intelligent, people centred transformation.
Innovation with Purpose
We think differently, experiment boldly, and turn new ideas into measurable value. We combine creativity with practical impact, using digital tools, data, and design thinking to solve real-world challenges that drive measurable improvement
Dignity & Respect
We champion inclusion, equality, and collaboration — valuing every voice and empowering people with the capability, confidence, and culture to lead transformation from within
Collaboration & Trust
We work side by side with partners across industry, government, and academia, sharing knowledge openly and acting with integrity, respect, transparency, and purpose doing what’s right for our clients and our community
Sustainability in Action
Every improvement is an opportunity to reduce waste, optimise resources, and create value responsibly for business, people, and the planet.
Our People
At Li4, people are at the centre of everything we do, in our projects, our partnerships, and our purpose.
Our team brings together specialists in Lean, Digital Transformation, Simulation, AI, and Process Optimisation, all united by a shared belief that innovation starts with people and succeeds through collaboration.
We combine academic depth, industry experience, and a hands-on approach to help organisations turn ambition into measurable impact.
From engineers and process designers to learning specialists and transformation coaches, the Li4 team is shaping the future of Ireland’s productivity and innovation.
Dr Patrick Lynch
Director and Principal Investigator
Pat is a highly experienced and accomplished leader with a proven track record in strategy design, development, and implementation, in addition to stakeholder engagement, problem solving, and project management. He has spent his career cultivating Value Innovation Networks with academics, research disciplines, industry, policy makers, funding agencies, and communities.
Pat has facilitated and led the generation of €8M in research funding in SETU RIKON centre, being principally responsible for securing over €4M, and has held the position of Innovation Principal Investigator on 400 innovation projects that are recognised for making real transformational change in business and reimagining how organisations can identify tactical business opportunities to grow business volume. Pat’s PhD is on innovation, knowledge transfer, and networks.
Richie Dawson
Director of Operations
Richie has extensive industry experience that provides an integrated understanding of business functions to support service delivery, including: Business Development, Workforce Management, Quality Assurance, Training and Development. He has significant experience developing and leading Lean and Continuous Improvement initiatives with internationally-renowned hospital groups based in Ireland and the United States, including delving deep into process improvement projects, designing training courses, and developing staff competencies for continuous improvement activities.
He holds a Master of Business Studies in Lean Enterprise Excellence, a Lean Black Belt, and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt focusing on service and operational productivity improvement. Richie is critically focused on developing and managing strategic partnerships, and designing tailored solutions for clients that integrate the full Li4 capability
Peter Hines
Strategic partner
Professor Peter Hines was a co-founder of the Lean Enterprise Research Centre (LERC) at Cardiff Business School, which became the largest academic research centre for lean globally.
Peter has conducted extensive research into Lean and has authored or co-authored twelve books. Three of his books have won Shingo Prizes: Staying Lean, Creating a Lean & Green Business System, and The Essence of Excellence.
His latest book, Why Bother, was published in 2022 and received a Shingo Publication Award in May 2023. Peter now leads the Enterprise Excellence Network, which offers European businesses on-site benchmarking, learning, and networking opportunities.
As Li4 visiting professor and strategic partner, he collaborates as part of strategic partnerships with Li4 clients and continues his research into Lean/Industry 4.0 and Lean/People spaces
Michael Daly
Continuous Improvement Partner
Michael is a highly experienced business leader with more than 28 years’ experience at GSK/Haleon. He has a proven track record of leadership, engagement, impact, and improvement across senior roles in Lean, Continuous Improvement, Supply Chain Management & Logistics, and Project Management.
He holds a Diploma in Purchasing & Materials Management and International Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety, and is Lean Sigma Train the Trainer certified and Lean Sigma Black Belt certified. Michael provides critical value-add in the design and implementation of Lean Management System at both a national and international scale.
Jane Bishop
Lean Healthcare Partner
Jane is a seasoned healthcare leader with more than 30 years’ experience in Lean and Continuous Improvement transformation initiatives across the healthcare sector in Ireland, the UK, Canada, and the USA. Jane is a Registered General Nurse (RGN) and Registered Paediatric Nurse (RSCN), and has worked in various operational and managerial positions, including Director of Critical Care & Trauma Services and Regional Quality Lead.
As a Lean Healthcare Consultant and Trainer, she has trained more than 8,000 healthcare professionals from Lean White Belt to Master Black Belt level. Jane holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Emergency Nursing and Masters in Strategic Quality Management specific to Healthcare.
