By Business & Finance 
Business & Finance is proud to release the annual CMO 100 Index in association with Cvent. The CMO 100 recognises the top marketing professionals operating in Ireland in 2023.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
The full list is available to download here
Louise Bannon, Executive Director — Head of Marketing,
DAA
Louise Bannon is Head of Marketing at Dublin Airport and a member of the Executive Team. She has overall responsibility for consumer and B2B/partner marketing programmes and digital channels, as well as an extensive customer research and planning function.
Bannon has over 20 years’ experience in marketing and product management/development roles, focused on driving customer-led strategy development and implementation in complex customer service environments.
She joined DAA in 2006, having previously held senior management roles in two of Ireland’s key utilities; eir and ESB. A former president of the Association of Advertisers in Ireland, Bannon remains on the Council and is also a Non-Executive Director of the Irish Exporters Association.
She lives with her family in Dublin and is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and Dublin Institute of Technology. Bannon also holds an MBS from Dublin City University.
Fiona Boland, Global Director of Marketing & Communications,
Walkers
With 20 years’ experience of working in professional services and tourism, Fiona Boland began her career via an Ibec grad programme with Tourism Ireland in Oslo.
Before becoming Director of Marketing, BD & Communications at Walkers in 2019, Boland worked in senior roles as Director of Marketing at Matheson and as a Senior Clients and Markets Manager with Deloitte Ireland for over 9 years.
She holds an MSc in Marketing and Business French from T.U. Dublin and a BA International from UCD with 1 year completed in Université Bordeaux III.
John Boyle, Business Development & Marketing Director,
William Fry
John Boyle is Director of Business Development and Marketing at William Fry, one of Ireland’s leading corporate law firms with offices in Dublin, Cork, London, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and New York.
Prior to this, Boyle was CMO at PwC Ireland where he led the overall business development and marketing programme for their business in the Irish marketplace.
An experienced Financial Services marketing practitioner, he held senior marketingposts with both Bank of Ireland Group and RBS/Ulster Bank and is a member of the Marketing Institute of Ireland.
Mark Brennan, Head of Marketing,
Allianz Ireland
Mark Brennan is a leading marketing and business leader with over 15 years global marketing experience, successfully building brands and driving commercial success across multiple industry sectors and organisations including AIB, EBS, Guinness, Volkswagen and L’Oreal.
Brennan worked in London for 10 years in some of the biggest Global Advertising Agencies such as DDB and Adam&Eve before joining AIB in late 2013.
Following a three year tenure as Head of Digital Marketing & Innovation at AIB, he was appointed Head of Marketing, with responsibility for all marketing activity across sponsorship, AIB Brand & EBS mortgages. He is currently the Head of Marketing at Allianz Ireland.
Lisa Browne, Head of Marketing & Customer Insights,
ESB Group
Lisa Browne, Head of Marketing & Customer Insights at ESB Group is a leading marketing and business leader with over 20 years’ experience in building brands and driving business success across a number of industries and brands including Tipperary Water, eircell, Bank of Ireland and ESB.
She was appointed Head of Marketing & Customer Insights at ESB in 2018 and leads a team with responsibility for developing brand and marketing strategies to provide innovative, sustainable energy solutions to homes and businesses throughout Ireland and GB. She is also a Fellow of the Marketing Institute of Ireland.
Fidelma Browne, Assistant National Director — Strategic Communications,
HSE
Fidelma Browne is Assistant National Director, Strategic Communications of the HSE. Her team works with health service teams nationwide to create campaigns that help people improve their health and wellbeing and make the health service easier to use.
The HSE puts people and patients at the centre of their communications materials, paid campaigns, digital, news and stakeholder engagement. The team also creates award-winning behaviour change campaigns on a wide range of topics, like those that help people to QUIT smoking, rebuild uptake of the HPV vaccine, support understanding of dementia in our communities.
In 2020 and 2021, HSE communications led the information, digital, social marketing and stakeholder communications on COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccines. Browne has worked in the health service since 1999, with experience in social marketing, media relations, digital communications, market research, communications planning and crisis response.
