By Business & Finance 
Business & Finance has released the annual CEO 100 Index, recognising the leading chief executives operating in Ireland in 2022.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
Gene Murtagh, Group Chief Executive Officer,
Kingspan Group
Gene Murtagh is the Group Chief Executive of Kingspan Group. He was appointed to the Board in 1999. He was previously the Chief Operating Officer from 2003 to 2005. Prior to that he was managing director of the Group’s Insulated Panel business and of the Environmental business. He joined the Group in 1993, and has a deep knowledge of all of the Group’s businesses and wider building materials and energy efficiency industries.
Liam Nagle, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer,
Norbrook Laboratories Ltd.
Liam joined Norbrook in February 2015 as Chief Executive Officer. Since joining Norbrook, Liam has strengthened the Leadership Team and implemented a 5-year strategic plan driving year-on-year growth. Liam was appointed Chairman & CEO in August 2019. Liam has more than 30 years’ international business experience in finance, operations, marketing as well as mergers and acquisitions and has held senior roles in a range of industries throughout his career. Prior to joining Norbrook, Liam was Chairman of SISK Group’s construction and healthcare businesses from 2014 to 2015, having previously held the position of Chief Executive of SISK Group from 2008-2014. In 2003 Liam became Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of Bookham Technology, where he was appointed President and Chief Operations Officer in 2004. Prior to this, Liam was a senior executive at Intel from 1994 to 1997 and led the start up for Bay Networks Europe as Vice-President of Operations from 1997-1998. When Nortel Networks acquired Bay Networks in 1998, he held a number of senior roles in Nortel.
Tony Neary, VP and GM, Medtronic Galway Shared Site,
Medtronic
Tony Neary is VP of EMEA Operations and General Manager at Medtronic in Galway, and has been in this role since 2015. Previously, he was Senior Director of Operations from 2013 to 2015, and Program Director from 1994 to 2013.
Amanda Nelson, Chief Executive Officer, & Chair
Vodafone Ireland
Amanda Nelson has been with Vodafone for almost 25 years in various roles beginning in Asia in 1998 with Vodafone Japan, before moving to Europe to lead operations in the Netherlands, Malta and most recently Hungary, where she was CEO and Chair since 2018. Amanda has driven digital innovation throughout her career through IT integration and transformation initiatives across the business. As a passionate advocate of diversity & inclusion programmes, Amanda strongly supports talent initiatives across Vodafone’s EU markets. During her eight years at Vodafone Netherlands, Amanda held roles as Regional Finance Executive, Head of Finance Operations and then Marketing Director. After which she took up the role of CEO and Chair of Vodafone Malta in 2013. Most recently as CEO of Vodafone Hungary, Amanda led digital change in the education and healthcare sector throughout the pandemic, enabling customers to adapt and thrive in response to their changing circumstances and needs. Under her tenure, 5G was rolled out in Budapest and other densely populated areas of the country. Born in England, Amanda achieved a first-class honours degree in Classical Studies from the University of Bristol and has four teenage children with her husband Mark. She is a keen outdoor and adventure sport enthusiast and enjoys getting involved in her local community.
Niall Norton, Chief Executive Officer,
Openet
Niall joined Openet in March 2004 as CFO before becoming CEO in 2006. A winner of the European Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012 and the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2011, Niall was voted by Telecoms Business Review as one of the Top 100 most influential people in global telecoms in 2017. He previously served as CFO of O2 Ireland from 2001 to 2004.
Tom O’Brien, Managing Director,
Nephin Energy
Tom is Managing Director of Nephin Energy, Ireland’s largest domestic producer of natural gas. He has over 20 years’ experience in the energy industry. Tom was senior adviser and project lead in Ireland for CPP Investment’s $1.23 billion acquisition of Shell’ interest in the Corrib Gas Field in 2018. He was subsequently asked by CPP to build out and lead the company that would eventually own CPP’s interest in the field, Nephin Energy. Previously Tom held senior executive roles at several Irish companies, including two Irish Plc’s. He has mentored on the Irish Stock Exchange’s #IPOready leadership programme which is designed to help ambitious Irish companies prepare for different types of strategic funding options, including going public. A lawyer by training, Tom originally worked for over 10 years in the Projects & Energy Department of one of Ireland’s leading law firms, where he worked on many of Ireland’s largest energy, real estate, and infrastructure projects. Tom is a regular contributor to energy policy debate in Ireland. He holds an LLB from University College Cork, an LLM from University College London and a Diploma in Finance from University College Dublin.
