CFO 100 Index 2021 in association with Sia Partners – Part 3
Business & Finance
The Business & Finance CFO 100 Index 2021, in association with Sia Partners, recognises the top 100 Chief Financial Officers working across some of the most innovative companies in Ireland and the UK today.
To launch this Index, Business & Finance is hosting a virtual thought leadership panel discussion on the key issues facing the CFO today. The theme is: The Evolving Role of the CFO, the importance of flexible business models and investment in technology in an unpredictable world.
Business & Finance Managing Editor Sarah Freeman opened the event and was followed by David Cass, Partner, Sia Partners, who delivered a keynote Partner Address.
Jacinta Lambert has held the role of Finance Director at Medtronic plc since 2009. Medtronic acquired Covidien in 2015. The company was founded in 2007 and has over 10,000 employees worldwide. Lambert began her finance career in 1998 as Financial Controller for Bowne and followed that with a move to Pareto Marketing Ltd. She then worked in Systimax Solutions Ireland Ltd before moving to ESG Re Ltd where she spent over four years as Chief Accounting Officer. Lambert studied a diploma in Irish Company Law in Dublin Business School before completing a diploma in Corporate Law and Governance, Irish Corporate Law and Governance at the Law Society of Ireland. In 2014, she studied a Chartered Directors Programme at the Institute of Directors Ireland and in 2018 she completed a certificate in Company Secretarial Law and Practice, Irish Company Law.
Andrew Langford, Chief Financial Officer, Version 1
Andrew Langford is the Chief Financial Officer at Version 1. The team at Version 1 are leaders in implementing and supporting Oracle, Microsoft and AWS technologies and they are trusted by global brands to deliver IT solutions that drive customer success. Their greatest strength is balancing their efforts to achieve customer success, empowering people and a strong organisation, underpinned by a commitment to their core values. Version 1 uses cutting-edge, powerful IT to help its customers drive the change they aspire to achieve. With 1,200 employees, Version 1 is enjoying continued success having recently been named as a “Great Place to Work” in the UK and Ireland.
Marguerite Larkin, Chief Financial Officer, Kerry Group
Marguerite Larkin is the Chief Financial Officer at Kerry Group. She brings extensive financial knowledge and risk management expertise to the role, as well as being a highly experienced business leader. Larkin has over 25 years international experience having served as lead client partner at Deloitte Ireland for a number of multinationals operating in a broad range of industries including food and beverage, pharma and technology. During her career with Deloitte, Larkin served as a senior partner and held a number of leadership roles within the company. Larkin is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and Masters in Accountancy. Larkin was appointed Executive Director and Group Chief Financial Officer in September 2018.
Gina Laverty, Chief Financial Officer, Viatel
Gina Laverty, a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Consultant and a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, joined Viatel in July 2021 with an impressive financial career spent in New York and Dublin. She held positions with the Macquarie Group and PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York before returning to Ireland. Gina Laverty formed part of the team that managed the sale of the Dublin-based online payments company, Realex, to Global Payments. She then joined the European Management Team of Global Payments, a worldwide provider of payment technology services.
Virginia Lawlor,Chief Financial Officer, Aviva
Virginia Lawlor has had a long-standing career in finance. She is Chief Financial Officer at Aviva, a leading savings, retirement and insurance business. Prior to joining Aviva in March 2020, Virginia held the position of CFO with Prudential International Assurance plc, a life and pension provider, for 13 years, and was Finance Director with CitiLife Financial Ltd between 2000 and 2006. She holds a degree in Social Science from University College Dublin, and is a qualified Chartered Accountant.
Ciara Lee, Director of Finance, Cisco
Ciara Lee is Director of Finance at Cisco. She began working with Cisco almost twenty years ago and has, in that time, worked in several roles including, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia (EMEAR) Accounting leader, followed by EMEAR Head of Corporate Revenue . Ciara Lee took on the position of Director of Finance & CFO for Cisco Capital in EMEAR in 2019. Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in technology that powers the internet. The company was founded in 1984 by two computer scientists from Stanford University seeking an easier way to connect different types of computer systems. Today 85% of internet traffic travel across Cisco’s systems and Cisco is a global, multi-national corporation, headquartered in San Jose, California. Ciara Lee studied Commerce in University College Dublin and is a qualified accountant (FCCA); she has been recently elected to serve on the Business Leaders Forum panel for ACCA Ireland.
