SCELLEC TECA LTD.

Meet the Team


  • Former Chairman and Co-founder

    The late great Eddie O’Connor passed away 6th January 2024. Eddie, consistent with his personality told Michael Hayden, you should do that again, referring to the creation of a Teak fund for Institutional Investors in 2012 that did not go ahead which was to invest in Panama and Brazil. (It had raised USD56m but not the required minimum set by Michael of USD80m). After some more encouragement from Eddie, they set up Scellec Teca Limited. The rest is history. Eddie was renowned for his ability to identify early, opportunities in the natural resources space. He created IEP£2bn of value in Bord na Mona as CEO and was founder and CEO of Airtricity up until its €1.8bn sale in 2008. He was a founding shareholder in Mainstream Renewable Power, which created a successful exit for investors with the 75% sale to Aker, valuing Mainstream at €1bn. Eddie will be terribly missed for simply being Eddie, for those who were lucky enough to know Eddie well, he was not just driven with clear opinions, he was fun loving, a really interesting conversationalist, a really good man, and of course a great ideas man.


  • CEO and Co-founder

    (Director Scellec Teca Esp Investments SL, Scellec Teca Colombia SAS and Scellec Caribe SAS)

    He holds a BA Economics (Group IX) and an MBA from University College Dublin. During his time in Corporate Finance, he was introduced to the idea of Teak as an investment by John Gilliland and Raymond Keogh from Coilte Consult (the Irish state forestry company consulting arm). He has developed and directed Scellec Teca from a standing start to a Company now employing over 324 employees. Michael’s background is in project finance, corporate finance, investment risk and agribusiness banking (ICC Bank) where he commenced his career as a graduate trainee. He has worked overseas in project finance in New Mexico, the middle east, and as a volunteer in Rwanda.


  • CFO

    Paul qualified as an ACA with Arthur Anderson in Dublin and worked in London with Salomon Smith Barney as an investment banker. He and Michael met while working together in the corporate finance department of an Irish stockbroking company. Paul is an experienced CFO at Plc level and works as a financial consultant and corporate adviser to several Irish companies.

Our Caribe Management Team

Colombian subsidiary of SCELLEC TECA LTD.

  • Country Manager

    Agricultural Engineer from El Zamorano, MBA from the Universidad del Norte de Barranquilla. He has more than 20 years designing, implementing and managing agro-industrial and commercial businesses, as well as coordinating the production and marketing of agricultural, forestry and mass consumption products. He currently represents the company in Colombia to all stakeholders, being in charge of formulating the Scellec Caribe’s operational and strategic plans. He also manages the execution of the operations in all its lines: planting of crops, installation of a clonal garden and nursery, wood processing and marketing. For eight years he managed the largest teak plantation in Colombia. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the production and commercialisation of agricultural and forestry products, and in the design, assembly and start-up of agro-industrial businesses.

  • Forestry Operation Manager

    Agricultural Engineer. Master's degree in forestry management from the University of Paraná. Specialist in forestry, harvesting and phytosanitary care. He has almost 20 years leading different projects in the forestry sector in the Caribbean region of Colombia. He is currently in charge of planning and coordinating the establishment, maintenance, harvesting and forest transformation activities in Scellec's operation, as well as monitoring the implementation of the FSC in the Sierradentro Project.

  • External Relations Manager

    Social communicator, Masters Degree in Cultural Studies from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. For ten years she has designed and implemented various research and intervention projects with vulnerable populations, both rural and urban, in different areas of Colombia, implementing participatory methodologies with a community approach. She is currently in charge of designing, planning and executing the relationship with the surrounding communities and stakeholders of Scellec's plantations, following the FSC guidelines under a community and collaborative management approach for their welfare and the integration of the company in the territories.

  • Health and Safety Process Leader

    Industrial Engineer, specialist in Industrial Hygiene and Safety. She has fifteen years leading processes of implementation of health and safety at work, as well as advising on risk management, prevention and loss control for the mining and industrial sector. Shee is currently in charge of managing, advising, designing and implementing the H&S policies, promoting the development of safe behaviours and strategies for the prevention of accidents at work and occupational diseases.

  • Infrastructure and Road Maintenance Leader

    Civil engineer from the National University of Colombia, certified in basic revit, costs and budgets. He has experience in the execution of civil works projects, budgeting, costs, engineering plans and field supervision, working for the mining and public sector. He is currently in charge of the execution of construction, camp maintenance and road improvements in all of Scellec's Teak estates.

  • Monitoring Leader

    Environmental and Sanitary Engineer. He has experience in the management of geographic information systems, mastery of the following software: QGIS, AutoCAD and database. He also has experience in the formulation of projects under the guidelines of the adjusted general methodology AMS and logical framework. He is currently in charge of the geographic information area for the monitoring of plantations and the resources used for the establishment and maintenance process.

  • Financial Controller

    Eduard is a Public Accountant and Industrial Engineer, and studying a Master in Business and Administration and Innovation; With over 4 years of experience leading Financial Planning, Budget, Accounting, Treasury and Portfolio in several companies and variety nationals and internationals industries as well.

  • Nursery Manager

    Forestry Engineer, Masters in Plant Breeding from the Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza, Spain. Specialist in nursery design, assembly and management, propagation and seed management. He has led forest breeding programmes for Teak and Eucalyptus. Currently, he is in charge of the planning and development of the clonal garden of teak under the standards developed by Scellec for its plantations.

  • HR Leader

    Industrial Engineer, Specialist in Human Talent Management from the University Corporation of Asturias. He has more than 10 years of experience leading human resources processes, recruitment processes, audits and administrative coordination. He is currently in charge of advising the strategic planning of the company, ensuring the welfare of the human capital of the company for the successful achievement of goals, integrating diversity and managing conflict positively.

  • GIS Leader

  • Logistic Officer

SCELLEC TECA LTD.

Teak Technical Advisors

  • Teak Technical advisor

    Formerly of Coillte Consult, the international consulting arm of Coillte (Ireland’s national forestry agency), Ray is globally recognised teak expert and has devoted most of his working life to understanding how to optimise teak growth and implement quality teak plantation management. He has consulted on a large number of teak plantations across the world, and has a deep knowledge and love of Latin American teak plantations. He is the author of many related publications.


  • Teak Genetics Academic

    Olman is founder and director of the international Tree Improvement Co-operative, GENFORES. He is a consultant in breeding, plantation management and forest appraisal for FAO, FONAFIFO and private companies in Latin America. He is a frequent speaker at industry sector events and is the author of over 80 scientific articles and 8 books. He is also Professor at the Instituto Tecnologico de Costa Rica. Olman holds a B.Sc. in Forest Engineering, an M.Sc. in Tree Improvement and a Ph.D. in Forest Genetics.


  • Forestry Operations Advisor

    Formerly CEO of Coillte Consult and Co-founder of Tectona G Capital, John has consulted on plantation development worldwide and has also acted as advisor to the South African Minister of Forestry. More recently he has worked with Vita, an Irish NGO, on its field operations, and established a social impact fund that raised €10m for fuel efficient cook stoves in Ethiopia. John holds a B.Ag. and an M.Sc. in Forestry.