Marie is the Chairperson of the Climate Change Advisory Council. She spent thirty years with the European Commission, ultimately as Director for Renewables, Energy Efficiency and Innovation, advocating to provide a fair deal for consumers; putting energy efficiency first; and achieving global leadership in renewable energies. Marie is a member of the Governance Committee of MaREI and an Advisory board member of UCD Energy Institute. She was also the first Chairperson of Renewable Energy Ireland, an open partnership of sustainable energy associations. She was also a non-executive director of Tipperary Energy Agency, a social enterprise for energy efficiency; and E3G, a European climate change think tank operating to accelerate the global low carbon transition. Marie is a Senior Advisor in Brussels to global communications agency, Penta. Marie was also previously a Director of the Federation of Irish Chemical Industries and an executive with the Kerry Group.