CFO 100 Index 2024 in association with Sia Partners — Part 3

The Business & Finance CFO 100 Index 2024, 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.

Download the CFO 100 Index 2024 PDF

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

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Ciara Lee, Director of Finance,
Cisco

Ciara Lee 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. She 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 travels across Cisco’s systems and Cisco is a global, multi-national corporation, headquartered in San Jose, California. 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.

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Seána Leech, Chief Financial Officer,
Cpl

Seána Leech joined Cpl in February 2018, and was appointed Chief Financial Officer in January 2022. Prior to joining Cpl, she worked for a number of large multinational organisations with the responsibility for management of complex finance functions in highly regulated environments. She is a qualified accountant and a Fellow Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

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Kevin Lucey, Chief Financial Officer,
DCC plc

Kevin was appointed as DCC’s Chief Financial Officer in July 2020. Kevin 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. Prior to joining DCC, Kevin was CFO and a principal of a leading Irish private equity firm.

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Mark Lynch, Chief Financial Officer,
Arthur Cox

Mark Lynch currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Arthur Cox, a leading Irish law firm, a role he has held since July 2021. He is responsible for overseeing the firm’s financial performance, managing financing arrangements, and supporting business growth through strategic planning and forecasting. Lynch also drives operational efficiency, ensuring that financial reporting is both accessible and insightful for stakeholders. Before joining Arthur Cox, Lynch had an extensive career in professional services, including nearly a decade as CFO of Deloitte Ireland. He also held several leadership roles at PwC Ireland, where he focused on corporate finance, business advisory, and performance improvement. In addition to his impressive career, Lynch is a Chartered Accountant, qualifying in 1996, and has a long history of helping firms manage financial strategy and business operations effectively. His deep experience in financial planning and operational management makes him a key player in driving growth and stability at Arthur Cox, working closely with partners to ensure the firm’s financial health in a dynamic business environment

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Grainne McAleese, Deputy Chief Financial Officer,
Inizio

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. Inizio is an Irish-headquartered company with 10,000 employees globally providing innovative outsourced services to healthcare companies. 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 ten years working with Elan Pharmaceuticals in the United States and Ireland in various corporate, strategic and group finance roles. Externally, she is a Board Director for Science Foundation Ireland, the national funding body for STEM research in Ireland.

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Oliver McAllister, Chief Financial Officer,
Lakeland Dairies

Oliver McAllister has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of Lakeland Dairies, assuming the role in July 2024. Prior to this appointment, he served as Chief Financial Officer at Dale Farm Ltd, a prominent dairy enterprise in Northern Ireland, where he was instrumental in overseeing financial operations and strategic planning. Mr. McAllister brings extensive experience in financial management within the agricultural and food sectors, having held senior financial positions across various organisations. He is a graduate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, where he achieved Chartered Accountant status. His considerable expertise and leadership have been pivotal in the growth and success of the organizations he has been associated with throughout his career.

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Chris McCarthy, Chief Financial Officer,
Uisce Eireann

Chris McCarthy is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Irish Water, having taken on the role in 2021. With over two decades of experience in finance, Chris has a proven track record in financial management, corporate strategy, and leading large-scale financial operations. Before joining Irish Water, he held senior finance roles at Ervia, where he was Group Financial Controller, and played a pivotal role in overseeing the financial operations of several infrastructure projects. Chris is highly skilled in financial planning, cost management, and regulatory reporting, with a focus on driving operational efficiency. A Chartered Accountant, he holds an advanced qualification from Chartered Accountants Ireland. His expertise and leadership continue to support Irish Water’s financial performance and long-term strategic goals.

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John McCarthy, Chief Financial Officer,
Ardonagh Europe and Arachas

John McCarthy is CFO of Ardonagh Europe the European platform of global insurance broker The Ardonagh Group. He is also CFO of Ardonagh’s Irish business Ireland’s leading 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 he worked with UDG Healthcare and PwC. McCarthy is a qualified chartered accountant with significant experience of financial management, M&A and strategic development in a financial services environment.