Colm Leen, Group Chief Financial Officer, Carbery Group
Colm Leen is Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of Carbery Group. He is a graduate of University College Cork, and he qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG in 1987. Following a period working with KPMG in New York, he joined Carbery’s finance team in 1988. In 1992, Leen was appointed Financial Controller of Carbery, and in 1995 was appointed to the Board of Carbery Group as Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary. Leen is a former Director of Cork Chamber of Commerce and sits on the governing body of University College Cork (UCC). He is Chair of UCC’s Audit and Risk Committee.
David Lomas, Group Chief Financial Officer, Digicel
David Lomas joined Digicel as Group Chief Financial Officer after years of international experience at the Board level in leading global FTSE 100 and private equity-owned businesses. He has worked across a wide range of sectors, including telecoms, technology, media, outsourcing and professional services. Lomas brings strong operational expertise from both inside and outside the finance function and has initiated and managed transformational change and continuous improvement programmes in a global business environment. Previously, Lomas was Group CFO for Spire Healthcare Group and prior to that he spent nine years as CFO for Elsevier (part of the RELX Plc Group) based in the Netherlands as well as a number of years with BT in the UK in a variety of senior financial, operational and commercial positions.
Kevin Lucey, Chief Financial Officer, DCC
Kevin Lucey was appointed as DCC’s Chief Financial Officer in July 2020. Lucey joined DCC in 2010 as Finance & Development Director of the Technology division and since then has held a number of senior Group finance roles, including most recently as Head of Capital Markets. Lucey is a Chartered Accountant and has extensive international M&A, capital markets, and operational finance experience. Prior to joining DCC, Lucey was CFO and a principal of a leading Irish private equity firm.
Mark Lynch, Chief Financial Officer, Arthur Cox LLP
Mark Lynch is Chief Financial Officer at Arthur Cox LLP. He was appointed to this role in July 2021, joining the company from Deloitte Ireland LLP where he served as CFO for 8 years. At Deloitte, Lynch’s key responsibilities were to lead and develop the Finance function with a particular emphasis on corporate finance, profitability, M&A integration, acquisitions, strategic and impactful reporting and investor relations. Mark Lynch brings years of beneficial insight to his role as CFO with Arthur Cox LLP, having gained experience with William Fry as Director of Business Projects, Intuition Publishing Ltd. as CFO, PricewaterhouseCoopers as Director of Clients & Markets and Senior Manager of Corporate Finance & Business Advisory Services. Lynch is a Chartered Accountant, holds a certificate in Applied Business Modelling, and studied with Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Keith Mc Guigan, Chief Financial Officer, Continuum Commerce Solutions
Keith Mc Guigan is the Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of Continuum Commerce Solutions and Nutramara. He trained and worked in Ernst & Young in Dublin and Horwath Bastow Charleton in Limerick, where his clients ranged from global multinationals in EY to start-ups and growing companies looking for corporate finance advice and BES investment in HBC. He held managerial positions at home and abroad in multinationals such as Kerry Group, Trend Micro and Young and Rubicam and was Finance Director of Irish property asset management company Capital Assets. Mc Guigan is passionate about Irish businesses and was Managing Director of Local Market Direct Ltd which he set up to provide access to the online economy for Irish producers, craftspeople and artists. Mc Guigan is a fellow member of Chartered Accountants Ireland and is the former Chairman of the Mid-West Society of Chartered Accountants.
