Inaugural MMAI Industry Breakfast Morning

Inaugural Motoring Media Association breakfast 
The Motoring Media Association of Ireland (MMAI) has held its inaugural MMAI 
Industry Breakfast Morning in association with the Harris Group at the company’s 
landmark facilities on the Naas Road, Dublin. 
 
The event was attended by invited guests including motoring journalists and motor 
industry executives. The aim of the MMAI Industry Breakfast Morning is to facilitate 
journalists and industry executives to come together to connect in an informal 
setting, encourage discussion on changes taking place in the motor industry and to 
look forward to the year ahead. 
 
Joe Rayfus, Chairperson of the MMAI, welcomed guests and thanked the Harris 
Group for their support in hosting the event: “Any journalist will tell you that 
building and maintaining strong relationships is fundamental to helping us provide 
our audiences with all the latest information, advice and opinion. This event 
represents an important opportunity to strengthen and deepen those relationships 
with colleagues and stakeholders from across the Irish motor industry. 
 
"On behalf of the MMAI, I wish to express our gratitude to Denise Harris and the 
Harris Group for their continued support of this important event. I would like to 
thank the representatives from the numerous importers, distributors, and agencies 
for joining us and supporting this important occasion.” 
 
Mark Barrett, General Manager of Harris Maxus, and Chris Haughton, General 
Manager of Harris Bus and Coach, spoke about the company’s EV journey and 
innovation taking place in their commercial vehicle business towards a more 
sustainable future. 
 
Promising young Irish racing driver Alex Dunne, who is a Harris Group brand 
ambassador, spoke to guests about his continued progress towards achieving his goal 
of becoming Ireland’s next Formula 1 driver. 
 
The keynote speaker was Joe McConville, ex-President of the Irish Tree Council and 
a forensic arborist, also an approved driving instructor for motorcycles with 
considerable experience of touring large motorcycles in Ireland, the UK, Europe, and 
North America. With a career also spanning nearly 40 years in landscape 
management, Joe spoke about the influence of trees on Irish roads and the balance 
between improving the road network while maintaining the benefits of trees. 
Speaking at the event, Denise Harris, CEO of Harris Group said: "I am delighted to 
welcome so many representatives of the Irish motoring media to our Dublin 

headquarters and to demonstrate our commitment to driving a truly green agenda 
for the greater good. Of course, our green agenda cannot be delivered successfully 
without the support of the media. You have a major role to play in helping us to 
continue to educate people and organisations about the benefits of EVs and 
the urgent need for us all to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the 
impact of climate change, as well as to reduce dependence on increasingly expensive 
diesel and petrol." 
 
Before closing the event, Tom Dennigan of Continental Tyres and Joe Rayfus 
presented the award for Continental Tyres Irish Commercial SUV of the Year to 
Eddie Kavanagh, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Ireland, for the Land 
Rover Defender Commercial. 
 
The MMAI made a €500 donation to the Harris Group’s Turkey and Syria 
earthquake appeal, which will see aid brought directly to the people who most need 
it.