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Stephen McCarthy, Chief Financial Officer,
Aviva Insurance

Stephen McCarthy is the Chief Financial Officer at Aviva Ireland, General Insurance, a role he began in July 2022. He has been with Aviva since 2014, gaining extensive experience in various areas of the insurance industry, including pricing, reserving, risk management, and business operations across the UK, Canada, and Ireland. Before becoming CFO, Stephen was the Head of Corporate Development at Aviva Group. In this role, he played a key part in leading acquisitions and disposals that were crucial for reshaping the company’s strategic direction. His work in corporate development showcased his deep knowledge of corporate finance and strategic planning within the insurance sector. Stephen is a certified actuary with a Bachelor’s Degree in Actuarial and Financial Studies from University College Dublin. His broad international experience and strategic skills make him a key leader in steering Aviva Ireland’s financial operations and long-term growth initiatives.

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Kerry McConnell, Chief Financial Officer,
Bord Gáis

Kerry joined Bord Gáis in 2023, bringing her significant experience spanning both industry and financial services, in-depth knowledge of capital markets and a keen interest in formulating and implementing strategy and driving financial performance. Kerry is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Studies degree in Finance from Trinity College Dublin. She qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers. In addition to Kerry’s professional achievements at organisations including CRH plc, Bank of Ireland, RSA plc and IPL Global, Kerry is a regular 30% Club mentor, a keen hiker and RYA Yachtmaster. She has also served as a non-executive member of the Strategy Committee of the Irish State Claims Agency, part of the NTMA.

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Matthew McGee, Finance Director,
Boston Scientific

Matthew 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 the Finance Director in 2016.

Prior to Boston Scientific, McGe 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.

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Paul McKeown, Executive Director — Client Services, Business and Operations People & Corporate Services,
Enterprise Ireland

Paul McKeown leads a directorate which consists of the Client Services, Business Operations and People & Culture divisions. He is also the agency’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO). McKeown joined Enterprise Ireland as CFO in 2017 and was promoted to Executive Director in 2019. Prior to joining Enterprise Ireland, Paul was Director of Finance at St. Vincent’s University Hospital. Paul started his career in KPMG and managed a wide portfolio of clients during his five years with the firm. A Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, Paul also holds Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm) and Master of Accounting (M.Acc) qualifications from University College Dublin.

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John McLaughlin, Chief Financial Officer,
Sysco Ireland

John McLaughlin is the Chief Financial Officer at Sysco Ireland. He is responsible for all Financial Functions and Sales Support. Prior to joining Sysco, McLaughlin held several Executive level positions within Brakes Europe including Finance Director Brakes Ireland, Commercial Finance Director UK, and Operations Finance Director UK. Having started his career in Manufacturing with Rank Hovis MacDougall, he then joined a logistics business, ADL, as part of a management buyout team which led to a flotation on the London Stock Market. McLaughlin is a fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.

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Billy Morris, Chief Financial Officer,
Genesis Global

Billy Morris is the Chief Financial Officer of Genesis Global. Billy has nearly two decades of experience in both Silicon Valley & Ireland leading finance teams in high-growth technology companies and supporting the execution of financial, operational and go-to-market goals. Prior to Genesis, he was VP, Finance at network intelligence company ThousandEyes for 4+ years, and assisted in driving Series D fundraising, operational, commercial & financial expansion through to an acquisition by Cisco in 2020. Prior to that, Billy lead the FP&A team in the UCaaS provider Twilio for 4 years through Series E, operational and financial growth, as well as pre and post NYSE IPO in 2016. Earlier in his career, Billy held finance roles at Ubisoft and First Financial Bank, as well as corporate finance & financial advisory roles at Deloitte. Billy earned his bachelor’s degree at University College Dublin and is a Qualified CA.

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Mark Mulqueen, Chief Financial Officer,
KPMG 

Mark Mulqueen is the CFO 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). His range of experience includes CFO and business transformation project management roles in professional services organisations working directly to the Managing Partner and Executive Team. Mulqueen is recognised for 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.

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Aubrey Mulveen, Chief Financial Officer,
Chanelle Pharma

Aubrey Mulveen is Chief Financial Officer and board member of Chanelle Pharma. He joined the group in 2021 from C&D foods, a brand of ABP food group, where he was CFO for six years. He was also previously an audit director at KPMG. Mulveen led the team during the change of ownership to Exponent and has extensive experience in acquisitions and business transformation. He is currently leading strategic, operational and financial programmes that will provide Chanelle Pharma with the platform to support significant global expansion.

