By Business & Finance 
Business & Finance has released its 2026 annual CEO 100 Index, recognising the leading chief executives in Ireland today.
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, Chief Executive Officer
Norbrook Laboratories Ltd
Liam Nagle is the interim CEO of Norbrook Laboratories Ltd. He is a seasoned executive and Chairman with over 40 years of global leadership experience across pharmaceuticals, healthcare, technology and construction. He is known for leading complex organisational transformations and delivering strategic clarity and strong governance.
He also served as Chairman of Norbrook Laboratories, where he led a major investment and transformation programme, and previously chaired and led Sisk Group through the financial crisis while expanding the business into healthcare. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at Intel, Nortel Networks, Bookham Technology, and Apple.
Fergal Naughton, Chief Executive Officer
Glen Dimplex
Naughton joined Glen Dimplex in 2005. Following multiple roles in Glen Dimplex businesses across the world, he was previously Group CEO between 2016 and 2021 and subsequently became Group Executive Chairman. In 2025, he returned to the CEO role.
He holds a degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering from Trinity College Dublin (TCD), a Master’s of Science from Stanford University and a Master’s of Business Administration from Harvard University. Additionally, he is also Chairman of the Provost’s Council at Trinity College Dublin.
He was the Founding President of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce and was also Chairman of YPO in Ireland. He is a Hesburgh Trustee of the University of Notre Dame. He is a Trustee of the Naughton Foundation, a charitable organisation which supports worthwhile causes in education.
Tom Neville, President & Chief Executive Officer
Aramark Ireland
Tom Neville is the current CEO and President of Aramark Ireland. He joined Aramark in 2019 as Chief Financial Officer for Aramark Northern Europe, where he was responsible for the financial operations of the entire organisation, providing strategic guidance to support the company’s overall business objectives.
As President and CEO, he oversees all operations for the business, including AVOCA, and is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of all food and facilities management services across the organisation. Neville is focused on leading his exceptional team towards delivering continued growth across all services while continuing to deliver excellence, innovation and customer satisfaction.
Brendan Noud, Co-Founder & CEO
LearnUpon
Brendan Noud is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LearnUpon, the Irish-founded global Learning Management System (LMS) platform. Since launching the company over a decade ago, Noud has led LearnUpon through rapid expansion, serving thousands of customers and millions of users worldwide.
Noud is also a prominent voice in the learning tech community, regularly speaking at events like LearnUpon Connect and the KPMG Founders Series and advocating for the value of on-demand, scalable learning in modern business.
Tom O’Brien, Group Chief Executive
Nephin Energy
O’Brien is Managing Director of Nephin Energy, Ireland’s largest domestic producer of natural gas. He has over 20 years of experience in the energy sector.
He previously served as senior adviser and project lead in Ireland for CPP Investments’ acquisition of Shell’s interest in the Corrib Gas Field, and was subsequently appointed to establish and lead Nephin Energy.
Earlier in his career, O’Brien spent over a decade in the Projects & Energy Department of a leading Irish law firm. He is a qualified lawyer with degrees from University College Cork and University College London and a Diploma in Finance from University College Dublin. O’Brien is active in Ireland’s energy policy debate.
Michael O’Leary, CEO
Ryanair
Michael O’Leary has been CEO of Ryanair since 1994 and has been with the company in senior leadership roles since the late 1980s.
He began his career as a consultant at KPMG before becoming a financial advisor to Tony Ryan and later joining Ryanair in a senior executive capacity, serving on its board and the board of Ryanair Holdings.
O’Leary is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin.
Tomas Ó’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, Ó’Midheach held the position of Deputy CEO and was an Executive Board Member of AIB.
Tony O’Reilly, Founder & Chief Executive Officer
dCarbonX
Tony O’Reilly is CEO and Founder of dCarbonX. A graduate of Brown University, he has over 30 years of C-suite experience across energy, natural resources, consumer goods, financial services and environmental technology.