Tomás O’Midheach, Chief Executive Officer,
FBD Holdings
Tomás Ó’Midheach has 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry spanning many diverse areas including finance, data, customer analytics, direct channels and digital. He spent 11 years with Citibank in the UK, Spain and Dublin where he held several senior positions in Finance ultimately assuming the position of CFO at Citibank Ireland. He joined AIB in June 2006 and held a number of senior executive positions including Head of Direct Channels & Analytics, Chief Digital Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining FBD, Mr. Ó’Midheach held the position Deputy CEO and was an Executive Board Member of AIB.
Tony O’Reilly, Founder & Chief Executive Officer,
dCarbonX
Tony O’Reilly is CEO and a Founder of dCarbonX. A graduate of Brown University, Tony has 30 years C-suite experience ranging from large, multi-site international businesses to start-ups in industries ranging from oil and gas exploration to mining, to consumer media and luxury goods, to environmental technology and financial services. As founder and CEO of Providence Resources Plc, Tony led the Company into major commercial transactions with leading energy players including ExxonMobil, Eni, Petronas, Total, Chevron and Chrysaor. Prior to Providence, Tony was the CEO of Wedgwood and prior to that was Chairman and CEO of ARCON. Tony was also co-founder of two start-ups, Zenergy and Lockwood, which were respectively involved in high temperature superconductivity (HTS) technology and funds management.
John Power, Founder & Chief Executive Officer,
Aerogen
A serial entrepreneur and former European Entrepreneur of the Year. John leads Aerogen, Irelands largest indigenous Med-tech company and the world leader in Acute Care aerosol drug delivery. Aerogen’s award-winning products have to date helped treat over 16 million critically ill patients in more than 80 countries globally. John is recognized as both a technology and business innovator, credited with many commercialized international patents, he is an investor and Board member of several Irish and US based Med-tech companies. A founder faculty member of the National University of Ireland Galway Bio- Innovate program, he has actively mentored many indigenous early stage Irish companies. A Chartered Engineer, he holds an MBA from Oxford Brookes University, is an Adjunct Professor at NUIG where in 2016 in recognition of his contribution to the development of the Irish Medical Device sector John was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate.
Mary Quaney, Group Chief Executive Officer,
Mainstream Renewable Power
Mary was appointed Group Chief Executive Officer in August 2020. She joined Mainstream in 2009 and she held the role of Group Chief Financial Officer since 2017. Mary has graduate and post-graduate qualifications from UCD and is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) and Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA). She is an advocate and spokesperson on gender diversity and participated as a mentor for the Global Wind Energy Council’s (GWEC) Women in Wind programme in 2019. Prior to joining Mainstream, Mary held senior-level positions in finance and corporate tax in PricewaterhouseCoopers and Trinity Biotech Plc.
Ger Rabette, Chief Executive Officer,
Uniphar
An industry veteran, Ger joined Uniphar from Celesio, where he was Managing Director of Movianto and Head of Celesio Manufacturing Solutions. He is a Chartered Accountant by training and has held a range of senior positions in supply chain with Cahill May Roberts and the wider Celesio Group. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2010.