Grainne McAleese, Deputy Group Chief Financial Officer, UDG Healthcare
In 2021, Grainne McAleese was part of the UDG management team which oversaw the successful $4 billion acquisition of UDG Healthcare plc by private equity firm, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. Prior to UDG, she worked as General Manager Ireland with Alexion, a rare disease US biotech company, leading their expansion and a €500 million investment in biologics and packaging facilities in Ireland. McAleese previously spent 10 years working with Elan Pharmaceuticals in the United States and Ireland in various corporate, strategic and group finance roles. Externally, McAleese is a Board Director for Science Foundation Ireland, the national funding body for STEM research in Ireland.
John McCarthy, Chief Financial Officer, Arachas
John McCarthy is Chief Financial Officer of insurance broker Arachas, which he joined and was appointed to the Board in 2018. Prior to joining Arachas, he was a Director of AIB Corporate Finance where he gained extensive M&A experience. In his earlier career, McCarthy worked with UDG Healthcare and PwC. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant with significant experience of financial management, M&A, and strategic development in a financial services environment.
Kerry McConnell, Chief Financial Officer, IPL Global
Kerry McConnell brings extensive experience to IPL as a Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director gained across industry and financial services. Kerry McConnell is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Studies degree in Finance from Trinity College Dublin, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers. McConnell subsequently worked with CRH, Coillte, Bank of Ireland and RSA. In her most recent role at RSA Insurance Group, Kerry held the position of Chief Financial Officer Ireland and completed a two-year secondment at the London headquarters of the FTSE 100 listed company as Group Investor Relations Director. She is also a non-executive member of the Strategy Committee of the Irish State Claims Agency, part of the Irish National Treasury Management Agency.
Matthew McGee, Finance Director, Boston Scientific
Matthew McGee is Finance Director at Boston Scientific. McGee began working at Boston Scientific in 2006 as a Principal Finance Analyst. He then took on the role of Finance Manager, then Senior Finance Manager, and then ultimately Finance Director in 2016. Boston Scientific works collaboratively to solve healthcare’s toughest problems by developing solutions that matter most to those suffering from debilitating and life threatening conditions and the healthcare professionals who provide their care. Across over 100 countries, the company helps providers deliver care more effectively by reducing costs, increasing efficiencies and expanding access to care in order to help more people in more places live longer, healthier lives. Prior to Boston Scientific, McGee spent five years working for PwC. He studied Business Studies, Accounting and French at the Waterford Institute of Technology before studying at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ireland from 2000 to 2003.
Paul McKeown, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director, Enterprise Ireland
Paul McKeown leads a Directorate incorporating Enterprise Ireland’s People and Policy, Corporate Services and Regional Development Divisions. He is also the agency’s Chief Financial Officer. Paul McKeown joined Enterprise Ireland as CFO in 2017 and was promoted to Executive Director in 2019. Prior to joining Enterprise Ireland, he was Director of Finance at St. Vincent’s University Hospital. McKeown started his career at KPMG and during his five years with the firm, he managed a wide portfolio of clients. He is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, and also holds Bachelor of Commerce and Master of Accounting qualifications from University College Dublin.
Jim Mintern, Group Finance Director, CRH
Jim Mintern is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University College Dublin. He has over 30 years of experience in the building materials industry, nearly 20 years of which have been with CRH. He joined CRH in Ireland as Finance Director for Roadstone in 2002 and since then has held several senior positions across the Group, including Country Manager for Ireland and Managing Director of each of the Western and Eastern regions of our Europe Materials business. Mintern is an Executive Vice President of CRH plc and is a member of the Group’s Global Leadership Team. In his most recent role as Chief of Staff to the CEO, he has worked closely with divisional and operational leadership, having oversight of Group performance programmes and leading the planning and execution of some of the Group’s recent large acquisitions including Ash Grove in North America in 2018.
Billy Morris, Chief Finance Officer, Genesis
Billy Morris is Chief Financial Officer at Genesis. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant (ICAI) with over 15 years of experience in corporate finance, financial planning and analysis, and financial management. Morris has wide-ranging international experience in finance and accounting over multiple industries in both Ireland and the US. Among his skillset are advanced financial modelling, reporting and analytical skills, and excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Billy Morris specialises in: Financial Planning, Reporting and Analysis, Client Relationship Management, Profitability and Investment Analysis, Capital Raisings, Business Valuations, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Consultancy.