O’Reilly was previously Founder and CEO of Providence Resources Plc, where he led major commercial partnerships with leading global energy companies. He has also served as CEO of Wedgwood and Chairman and CEO of ARCON.
He is a co-founder of several start-ups spanning technology and financial services.
Dalton Philips, CEO
Greencore
Dalton Philips is CEO of Greencore. He joins from daa plc, a global airports and travel retail group, where he served as Group CEO since 2017.
He was previously CEO of Wm Morrison Plc, the UK’s fourth largest supermarket chain. Earlier in his career, Philips held senior roles with the George Weston Group, including COO of Loblaw Companies Limited in Canada and CEO of Brown Thomas Group in Ireland.
He has also served as a Senior Advisor to The Boston Consulting Group. Philips holds a BA from University College Dublin and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
John Power, Chief Executive Officer & Founder
Aerogen
John Power is a serial entrepreneur and former European Entrepreneur of the Year. He is CEO of Aerogen, Ireland’s largest indigenous med-tech company and a global leader in acute care aerosol drug delivery.
Aerogen’s products have helped treat millions of patients in more than 80 countries worldwide. Power is also an investor and board member in several med-tech companies in Ireland and the US, and has been actively involved in mentoring early-stage businesses.
He is a Chartered Engineer and holds an MBA from Oxford Brookes University. He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Galway and was awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition of his contribution to the Irish medical device sector.
Ger Rabbette, Chief Executive Officer
Uniphar
An industry veteran, Ger Rabbette joined Uniphar in 2010 from Celesio, where he was Managing Director of Movianto and Head of Celesio Manufacturing Solutions. Rabbette has held a range of senior positions in supply chain with Cahill May Roberts and the wider Celesio Group. Ger is a graduate from the University of Galway and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Financial Management Services.
Paul Rellis, Chief Executive Officer
The Viatel Group
Paul Rellis is CEO of Viatel Technology Group, a provider of cybersecurity, cloud, connectivity and communications services to enterprise customers. The company employs over 350 people and serves thousands of customers, and is supported by strategic investment from Macquarie Group.
Rellis has over 30 years of experience in multinational and indigenous technology and business leadership roles. He began his career in accounting with Coca-Cola in the United States and Germany before moving into the technology sector.
He previously served as Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland and Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft Western Europe, where he played a key role in the company’s transition to cloud-based services and the development of its Dublin data centre infrastructure.
Jonathan Rockett, Chief Executive Officer
Datalex
Jonathan Rockett joins Datalex from Ding, where he occupied the role of Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He led the organisation in various strategic and financial areas and has made a significant contribution to the overall growth of the business, including a sale to private equity in 2021. He previously held senior positions in Paddy Power (now part of Flutter Entertainment Plc.) and PwC.
Eamonn Rothwell, Chief Executive Officer
Irish Continental Group
Eamonn Rothwell has been a Director for over 35 years, having been appointed as a non-executive Director in 1987 and later becoming Chief Executive Officer in 1992.
He is also a Director of Interferry European Office A.I.S.B.L. and has previously held board positions in a range of shipping, insurance and financial services organisations, including The United Kingdom Mutual War Risks Association, Interferry Inc and The United Kingdom Mutual Steam Ship Assurance Association (Bermuda) Limited.
Earlier in his career, Rothwell worked with Allied Irish Banks and Fáilte Ireland and served as an executive Director of NCB Group.
Edmond Scanlon, Chief Executive Officer
Kerry Group
Edmond Scanlon is Group Chief Executive Officer of Kerry Group, a role he has held since October 2017. He joined the company in 1996 as a graduate and has held a range of senior leadership positions across the business.
Over his career, Scanlon has led the Group’s Flavours and Applied Health and Nutrition businesses and previously headed its operations in China and the Asia Pacific region.
Anton Scott, CEO
SoftCo
Anton Scott is CEO of SoftCo, a global provider of document management and business process automation solutions.
Under Scott’s leadership, SoftCo has achieved recognition in industry rankings, including being named a Value Leader in Spend Matters’ SolutionMap for AP Automation.