Brendan Buckley, Global Marketing Director,
Irish Distillers
Brendan Buckely, Global Marketing Director for Irish Distillers, reportedly classifies himself as a Global Brand Builder, Innovation Specialist and Whiskey Enthusiast.
Buckley has over 30 years experience in marketing and is also a member of the Irish Distillers Executive Leadership Team since 2019.
Maria Bullen, CMO,
buymie
Maria Bullen is the CMO of Irish grocery delivery service, buymie. As the head of the firm’s marketing division, Bullen has gained increased visibility for the service.
In May 2022, she successfully spearheaded a TV advertising campaign that furthered the reputation of the rapidly-growing company. Bullen joined the firm in July 2020 as a Marketing Consulting and took charge of her department in January 2021.
She founded MBM consultancy in 2007 and previously held roles at TENACTA GROUP SPA, Shell, Unilever, Froosh Smoothies and Jordans Dorset Ryvita.
Caroline Burton, Marketing Director,
Uniphar
Caroline Burton joined The Uniphar Group as Head of Retail Marketing in March 2022. Her role is to lead the marketing function and work with her team to develop and deliver the marketing strategy across advertising, sponsorship, PR, social media, and research, for the Allcare, Hickey’s and Life Pharmacy brands.
Uniphar is Ireland’s leading Irish owned community pharmacy group with 150 owned pharmacies and 220 franchise partners. Their vision is to build meaningful relationships with patients and customers through their expertise, customer care, pharmacists and retail teams.
With over 20 years marketing experience, Burton was Head of Marketing at The Maxol group for 5 years before joining The Uniphar Group and previously held senior positions with Dr. Oetker and Nestlé.
She holds an MBS in Marketing from UCD Smurfit Graduate Business School, a Bachelor of Commerce from UCD and a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing from the Digital Marketing Institute of Ireland.
Daragh Byrne, CMO,
SoftCo
Daragh Byrne is the CMO of Dublin-based financial software company, SoftCo. Byrne became Chief Marketing Officer of the firm in 2019 bringing years of experience and expertise to the role.
He held the role of Chief Commercial Officer at Maximum Media Network before becoming CEO of the firm along with JOE media prior to joining SoftCo. He previously held roles at TV3, UTV Ireland and Tam Ireland.
Elaine Carey, Chief Commercial Officer,
Three Ireland & UK
Elaine Carey is Chief Commercial Officer at Three Ireland and Three UK, a position she has held for nearly ten years. Her responsibilities include sales strategy across digital, social media and web.
Prior to this, she was Three Ireland’s Sales and Marketing Director. She also works with her teams and various agencies to create PR campaigns to support products and services.
Clyde Carroll, Director of Marketing & Communications,
We are DublinTown
Clyde Carroll oversees all of DublinTown’s marketing initiatives including Dine in Dublin, The DublinTown Food and Drink Festival, the Dublin Fashion Festival and Dublin at Christmas, Dublin City’s Christmas Lights.
Digital plays an important part of DublinTown’s marketing strategy and Carroll manages the content creation on five websites and multiple social media platforms including the award-winning DublinTown.ie.
During the pandemic, he worked with a special taskforce of Dublin City Council, DublinTown, An Garda Siochana, the NTA and Legacy Communications to deliver comprehensive marketing and communications plans to safely reopen Dublin city centre to the public after Covid19 lockdowns.
Carroll was a member of the branding subgroup of the ‘Grow Dublin Tourism Implementation Group,’ the group responsible for delivering the Dublin brand.
He now sits on the Failte Ireland Covid Response Sales and Marketing group. Clyde is also course director for the Fitzwilliam Institute Group Diploma in Event Management course.
Bárbara Casanova, Marketing Campaign Manager,
Ding
Bárbara Casanova is the Marketing Campaign Manager of Ding. Casanova is a marketer with extensive experience in B2C and B2B environments. She has a proven track record in leading, building, and managing successful full-funnel marketing campaigns.