Paul Rellis, Chief Executive Officer,
The Viatel Group
Paul Rellis is CEO of the Viatel Technology Group, Ireland’s leading independent digital services group. An accounting graduate of Waterford Institute of Technology, Paul began his extensive career in the United States as an internal auditor for Coca-Cola in the early 1990s. An avid interest in technology drew him to Microsoft where he was appointed EMEA Finance Director for Operations in 2000. Seven years later he became CEO for Microsoft Ireland before climbing the ranks to COO of the software giant’s Western Europe division. After leaving Microsoft, Paul joined Viatel as an investor and CEO in 2018. He has guided the team through a significant growth period. A strong customer service ethic, new products and multiple acquisitions mean that Viatel is a €70 million turnover business. Paul also acts as a Senior Advisory Team Member at Chirisa Capital Management at Chirisa Investments and is a Non-Executive Director at Social Entrepreneurs Ireland
Mark Roden, Founder & Chief Executive Officer,
Ding
Mark founded Ding in 2006 to enable foreign workers abroad to instantly recharge mobile phones of family and friends back home. Today he is CEO and has been instrumental in the global expansion of the business. Prior to setting up Ding, Mark founded easycash, which deployed 500 in-store cash ATMs in SPAR stores and ESSO filling stations around Ireland and easycash became the country’s largest independent cash ATM operator and was acquired by RBS in 2004. In 1991, Mark helped Denis O’Brien establish Esat Telecom which broke the monopoly of telecoms services in Ireland in 1994, won the second mobile phone licence in 1995, listed on NASDAQ in 1997, and was acquired by BT in 2000. In October 2014, Mark was announced as overall winner in EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year in Ireland.
Cecillia Ronan, Chief Executive Officer,
Citi Bank Europe
Cecilia Ronan was appointed the CEO for Citibank Europe Plc (CEP) in February 2020. In her role as CEO, Cecilia is responsible for delivery of the strategy, robust governance, end to end risk management, prudent financial management and conduct and culture for CEP. CEP employs over 11,500 people in Europe. Cecilia has also been Citi Country Officer for Ireland since March 2018, where she leads the US banking giant’s 2,500 employees, one of the largest employers in the IFSC. Citibank Europe Plc is headquartered in Dublin and responsible for the group’s banking activities across 22 EU countries.
Eamonn Rothwell, Chief Executive Officer,
Irish Contintental Group
Eamonn Rothwell, aged 66, has been a Director for 35 years having been appointed as a non-executive Director in 1987 and subsequently to the position of Chief Executive Officer in 1992. He is also a Director of Interferry European Office A.I.S.B.L. He is a former Director of The United Kingdom Mutual War Risks Association Limited, Interferry Inc and The United Kingdom Mutual Steam Ship Assurance Association (Bermuda) Limited. He is a past executive Director of former stockbrokers NCB Group, now part of Tilman Brewin Dolphin. Prior to that, he worked with Allied Irish Banks plc and Fáilte Ireland (The Irish Tourist Board).
Edmond Scanlon, Chief Executive Officer,
Kerry Group
Edmond is a highly experienced leader in the global food and beverage industry having spent almost 20 years in senior roles across the Group. Edmond brings a strategic mindset to Kerry Group to drive Group performance and growth as well as significant financial and operational expertise. Edmond joined Kerry’s graduate programme in Ireland in 1996. Over his career he has held leadership roles in the Group’s Flavours and Applied Health and Nutrition businesses as well as heading up the Group’s activities in China and the Asia Pacific region. Edmond was appointed Executive Director and Group Chief Executive Officer in October 2017.
Martin Shanahan, Chief Executive Officer,
IDA Ireland
Martin Shanahan is CEO of IDA Ireland. IDA (Industrial Development Agency) is Ireland’s inward investment promotion agency responsible for the attraction and development of foreign investment in Ireland. Martin took up this position on the 1st September 2014. Martin is a board member of IDA Ireland and Chairman of IDA Ireland’s Investment Committee. Martin is an Adjunct Full Professor at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business since September 2019. Prior to his current role, Martin was Chief Executive from 2010 to 2014 of Forfás – Ireland’s policy advisory board for enterprise, trade, science, technology and innovation. Martin has been to the forefront of the development of enterprise and innovation policy in Ireland for many years. Martin is currently a member of Ireland’s COVID Vaccine Taskforce. Martin has been recognised for his leadership in the area of diversity and inclusion and appears on the 2021Outstanding/Yahoo Finance list of the Top 100 Role Models global LGBT+ Executives.
