By Business & Finance 
Pictured: Maeve O’Malley, Managing Director, open eir Wholesale.
There were new and notable appointments this week at open eir Wholesale, DLA Piper, Chanelle Pharma, Port of Cork Company, CRY Ireland, Emirates, SYS Group and Standard Life.
Maeve O’Malley, Managing Director,
open eir Wholesale
eir has announced the appointment of Maeve O’Malley as Managing Director of open eir Wholesale. Open eir is the largest wholesale operator in Ireland, providing products and services across a range of regulated and unregulated markets. In her new role, O’Malley will be responsible for creating a high performing, customer centric organisation and delivering innovation that drives value for eir and for our customers.
With over 24 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, O’Malley has worked with national and global brands including Vodafone Ireland, Vodafone Australia, and AIB Bank. She joined eir Ireland in 2013 and has built a reputation as a strong commercial leader with a track record for delivering results. She holds a degree in International Marketing and Languages from DCU alongside a master’s in marketing from the Smurfit Business School.
Commenting on Maeve’s appointment, Oliver Loomes, CEO of eir said: “Maeve is the natural choice to lead our open eir wholesale business, widely recognised as a strong, inspirational leader who has delivered significant transformation and growth during her time in eir. In her new role, she will be instrumental in delivering open eir’s ambitious plans for growth and I wish her every success.”
Maeve O’Malley, Managing Director of open eir Wholesale, added: “open eir is at the forefront of eir’s ambition to connect for a better Ireland by building Ireland’s largest fibre to the home network, now available to more than one million homes and businesses. I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead the business through its transformation and next phase of growth. My primary focus will remain on enhancing connectivity and the experience of our wholesale customers, while also ensuring we stay ahead of the curve in developing new products that meet changing customer needs. I look forward to the challenge and working closely with the fantastic team at open eir to make that happen.”
Kieran Finn, Legal Director,
DLA Piper
Global law firm DLA Piper has announced 13 new appointments in its Dublin office. A total of seven Senior Associates, one Legal Director, and five business services professionals have been promoted across the firm.
Kieran Finn (FP&R) has been promoted to Legal Director, followed by Senior Associate appointments including Blayre McBride (Corporate), Dara McDonald (Corporate), Eilís McDonald (IPT), Hayley Maher (Employment), Laura O’Malley (Tax), Cathal Barrett (Tax), and Lorcan Doocey (Real Estate).
Appointments across business services teams at the firm include David Grimes (IT Manager), Shane Halpin (Finance Manager), Shauna O’ Hanlon (Team Coordinator), Caroline Byrne (Senior HR Manager), and Kerri Pender (Secretary).
Additionally, the recent appointment of Naoise Hartnett brings to 18 the total number of Partners in the Dublin office where the firm’s total team of professionals now exceeds 110 people.
Commenting on the promotions, David Carthy, Country Managing Partner for Ireland, DLA Piper said: “Today is a significant day for us as we announce these promotions and continue to strengthen the firm’s expertise in Ireland. It reflects the tremendous work and results achieved by all involved. All of the individuals will step up in their new roles to further support our growth strategy in Ireland, while nurturing and developing existing relationships with clients at home and internationally.”
Brian O’Broin, Chief Quality & Technology Officer,
Chanelle Pharma
Pictured: Brian O’Broin, Chief Quality & Technology Officer, Chanelle Pharma
Chanelle Pharma has announced the appointment of Brian O’Broin to the newly created role of Chief Quality and Technology Officer (CQTO).
“We are delighted to welcome Brian O’Broin as the newest addition to our executive leadership team,” said Michael H. Burke, Chanelle Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Mr Burke continued: “Brian joins us at a time when we have big ambitions to grow our business, operations and market share. As we continue on this transformational journey, I have strengthened our executive team over the past 18 months with appointments such as Aubrey Mulveen as Chief Financial Officer, Kara Walsh as Chief People Officer and Aiden Dempsey as Chief Information Officer. Brian takes up this new role at an exciting time for Chanelle. His wealth of industry knowledge and experience will be pivotal in shaping our ambitious growth plans.”