Casanova joined the company as Marketing Specialist in 2020 and became Marketing Campaign Manager in 2022. Prior to joining Ding, she was Assistant Manager of Brand, Marketing & Communications at EY where she executed country-wide, multichannel marketing campaigns. Throughout her career she has held roles at Ryanair, Qatar Airways, The Shelbourne Hotel.
Olivia Caslin, Communications & Marketing Manager,
Skillnet Ireland
Olivia Caslin is a brand, corporate communications and public relations executive with 20+ years of business experience at leading global consumer brands and public sector organisations, including Cuisine de France, Essity, Mars and UCD.
She has launched innovative, award-winning campaigns and has a passion for unlocking business growth through making meaningful connections to the everyday needs of consumers.
In her current role as Communications and Marketing Manager at Skillnet Ireland – Ireland’s Business Support Agency for Workforce Development – she is responsible for marketing communications to business and consumer audiences, helping businesses in Ireland succeed through innovative, business-driven people development.
Avril Casserly, Marketing Manager,
Glen Dimplex Ireland
Avril Casserly is Marketing Manager of Glen Dimplex Ireland, a distributor of electrical products. Casserly took up the role in March 2022.
Her previous experience includes Sales Team Leader at New Look, Marketing Executive of Flogas Ireland and EU associate Brand Marketing Manager at Radio Systems PetSafe Europe Ltd.
Meabh Clohosey, Brand & Marketing Director,
Aer Lingus
Meabh Clohosey is the Brand and Marketing Director of Aer Lingus. Prior to joining Aer Lingus in February 2022, Clohosey worked as Managing Director of Norwegian Brand Ltd where she was responsible for IP management of global brand, global market intelligence and brand development for Norwegian (airline), Norwegian Reward, Bank Norwegian and Norwegian Holiday.
She subsequently joined the Board of Directors for Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA. Earlier in her career, Clohosey worked as Marketing Manager for Heineken Ireland Ltd.
Geoff Codd, Head of Marketing & Retail,
Energia
Geoff Codd has been Head of Marketing & Retail at gas and electricity supplier Energia since September 2015. He was previously the company’s Marketing Manager and has also worked in marketing roles at Meteor, Perlico and Shop Direct.
Codd is a Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University and Saint Joseph’s University Haub School of Business graduate.
Tara Collins, CMO,
National Broadband Ireland
Tara Collins is the Chief Marketing Officer of NBI, responsible for directing the brand and communications strategy, stakeholder engagement and demand stimulation.
Tara joined NBI in 2020 with a wealth of experience across marketing, communications, PR, business development, and corporate relations, built up over a career of more than 20 years in the public and private sectors.
Tara has held senior roles at IAWS, Ryanair, Seniors Money International, Smurfit Business School, Hewlett Packard and University College Dublin. Tara’s global experience has seen her live and work in the USA, UK, Europe, Australia and Asia.
Tara sits on the Board of BizWorld Ireland, a not-for-profit organisation that promotes entrepreneurship skills for young people and is a diversity champion for the Women’s Executive Network (WXN). She also volunteers for Harvard Business School’s virtual learning groups.
Tara holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the Technological University Dublin, a MSc in Business & Executive Coaching from the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and is also a Harvard Business School Alumna.
Fran Cowan, Director of Sales Marketing EMEA,
Twitch
Fran Cowan is an international marketer with over 14 years’ experience in global marketing and brand strategy, international project and campaign management, events, international operations, eCRM, cross-cultural communication and social media. Prior to assuming her current role, she was VP of Marketing at International Advertising Association UK. Cowan was also a board member and sat on the professional development committee of the firm. Her experience in the scene has seen her hold positions at MySpace, Specific Media and Inskin Media. Cowan has also worked as an Interactive Media Consultant.
Susan Creedon, Brand & Communications Manager,
Sodexo
Susan Creedon is the Communications Manager at Sodexo, a French food services and facilities management company. Creedon joined the firm in 2019.
