Niall Mellon

Niall Mellon
Born 1967 (age 47–48)
Nationality Irish
Occupation Entrepreneur, philanthropist
Known for Charity work (Niall Mellon Township Trust)

Niall J. Mellon (born 1967) is an Irish entrepreneur, charity Chief Executive and property developer who founded the Niall Mellon Township Trust to provide homes to impoverished communities in South Africa's townships. His property business interests pre 2010 are under the control of the National Asset Management Agency.

Early life

Mellon grew up in Ballyroan, County Dublin. After finishing school, Mellon joined his father's personalised investment brokerage.[1] At age 24, he set up his own mortgage company, and subsequently grew his property and financial services interests through the Niall J. Mellon Group. He carried out several highly successful development projects in the U.K and in Ireland and acquired numerous properties through his primary investment and syndicate vehicle Earthquake Property Partners.[2]

In 2002, aged 35, Mellon began to spend most of his time working to help the poor. While on a visit to South Africa, he was moved by the poverty of some township communities near Cape Town,[3] and subsequently formed the building charity, the "Niall Mellon Township Trust", primarily with his own funds. In 2013 Mellon Educate was established with the goal of building and refurbishing schools in South Africa and Kenya.[4]

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern visited while in South Africa in 2008.[5]

Mellon's efforts in providing homes for South Africans have earned praise from many quarters including Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In 2004, he was honoured by Dublin City Council. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy by the Dublin Institute of Technology and a Doctor of Law from University College Cork. In 2012 he was also made a Fellow of The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (H). Mellon has received international honours for his efforts to encourage the spirit of volunteerism. Cape Town.[6]

For a minor incident that occurred in July 2013 Mellon was convicted in January 2014 of public drunkness and breach of the peace, after verbally being rude to a Garda at a NAMA-controlled pub he owns.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Noses out of joint as €5m goes to Niall"
  2. ↑ "Earthquake planning £276m UK shake-up". Irish Independent. 24 November 2012.
  3. ↑ RTÉ.ie - Ten questions for... Niall Mellon
  4. ↑ Bill Corcoran for the Irish Times. Nov 18, 2014 Niall Mellon turns from houses to schools after crash
  5. ↑ "Taoiseach starts official Africa visit". RTÉ News and Current Affairs (RTÉ). 14 January 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  6. ↑ Black, Fergus (20 November 2010). "President Zuma lauds Irish for new homes drive in townships". Irish Independent (Independent News & Media). Retrieved 20 November 2010.
  7. ↑ RTE (6 January 2014). "Niall Mellon guilty of breach of the peace". RTE (RTE). Retrieved 11 January 2014.