Prior to joining Chanelle, O’Broin worked for a Polish biopharmaceutical company, Polpharma Biologics. There he was Group Director of Quality Compliance and supported the company gain FDA, EMA and MHRA regulatory approval, for its biosimilar products. Polpharma Biologics has sites in Warsaw and Gdansk (in Poland) and Utrecht (in the Netherlands). He has also worked with Teva Pharmaceuticals, Validant, Perrigo, Leo Pharma, and Pfizer, in on-site, regional and corporate roles.
O’Broin brings a wealth of over 25 years’ experience in quality compliance, quality operations, manufacturing, analytical technologies, remediation, continuous improvement and inspection readiness.
Dr Celine McInerney, Member of Board of Directors,
Port of Cork Company
Pictured: Dr Celine McInerney, Member of Board of Directors, Port of Cork Company
The Port of Cork Company (PoCC) has announced the appointment of Dr Celine McInerney to its Board of Directors. As McInerney assumes the role of Director at the Port of Cork Company, she brings with her a wealth of expertise to the organisation. She spent her early career as an investment banker specialising in Mergers and Acquisitions in London and New York with Deutsche Bank and Lehman Brothers. On returning to Ireland in the early 2000s, her focus moved to renewable energy finance with SWS Energy and then Merrion Capital where she was a founding partner of the Cork office.
Kevin O’Dwyer, Member of Board of Trustees,
CRY Ireland
Pictured: Kevin O’Dwyer, Member of Board of Trustees, CRY Ireland
Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) Ireland are pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin O’Dwyer to its Board of Trustees. As O’Dwyer assumes the role of a Trustee at CRY Ireland, he brings with him a wealth of expertise to the organisation. He is a Chartered Accountant with over 10 years experience across various senior finance roles in Treasury, Risk Management and Internal Audit. Kevin currently serves as the Corporate Controller for Applegreen’s US Travel Plaza business. Additionally, he has also served as the Secretary to the Applegreen Charitable Fund.
Drawing upon his extensive experience, O’Dwyer is eager to support the Board in realising their key strategic objectives, with a specific focus on Strategy, Governance, Fundraising, and Risk Management. His diverse skill set and in-depth understanding of financial operations position him well to make valuable contributions to the organisation and make a lasting difference in the lives of those affected by cardiac conditions.
Speaking on confirmation of his appointment, O’Dwyer said: “It is a great honour to be confirmed as a trustee of CRY Ireland. The work that the CRY Ireland team undergoes on a daily basis makes a significant positive impact for the loved ones of someone who has passed as a result of Sudden Cardiac Death or those who have been diagnosed with a cardiac condition. I look forward to working with my fellow trustees to help ensure a bright future for the organisation.
CRY Ireland is an Irish charity that supports families in the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland who have lost loved ones to Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) and helps those who have been affected by a diagnosis of a cardiac condition. CRY also facilitates free access to cardiac assessments, counselling and family support programmes, as well as providing a freephone helpline service.
Anita Thomas, Country Manager for Ireland,
Emirates
Pictured: Anita Thomas, Country Manager for Ireland, Emirates
Emirates has announced Kilkenny native, Anita Thomas, as the country manager for the airline in Ireland. Thomas has been central to the growth and success of the Irish operation having joined Emirates when it launched its first flight between Dublin and Dubai in January 2012.
Thomas succeeds Enda Corneille and thereafter interim country manager, Thani Al Ansari and brings significant experience to the role having worked in the aviation industry for more than 30 years. She started her career in Ryanair in 1992 and has worked for a number of international carriers in the UK and Ireland.
Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates said: “This is a well-deserved promotion for a professional that has been with Emirates on every step of its journey in Ireland. Anita has the expertise, customer relationships and unique insight that will complement our ambition for a market that is very important to our global operations. Having started with the team as a sales executive, Anita’s appointment is an excellent example of the opportunities for growth with the world’s largest airline.”
Over the past ten years, Thomas has helped to grow Emirates’ corporate business in Ireland, developing strong relationships with the travel trade as well as corporate customers. She will be responsible for sales performance across both passenger and cargo traffic along with airport operations in Dublin.