She has considerable experience as a communications manager and has helped numerous firms to convey their product effectively and grow their reputation. Creedon has previously held positions at PwC and Microsoft. She is a graduate of the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business Schoo
Jerry Daykin, VP Head of Media,
Beam Suntory
Jerry Daykin’s career has seen him in local, regional & global roles on both agency & client side, across FMCG, health and mass market luxury categories. He leads the GSK Consumer Healthcare media team across 50+ markets in the EMEA region. Daykin also leads GSK’s global efforts to increase the diversity & representation of their marketing.
He led global media strategy and partnerships for Diageo, including pioneering their innovative ‘Trusted Marketplace’ approach to quality media, and developing their ‘Future Media Model’. Working agency-side in the Carat Global team, he ran its global partnerships, as well as leading Mondelez’s digital approach and chocolate category. He consulted across Beiersdorf, Heineken and PMI . Daykin previously led social media for Mondelez across Europe and digital for Cadbury in the UK.
He sits on the WFA’s Global Media Board and is co-chair of the WFA Diversity & Representation Task Force. Dayking is also volunteer Director at the Conscious Advertising Network and Outvertising. He is a regular speaker & writer, including for The Drum, The Guardian and at events including Advertising Week, Cannes Lions and the UN Human Rights Forum.
Cathal Deavy, Customer Director — Finance & Marketing,
Tesco Ireland
Cathal Deavy is an executive member of the Tesco Ireland and Tesco Mobile Ireland boards, with his primary role of Customer Director. His responsibility includes the marketing of the Tesco brand in Ireland, F&F and Tesco Mobile; always ensuring that the customer is at the heart of everything that they do.
His career spans over 25 years in which he has worked on global FMCG brands with Unilever in Ireland, UK, Italy and the Netherlands; grocery retail in Ireland and as an international marketing consultant for food & tech start-ups.
He is a committee member of the Association of Advertisers in Ireland, a non-executive Director at Coole Swan and he has a diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors.
David Deighan, Head of Communications,
KPMG
David Deighan is Head of Communications with KPMG. A graduate of DCU, Deighan’s career has included making TV ads for Guinness and Carlsberg, as well as time spent in the out of home media business as a Director of JCDecaux.
As Head of Communications at KPMG,he is responsible for advertising, PR, media and digital at Ireland’s largest professional services firm.
Susan Dempsey, Senior Director Marketing & Communications,
ICON
A marketeer for close to three decades, Susan Dempsey began as a Customer Service Representative at Computer Associates and has worked her way up to becoming the Global Marketing and Communications Director for ICON Plc where she has thrived for over 15 years.
She has specialised in B2B services and strategic marketing programs for organisational growth. She is a strategic thinker who has a wide range of experience including professional services, telecoms, software localisation, and healthcare.
Paul Dervan, CMO,
National Lottery
Paul Dervan is the CMO of The National Lottery in Ireland and author of “Run with Foxes: Make better marketing decisions.”
Prior to The National Lottery, Dervan was the Global Brand Director at Indeed, the world’s largest and fastest growing job site, with over 250 million visitors every month. There, he was tasked with growing the brand in multiple markets, managing a global team of 80 people, and was responsible for investment of hundreds of millions of advertising dollars. He also started a Marketing Campaign Lab, where he created and tested hundreds of marketing experiments in America, Europe, Australia and Asia.
Before that, Dervan was with PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker brand, as Creative Director for their Full Tilt brand. He was responsible for repositioning and relaunching the brand as part of their brand portfolio, targeting new mobile audiences.
Prior to this he worked for Telefonica, in various roles. He was Brand Director in their Digital Unit in London, focusing on launching youth brands in Ireland and Latin America. He was Head of Brand for O2 in Ireland during the brand’s most successful period, becoming market leader of postpaid segments, with 35% market share.
Business & Finance CMO 100 Index 2023 (alphabetical by surname):
View part one (B–D)
View part two (D–K)
View part three (K–O)
View part four (O–W)