Mark Mulqueen, Chief Financial Officer, KPMG
Mark Mulqueen is the Chief Financial Officer for KPMG in Ireland and a member of the firm’s Executive Leadership Team. Responsible for all aspects of finance and administration within the firm, he is a driven and accomplished Senior Executive with extensive financial, transformation and business management experience predominantly in professional services organisations (legal and financial). Mulqueen has a range of experience, including CFO and business transformation project management roles in professional services organisations working directly with the Managing Partner and Executive Team. He has experience of driving performance improvement in key business processes including time management, billing, cash, and digitising the delivery of financial metrics to support unit leaders in driving profitable revenue growth.
Stephen Mulvany, Chief Financial Officer, Health Service Executive
Stephen Mulvany is Chief Financial Officer at the HSE. In this role, he holds accountability for financial management over the entire Health Service, and ensures that a strong, integrated financial performance system is in place. He has been with the HSE for over 16 years, beginning his career as Assistant National Director of Finance for the DNE Region in 2005. Since then, Mulvany has held various roles within the Health Service: Hospital Network Manager, Hospital Network Manager DNE, Interim National Director of Finance, National Director Mental Health, and his most recent position as CFO to which he was appointed in May 2014. As CFO, Stephen Mulvany is a member of the HSE National Leadership Team and assists the Director General on all strategic and operational matters relating to budget management, forecasting needs and the securing of funding for health and social care services.
Ken Murphy, Chief Financial Officer, Aon Ireland
Ken Murphy is Chief Financial Officer at Aon Ireland. He is a professionally qualified executive with 19 years experience working in senior financial positions for companies based in Europe, US and Asia. Murphy’s specialities include effective management across multiple international entities, and mergers & acquisitions including post acquisition integration of operations, systems and personnel.
Imran Nawaz, GroupChief Financial Officer, Tesco
Imran Nawaz is Group Chief Financial Officer at Tesco. He has broad financial, strategic, and international experience gained across a number of large multinational organisations. Prior to joining Tesco, Nawaz was CFO of Tate & Lyle PLC and held a number of senior financial roles across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with a career of over 16-years at Mondelez International and Kraft Foods. He started his career with Deloitte and Philip Morris in corporate audit. Nawaz will bring to the Board a deep experience of the global food industry with a proven track record of financial leadership as well as executive leadership experience within a listed company environment.
Kevin O’Byrne, Group Chief Financial Officer, Sainsburys
Kevin O’Byrne joined Sainsburys as Group Chief Financial Officer in January 2017 and brings a wealth of retail and finance experience to the Board from his varied previous Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officer roles. His skills and experience in leading finance and driving performance improvement provide the business with valuable expertise in pursuing its strategy. Kevin O’Byrne was previously Chief Executive Officer of Poundland Group Limited until December 2016 and held executive roles at Kingfisher plc from 2008 to 2015, including Divisional Director UK, China and Turkey, Chief Executive Officer of B&Q UK & Ireland and Group Finance Director. Prior to this, he was Group Finance Director of Dixons Retail plc and European Finance Director of Quaker Oats. He was a Non-Executive Director of Land Securities Group PLC from 2008 to September 2017, where he was Chairman of the Audit Committee and Senior Independent Director. O’Byrne is currently a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Centrica plc.
Aodha O’Connor, Chief Financial Officer, Centric Health
Aodha O’Connor joined Centric Health in 2016 and was appointed to the Board to become Chief Financial Officer in 2017. Prior to Centric Health, O’Connor held the position of Chief Financial Officer at TV3 Television for over six years. He has extensive experience of working at a senior level in organisations and working closely with key stakeholders including banks and shareholders. O’Connor has been involved in a number of significant corporate transactions during his career including disposals and acquisitions of companies and fund raising of both debt and equity. He trained in PricewaterhouseCoopers and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. O’Connor holds two degrees from University College Dublin: a Bachelor of Commerce degree (Hons) and a Master’s in Accounting (Hons). He has also completed a Strategic Leadership course at Stanford University.
