By Business & Finance 
Pictured: Mr. John Hennessy, Non-Executive Director and Chair-Designate at Origin Enterprises plc
This week sees new and notable appointments at Origin Enterprises plc, Ayvens, Travelers Europe and HPC Group.
By Youssef Fathalli
Mr. John Hennessy, Non-Executive Director and Chair-Designate,
Origin Enterprises plc
Origin Enterprises plc announced the appointment of Mr John Hennessy as an independent Non-Executive Director and Chair-Designate, effective 1 January 2026. John will succeed Mr Gary Britton as Chair following the announcement of our half year results at the beginning of March 2026. John will work closely with Gary and the Board to ensure a smooth transition of Board leadership. An experienced Irish plc Chair, John brings extensive leadership and governance experience across both public and private companies, and legal and financial expertise from his time as a Senior Counsel at the Bar of Ireland and as a Partner at Arthur Andersen.
Kevin Harty, Country Managing Director,
Ayvens
Ayvens, the global sustainable mobility player formerly known as LeasePlan, announced the appointment of Kevin Harty as Country Managing Director for Ireland, effective 1st December 2025. He succeeds Sharon O’Buachalla, who is retiring from Ayvens Ireland after 38 years of leadership and service.
Tim Albertsen, Group CEO of Ayvens, said: “I would like to express my deep gratitude to Sharon for her immense contribution to the business since 1989. She has been a trailblazer in the Irish motor industry, guiding LeasePlan through its successful transition to Ayvens and building an undisputed market leader in Ireland.
Kevin has been a driving force behind our success for the past 17 years. His deep knowledge of the Irish market, combined with his customer-first approach, will ensure continuity while positioning Ayvens Ireland for future growth and innovation.”
Kevin Harty, incoming Country Managing Director, added: “It is a privilege to succeed Sharon and continue building on her remarkable legacy. My focus will be on maintaining Ayvens Ireland’s strong market position while continuing our high level of customer satisfaction and helping our customers transition to more sustainable mobility solutions.”
Sharon O’Buachalla will remain in her role until December, working alongside Kevin to ensure a seamless transition.
Various appointments
Travelers Europe
Travelers Europe announced a series of leadership appointments to support the company’s strategic growth and further enhance its risk and analytics capabilities.
Jim Liston, Chief Risk and Data Officer
Jim Liston has been appointed Chief Risk and Data Officer, a newly created role that brings together risk, reinsurance, business intelligence, and catastrophe and capital modelling under one leader. This strategic move underscores Travelers’ commitment to leveraging advanced analytics to bolster its risk management and decision-making capabilities. Jim previously served in a dual capacity as Chief Actuary for Europe and CEO of Travelers Insurance Designated Activity Company (TIDAC), the Dublin-based operation established after Brexit to enable the company to continue serving its European customers.
Jim Duncan, CEO
Jim Duncan has joined Travelers as the new CEO of TIDAC. This represents the first time the company has dedicated a senior leadership role to exclusively lead TIDAC and strengthen its presence in Ireland, reflecting the strategic significance of the market to Travelers Europe. Jim brings more than 30 years’ experience leading successful insurance operations in Ireland and will leverage his extensive connections and market expertise to accelerate the development of Travelers’ Irish business.
Ewa Machlarz, Chief Actuary
Ewa Machlarz has been named Chief Actuary for Europe. She assumes the role following her tenure as Chief Actuary for Travelers’ Lloyd’s syndicate and Head of Pricing for Europe. Her actuarial insights have been instrumental in shaping key business decisions, and her work on pricing significantly enhanced the company’s pricing tools and capabilities.
Richar McGuinness, CFO,
HPC Group
HPC Group, a company that provides builders’ and home improvement retailers, announced the appointment of Richard McGuinness as CFO.
Richard brings a wealth of experience across multiple industries, having held senior finance leadership roles in construction, manufacturing, and healthcare. He began his career in the finance department at Bostik, before progressing to 2468 Group in Ireland and the UK, where he served as Group Finance Director. He then joined Glen Dimplex, taking on a senior finance role, and later moved into the pharmaceutical sector with Kora Healthcare as Head of Finance, overseeing operations in Ireland, the UK, and Canada, with distribution into more than 40 countries worldwide.
Now stepping into his new role with HPC Group, Richard will oversee HPC’s financial health and strategy supporting the Group’s continued growth trajectory.
RichardMcGuinness, newly appointed CFO, said:
“I’m delighted to join HPC Group at such an exciting point in its growth journey. The business has built a strong reputation in Ireland as a trusted builders’ provider and home improvement retailer. I look forward to working with Seán and the leadership team to strengthen our financial foundations and support the Group’s ambitious strategic plans.”
Seán McNamara, CEO of HPC Group, commented:
“We are very pleased to welcome Richard to HPC Group. His broad experience across sectors and his track record of delivering financial and operational excellence make him a valuable addition to our leadership team and the Board. Richard will play a key role as we continue to grow the business and build on the success of our strategic plan.”
In association with Celebrate your team with One4all Gift Cards. Through the BIK, businesses can reward their staff up to €1,500 each free of tax, USC or PRSI. Save up to €1,980.68 when you gift up to €1,500 per employee. Learn more at www.one4allrewards.ie. In association with Celebrate your team with One4all Gift Cards. Through the BIK, businesses can reward their staff up to €1,500 each free of tax, USC or PRSI. Save up to €1,980.68 when you gift up to €1,500 per employee. Learn more at www.one4allrewards.ie.
Business & Finance, Appointments
Business & Finance, Appointments
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