Anne Sheehan, General Manager,
Microsoft Ireland
Anne joined Microsoft Ireland as General Manager in October 2021, taking responsibility for the sales, marketing, and services business across the island of Ireland – with a particular focus on delivering business transformation with Microsoft’s customers and partners within the public and private sectors. Prior to joining Microsoft, Anne was Enterprise Director at Vodafone UK, with responsibility for sales, brand, product and solution design, services, and government relations, across multiple lines of business. Before assuming her UK responsibilities, Anne ran Vodafone Ireland’s Enterprise Business in Ireland for four years. Previously, Anne worked at IBM for 16 years across a number of senior positions, including Vice President of Sales and Services for the Nordic Region, Sales and Services Director for IBM Ireland, Head of Channel, and Head of Infrastructure & Technology Services. Anne holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Studies, specialising in Accounting and Finance, and a Graduate Diploma in Computing, both from the University of Limerick. Anne is passionate about partnering with Irish organisations to work together towards an innovative and progressive digital world.”
Gavin Slark, Chief Executive Officer & Board Director,
Grafton Group Plc
Gavin Slark joined Grafton Group and the Board as Chief Executive Designate on 1 April 2011 and was appointed Chief Executive Officer on 1 July 2011. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of Galliford Try Holdings plc, a UK housebuilding and construction group. He was previously Group Chief Executive of BSS Group plc, a leading UK distributor to specialist trades including the plumbing, heating and construction sectors.
Tony Smurfit, Group Chief Executive Officer,
Smurfit Kappa
Tony Smurfit is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Smurfit Kappa Group plc (SKG), one of the leading providers of paper-based packaging solutions in the world. He was Chief Operations Officer from November 2002 to September 2015 and he has held a number of other management positions having worked in various parts of the organisation both in the United States and Europe since he joined the company in 1986. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 1989. Today Smurfit Kappa operates in 36 countries globally and employs 48,000 people. The company is currently listed on the Dublin and London Stock Exchanges and has a market capitalisation of approximately €11.7 billion. He was born in Wigan, England in 1963 and following his early schooling in Ireland, he attended the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania where he graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Management Science. He is a former Director of Aer Rianta (the Irish Airport Authority which is owned by the Irish Government), the Irish National Stud (an Irish Government owned operation), C&C plc, Ibec (Irish Business Employers Confederation) and currently sits on the Board of ERT (European Round Table of Industry), and CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries). He was appointed Honorary Consul of Mexico to Ireland in 2003 and was honoured by the French Government in 2004 when he was nominated Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour. He was subsequently nominated Commander of the French Legion of Honour in 2017. He holds an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration and is a member of the Turf Club of Ireland. He is married to Sharon and they have 4 children.
Susan Spence, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer,
Softco
Susan Spence is Co-Founder and CEO of Softco, a global developer of financial process automation software that increases productivity, reduces costs, and ensures that organisations meet compliance obligations. Susan has served as Executive Chairman of Softco since 1990. Headquartered in Dublin, SoftCo has offices in the USA, Ireland, the UK, and Finland. Softco is a Microsoft Gold Partner and it has one million global users across all industry sectors. On Susan’s initiative, SoftCo sponsored the Irish women’s hockey team that won silver in the World Cup in the summer of 2018. Before co-founding SoftCo, Susan held senior management positions with Hewlett Packard, McDonnell Douglas, and Phillips BV.
Michael Stanley, Chief Executive Officer,
Cairn Homes Plc
Michael Stanley co-founded Cairn Homes plc and was appointed CEO prior to the IPO in June 2015. Michael has a strong pedigree in residential development and the broader property industry. He was previously CEO of Stanley Holdings, a large Irish homebuilder and real estate investment company. Michael also has extensive experience in the packaging, energy, agritech and healthcare sectors.