John O’Connor, Chief Financial Officer, Zurich Insurance
John O’Connor is the Chief Financial Officer at Zurich Insurance. He was appointed to this position in 2001, prior to which he held various financial positions at Motorola beginning in 1989. O’Connor holds a Bachelor of Business Studies degree from the University of Limerick, where he studied between 1980 and 1984.
Myles O’Grady, Chief Financial Officer, Musgrave
Myles O’Grady is the Chief Financial Officer at Musgrave with effect from April 2022. O’Grady is leaving his position as Chief Financial Officer at Bank of Ireland, which is a role he has held since 2019. In joining Musgrave, Myles brings with him a wealth of experience in delivering sustainable growth and in driving a culture that is customer-focused and increasingly digital. Prior to Bank of Ireland, he has held senior roles at Citibank, Bord Gáis and AIB Group since 2006. O’Grady is also a Non-Executive Director of New Ireland Assurance Company and is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.
Avril O’Hehir, Director of Administration (CFO) and Board Executive, Lidl
A dynamic, experienced and forward-thinking senior leader, Avril O’Hehir has more than 15 years professional experience in the competitive retail industry in Ireland and abroad. O’Hehir’s international experience in Germany and Romania has given her a competitive edge, and a passion for first-to-market technology that drives efficiencies and adds value to communities across the country. As Chief Financial Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland with responsibility for Finance, Legal, IT, E-Commerce, Business Development, Customer Service and Audit, O’Hehir has extensive knowledge of strategic change management, company reorganisations, acquisitions and divestments alongside a drive for continuous improvement having recently completed a Master of Business Administration from Warwick Business School. O’Hehir is mum to three-year-old Eva, and enjoys spending time with her family, reading and travelling.
Diarmuid O’Neill, Chief Financial Officer, Doyle Shipping Group
Diarmuid O’Neill has been Chief Financial Officer of Doyle Shipping Group since 2014. The Irish-owned shipping and logistics company has been operating out of Ireland since 1886. Owned by the Doyle Family, the Group has developed from its maritime roots and is now offering integrated shipping, logistics and maritime services. Prior to that, O’Neill worked in AIB for over fourteen years. He began there as Relationship Manager and ultimately held the position of Head of International Corporate Banking before being made Head of Corporate Banking Ireland. He studied accountancy at University College Cork before completing his Chartered Accountant qualifications in the Institute of Chartered Accountants. He also completed a Leadership Development programme at Harvard Business School.
Karena O’Sullivan, Finance Director, Bank of Ireland
Karena O’Sullivan re-joined Bank of Ireland in September 2020 from Finance Ireland where she held the position of Chief Financial Officer. Prior to that, O’Sullivan spent 15 years in the Bank where she held a number of senior leadership positions including Head of Finance for Consumer Banking, Director of Finance Strategy & Transformation, Head of Mortgages ROI, and Director of Business Transformation on the Core Banking Systems Programme. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ireland having trained in KPMG before first joining the Group in 2005. O’Sullivan holds a first class honours Master’s in Accounting from the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business and a first class honours Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from University College Cork.
Barry O’Donnell, Chief Financial Officer, Actavo
Barry O’Donnell joined Actavo as Group Finance Director in May 2016 with over 15 years’ experience in finance. The role involved finance strategy and planning, M&A, Group treasury and debt management, as well as external and internal reporting. In 2021, O’Donnell was appointed as Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for the financial operations of the company, including financial planning and strategy. He has a Bachelor of Business Studies, a Master of Accounting from University College Dublin and is a Fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. O’Donnell is commercially focused and results driven. He has extensive experience driving finance functions in fast paced entrepreneurial environments. Previous roles included Head of Finance at Paddy Power Online and Finance Manager at Anglo Irish Bank.
Business & Finance CFO 100 (alphabetical by surname):