Mikhail Soloviev
Process Simulation Engineer Lead
Mikhail is an experienced design engineer with a proven track record of gathering and analysing technical and performance data, writing reports, and improving products in R&D environments. He has a strong background in mechanical engineering, design, and computer-aided engineering, and effectively integrates an analytical mindset with programming skills, hands-on development, and testing experience.
He holds a Masters of Engineering from Imperial College London, and a Lean Green Belt. Mikhail provides critical value-add in unifying advanced simulation techniques with client needs and wants, including Digital Twin development.
Noel Hennessy
LEAN PARTNER
Noel was the Enterprise Excellence Director for Lake Region Medical. In 2012 the site achieved the distinction of becoming the first company in Ireland, to achieve the prestigious Shingo Accreditation.
He has an MSc in Lean from Cardiff University; and attained his Doctorate in Business Administration from WIT. In 2021 Noel co-authored Human Lean which has won Shingo and Lean Business Ireland Publication Awards.
In October 2023 Noel was inducted into the Shingo Hall of Fame for his contribution to organisational excellence across Ireland and further afield.
Noel’s generosity of spirit and passion for Lean makes him a regular contributor at conferences and regional events where his distinctive sense-making ability and good humour helps audiences better understand the opportunities Lean present for leaders, managers, and team members alike.
Ana Rita Oliveira
PhD Researcher
Ana Rita Oliveira is currently pursuing a PhD at South East Technological University (SETU), focused on developing a sustainable continuous improvement framework for the manufacturing sector.
At Li4, Ana contributes her expertise in continuous improvement methodologies and sustainability principles, playing a crucial role in advancing research and practice within the team. She explores the defining characteristics of Shingo Prize-winning organisations, examining the crucial systems within these businesses, their interconnections, and how they've evolved and matured.
By sharing insights from globally recognised, multi-award-winning companies, Ana helps organisations identify improvement opportunities and establish key priorities. Her approach facilitates cross-organisational learning and provides valuable perspectives on the fundamental factors contributing to sustained success.
Dr Aidan Walsh
COURSE DEVELOPMENT PARTNER
Aidan is a Lecturer in Management, Joint Programme Director of the Lean Enterprise Excellence programme portfolio, and Co-Lead of the Academy of Lean Enterprise Excellence (RIKON centre) at SETU School of Business. He has more than 25 years’ experience in higher education, collaborating extensively with industry and organisations in co-designing and co-developing courses and curricula to meet their capability development needs.
Aidan’s PhD investigated competencies for managing Lean improvement activity in hospitals. He researches and publishes in the areas of Lean implementation in Healthcare and the People dimension of Lean Industry 4.0 integration. Aidan is a steering committee member of South East Lean Network (SELN) and has presented at Lean Business Ireland (LBI), SELN, and Shingo Institute conferences. Aidan advises Li4 on course and curricula development.
Ian Gourlay
Lean Partner
Ian has more than 35 years’ experience in Lean and Continuous Improvement, including 10 years at Toyota Motor Corporation in the UK and 8 years at RelateCare/RigneyDolphin Group in Ireland. Ian has a proven track record of utilising his extensive experience and skills in continuous improvement to focus on enhancing the patient and customer experience and efficiencies in internationally renowned hospital groups as well as in prominent utility, public sector, telecoms, and service sector organisations in Ireland.
Ian has an extensive coaching record in training leading hospital groups at Lean White, Yellow, and Green Belt levels, and then partnering with them to attain Joint Commission International (JCI) patient safety and quality of healthcare accreditation. Ian holds a Master of Business Studies in Lean Practice and Lean Black Belt .
Darrin Taylor
Li4 Academic Lead
Darrin is a Lecturer in Management, Joint Programme Director of the Lean Enterprise Excellence programme portfolio, and Co-Lead of the Academy of Lean Enterprise Excellence (RIKON centre) at SETU School of Business. He has 10 years’ industry experience, including roles as operations manager and management consultant, and 20 years’ experience in higher education wherein he has collaborated extensively with industry and organisations in co-designing and co-developing courses and curricula to meet their capability development needs.
His research interests are in the Socio aspects of the socio-technical underpinnings of Lean and Lean Industry 4.0. Darrin advises Li4 on course and curricula development, and is responsible for aligning Li4 training courses to SETU academic quality standards and regulations.
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