Speaking about her new role as country manager for Emirates in Ireland Thomas said, “We have a fantastic team on the ground in Ireland and it’s a great honour to be a part of and now to lead such a passionate and ambitious group. I’m really looking forward to further realising the potential within the Irish market and promoting not only Emirates’ extensive global network, but also showcasing the onboard product to both existing as well as new customers in our market.”
Emirates’ extensive network spans more than 150 destinations, across six continents with two daily departures from Dublin to Dubai onboard a state-of-the art Boeing 777.
Kevin McCarthy, Senior Financial Planner,
SYS Group
Pictured: Kevin McCarthy, Senior Financial Planner, SYS Group
SYS Group, the Nenagh headquartered financial services group, has appointed Kevin McCarthy as a Senior Financial Planner with the firm. McCarthy joins SYS after more than 30 years of experience in the financial services sector. He began his career with Bank of Ireland in the Chief Accountants Department in Dublin before rising to the role of Insurance and Investment Manager. He then went on to work in a senior role with KBC Bank Ireland.
McCarthy is one of six new appointments to be announced by SYS Group bringing their total staff numbers to 41.
Kevin McCarthy of SYS Group said; ‘’SYS Group is a company which is growing fast and quickly moving from strength to strength so I am greatly looking forward to joining the Chief Executive Tony Delaney and the team to continue this success. The company has a fantastic team working with great clients so it is the perfect place to begin the next chapter of my career.’’
Tony Delaney, CEO of SYS Group said; ‘’We are thrilled to have Kevin joining our team as he brings a huge depth of experience and knowledge to the firm which will greatly benefit our clients. It has been a huge source of pride to see our staff and client base grow as the business has expanded, and I look forward to seeing what we will accomplish together in the coming years.’’
This announcement is a further milestone for SYS Group as it continues its strong growth following the acquisition of Donald P McKenna & Associates earlier this year, bringing SYS Group’s Assets Under Management to over €315 million. As well as Nenagh, SYS Group has offices in Dublin, Cork and Waterford.
The company incorporates SYS Private, SYS Financial Planning, SYS Mortgages, SYS Millennial Money Coach, in addition to its business partnership with SYS Tax. The multi-award-winning company has circa 7,000 clients and 41 members of staff.
Sonya Lennon, Second Life Mentor,
Standard Life
Standard Life has announced Sonya Lennon as its new Second Life Mentor. Building on their innovative platform of retirement solutions, this new role will further support the pension provider’s mission to empower better, broader thinking around retirement planning. In her new role, Lennon will work with Standard Life to inspire and empower people throughout Ireland to think about and plan for their second life with confidence.
Transitioning to your second life is so much more than having a pension plan in place, with the importance of taking a more holistic approach vital to ensuring people can get the most out of their retirement. Lennon has forged her professional path across the fashion and media industries and is the co-founder of Work Equal, a charity that helps women in need of support to achieve economic independence.
Lennon said: “I believe the very concept of retirement is ready for a makeover. For me, it’s about designing the optimal life at a time when I have more wisdom, more freedom, and more influence over how my life unfolds. My planning started long ago and will allow me to keep progressing, keep learning and keep driving positive change on my terms. It’s never too late to start that process and I’m delighted to be helping people get there.”
“I love the idea of re-framing retirement and connecting people to the potential of their future selves. Working with Standard Life as a Second Life Mentor has connected me with a wide network of people who are planning for and living diverse second lives. Yes, there’s a natural sense of trepidation for many people when broaching retirement but I’m excited to show how, with the right support, these can truly be the golden years.”
“We are delighted to welcome Sonya as our Second Life Mentor alongside our End of Career Guidance Counsellor Brian Mooney,” said Alan McCarthy, Head of Distribution at Standard Life Ireland.
“Retirement is changing and so, the way in which we plan for it needs to change. Together with advisers, we’re the trusted pair of hands that help people navigate their way to their best retirement. We’re proud to offer tools and content that has the support of experts such as Brian and Sonya because whilst we firmly believe a good financial plan is fundamental, we equally know that preparing holistically greatly improves a person’s journey to, through and in retirement.
Read More Appointments
Great-West Lifeco, Esri Ireland, FTI Consulting and Cork Society of Chartered Accountants Ireland