Scott has over 30 years of experience in the technology and enterprise software sector, with a focus on supporting organisations to improve efficiency, reduce costs and strengthen compliance.
Sean Sheehan, Founder & CEO
Wisetek
Sean Sheehan is CEO of Wisetek, a global provider of IT asset disposal and recycling services.
Under Sheehan’s leadership, Wisetek has grown into an international business delivering secure and environmentally responsible IT asset management solutions to organisations worldwide.
Sheehan has built his career in the IT and sustainability sector, focusing on operational efficiency, customer service and business growth.
Roop Singh, CEO
Version 1
Roop Singh is Chief Executive Officer of Version 1, where he leads the company’s commercial strategy and next phase of growth for the private equity-backed technology services business.
He previously served as Chief Commercial Officer at Version 1 and was CEO of the Americas and an Executive Board Member at Birlasoft, where he led business transformation and growth initiatives. Earlier in his career, Singh held senior leadership roles at IBM, including Head of Financial Services (US), along with consulting and financial services roles across global markets.
Tony Smurfit, Group Chief Executive Officer
Smurfit Kappa
Tony Smurfit is Group Chief Executive Officer of Smurfit Kappa Group plc, a global leader in paper-based packaging solutions.
He joined the company in 1986 and has held a range of senior leadership roles across the Group, including Chief Operations Officer from 2002 to 2015, and was elected to the Board of Directors in 1989.
Under Smurfit Kappa’s leadership, the Group operates in 36 countries, employs 48,000 people and is listed on the Dublin and London Stock Exchanges.
Smurfit has served on a number of industry and public bodies, including ERT (European Round Table of Industry) and CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries), and has received honours from the French Government, including Commander of the Legion of Honour. He was appointed Honorary Consul of Mexico to Ireland in 2003.
Shane Sorohan, CEO
Cubic³
Shane Sorohan is Chief Executive Officer of Cubic³, where he previously served as Chief Operating Officer from 2012 to 2026. In his current and prior roles, he has played a central part in the company’s growth from an emerging technology provider into a global leader in software-defined vehicle connectivity.
During his tenure, Sorohan has helped scale the business to support connectivity for more than 27 million vehicles across over 200 countries and territories, and has led key initiatives to expand its global operations and long-term growth.
Michael Stanley, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer
Cairn Homes Plc
Michael Stanley co-founded Cairn Homes plc and was appointed CEO prior to the IPO in June 2015. Stanley 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. Stanley also has extensive experience in the packaging, energy, agritech and healthcare sectors.
Eoin Tonge, Chief Executive Officer, Interim
Primark
Eoin Tonge has been interim CEO at Primark since March 2025. The UCD graduate began working at Irish food group Greencore in 2006 and was eventually appointed Chief Financial Officer at Marks & Spencer during the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis in Ireland and the UK. He then joined Associated British Foods plc, Primark’s parent company, as its Finance Director, before becoming Primark’s Interim CEO 4 months ago.
Laura Trimble, CEO
HSBC
Laura Trimble joined HSBC Ireland in May 2022 as CEO and Head of Wholesale Banking, with responsibility for the bank’s corporate, transactional and securities services businesses in Ireland.
She has over 20 years’ experience with HSBC, having held senior leadership roles in the UK and Europe, including European Head of Origination, where she advised corporate clients on strategic financing, capital markets and acquisition activity across multiple international markets.
Trimble has also played a leading role in promoting talent development and inclusion within HSBC, including founding initiatives focused on leadership development and workplace diversity across Europe.
Herman Troskie, Chief Executive Officer
Ardagh Group
As the Chair of Ardagh Group S.A. and Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A., Herman Troskie has led in sustainable, infinitely recyclable metal and glass packaging, operating across Europe, the Americas and Africa, with annualised revenues of more than $9 billion. Troskie has extensive experience in the areas of international corporate structuring, cross-border financing and capital markets. He qualified as a South African Attorney in 1997 and as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales in 2001.