Margaret Sweeney, Chief Executive Officer & Board Director,
Irish Residential Properties REIT Plc
Margaret Sweeney is the Chief Executive Officer and a Board Director of Irish Residential Properties REIT Plc (I-RES). I-RES is the leading provider of professionally-managed private residential rental accommodation in Ireland. With a portfolio of c.4,000 homes, the company delivers high-quality living accommodation and service in well-connected, family-friendly urban communities. I-RES is a fully integrated Irish operating company with some 100 employees, and a strong ESG focus. The company is a long-term investor in the Irish residential market, with shares listed on the Euronext Dublin Stock Exchange. Margaret is Non-Executive director and Senior Independent Director of Dalata Hotel Group Plc and was formerly a board member to several regulated entities and listed companies. A Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and a Chartered Director, she is also the Chair of the Industry Advisory Board and an Adjunct Professor at Dublin City University (DCU) Business School. Margaret is a Past President of Dublin Chamber of Commerce and previously held the position of Chief Executive Officer of daa Plc (Dublin Airport Authority) and Postbank Ireland Ltd. Margaret has a wide range of personal and professional interests, particularly relating to sustainability and the development of women leaders.D.
Laura Trimble, Chief Executive Officer & Head of Wholesale Banking,
HSBC Ireland
Laura joined HSBC Ireland in May 2022 as CEO and Head of Wholesale Banking, following a 20-year career with HSBC based in London. Laura is responsible for all of HSBC’s operations in Ireland, which encompass a corporate banking business that supports Irish corporates with their local and international operations, as well as a subsidiary banking business that provides transactional banking services such as trade finance and cash management solutions to global multinationals with operations in Ireland. HSBC also has a large securities services business in Ireland supporting asset managers with fund administration, custody and fiduciary services. Prior to joining HSBC Ireland, Laura worked for HSBC in various senior roles in the UK and Europe, most recently as European Head of HSBC’s Origination business. In this role, she was responsible for advising clients on all aspects of their strategic financing needs, including structuring their capital base appropriately via debt and equity solutions and advising on strategic events such as acquisition financing, capital markets activity and initial public offerings. This role included coverage of HSBC’s corporate clients in 22 countries including Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic, Israel and South Africa, supported by a team based in London, Paris, Frankfurt and India. Laura has an extensive investment banking and commercial banking background with prior roles in leveraged finance, investment grade debt, convertible bonds and equity capital markets. Over the last decade Laura has played a leading role in driving HSBC’s activities to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues. For example, in 2020 she founded HSBC’s European Shadow ExCo, a development programme for colleagues to work with senior leaders on business challenges such as sustainability, the future of work, and Europe’s position as an international connector. She also co-founded HSBC’s “Inclusive Europe” employee resource group in 2021, which leads activities to promote cultural diversity and to ensure colleagues supporting inclusivity are recognised and rewarded.
Fernando Vicario, Chief Executive Officer,
Bank of America Europe DAC
Fernando Vicario is Chief Executive Officer of Bank of America’s lead European banking entity, Bank of America Europe DAC. Fernando Vicario was formerly head of Corporate and Investment Banking for the European Union (EU) and head of Corporate Banking for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), at BofA Securities. Fernando has worked for Bank of America for over 25 years across multiple roles including head of Corporate Banking for Financial Institutions in Europe and Emerging Markets (ex-Asia), head of EMEA Global Product Solutions, head of EMEA and Latin America Corporate Banking and co-head of EMEA Debt Capital Markets and Corporate Banking. Over the years he has led a significant number of growth initiatives across regions in these roles. Fernando sits on the EMEA regional executive committee and the Global Diversity & Inclusion Committee (D&I). He is also co-chair of Bank of America’s EMEA D&I Council and co-leads the EMEA ESG Strategic Council. Fernando is a member of the Board of the ODI (Open Doors Initiative) in Dublin. A native of Pforzheim, Germany and a Spanish national, Fernando obtained a degree in Banking and Finance from the Hochschule fuer Bankwirtschaft/Bankakademie in Frankfurt, Germany.
Business & Finance CEO 100 (alphabetical by surname):
View part one (A–F)
View part two (F–K)
View part three (K–M)
View part four (M–V)