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Aine Nolan, Chief Financial Officer,
Microsoft Ireland

Áine Nolan is now the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Microsoft Ireland since March of this year. With a diverse background in finance and business strategy, she brings extensive experience from her prior roles, including senior positions at the Asthma Society of Ireland, Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, and ESB. She has developed a wide range of skills, such as auditing, financial reporting, marketing, and asset management. Áine is a graduate of the University of Limerick with a degree in Business Studies and French. Áine is also a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA).

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Helen Noud, Head of Corporate Finance,
Portwest

Helen Noud is currently the Head of Corporate Finance and Governance at Portwest, where she plays a pivotal role in overseeing financial strategies and corporate governance initiatives. Helen has an extensive background in finance and management, holding previous senior positions at Invention Investment Ireland and Intellectual Ventures. With her Chartered Accountancy qualification from Chartered Accountants Ireland, completed in 2006, Helen has developed expertise in key areas such as internal controls, IFRS, compliance, and financial reporting. Her career began with Deloitte, developing her skills in auditing and financial management, contributing to her strong leadership at Portwest.

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Nicola O’Brien, Chief Financial Officer,
Permanent TSB

Nicola O’Brien joined Permanent TSB in 2017 and most recently held the position of Head of Finance and Investor Relations before being made CFO. Prior to joining the Bank, O’Brien held a number of senior roles in Bank of Ireland, including: Head of Finance Group Customer Operations; Head of Group Finance Strategy and Divisional Financial Controller for the Retail Ireland division. She is a qualified Accountant (ACMA) with over twenty years’ experience operating at a senior level within the Retail Banking sector in Ireland. She brings a strong understanding of the commercial, strategic, operational, financial and regulatory requirements of Banking. Her strong business acumen and in-depth knowledge of Permanent TSB is of huge value to the Bank.

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John O’Connor, Chief Financial Officer,
Zurich Insurance

John O’Connor is the Chief Financial Officer at Zurich Insurance, a role he has held since 2001. With a financial career spanning over three decades, O’Connor began his professional journey at Motorola in 1989, where he held various senior financial positions before transitioning to Zurich. His leadership at Zurich has been instrumental in steering the company through significant financial and operational transformations. A graduate of the University of Limerick, O’Connor earned his Bachelor of Business Studies degree between 1980 and 1984. His expertise in financial management, along with a proven track record in corporate finance and strategy, has positioned him as a key figure within Zurich’s global operations.

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Ross O’Connor, Chief Financial Officer,
Avolon

Ross O’Connor was appointed Chief Financial Officer in October 2022 and leads the financial reporting, tax, corporate development, capital markets and aircraft trading activities at Avolon. O’Connor joined Avolon in 2011 and has held various roles throughout the organisation, including Vice President Trading and Head of Investor Relations. From 2020 to 2022, he served as Head of Capital Markets for Avolon, leading Avolon’s fundraising strategy and initiatives, including the management of Avolon’s rating agency and global lender relationships. O’Connor holds a Bachelor (Hons) in Management Science and Information Systems Studies degree from Trinity College Dublin and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ireland.

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Barry O’Donnell, Chief Financial Officer,
Actavo

Barry O’Donnell is Actavo’s Chief Financial Officer since 2021, responsible for Financial strategy & planning, mergers and acquisitions, tech strategy and debt and working capital management across a number of diverse engineering services businesses. He has a Bachelor of Business Studies, a Master of Accounting from UCD and is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland having trained originally in PwC. 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. He is a big believer in Actavo’s value of ‘Perform as a Team’. He is change-oriented and works to bring new technologies to help automate and streamline engineering processes and construction methodologies. He is future-orientated and plans for where Actavo is going, rather than where it is.

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Avril O’Hehir, Chief Administration Officer (CAO) and Board Director,
Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland

Avril O’Hehir is the Chief Administration Officer (CAO) and is a member of the Board of Directors of Lidl Ireland GmbH and Lidl Northern Ireland Limited since August 2018, responsible for the areas of Finance and Accounts, Management Accounting, Legal and Compliance, IT, Business Development, Customer Service and Audit. With more than nineteen years’ professional experience in the FMCG retail industry in Ireland and abroad, O’Hehir has extensive knowledge of strategic change management, business development, company reorganisations, acquisitions and divestments. She joined Lidl in 2004 as a project assistant and swiftly progressed to hold a variety of leadership roles throughout the business. During her career with Lidl, she has served as Employee Relations Manager, Director of Administration Organisation, International Consultant in Lidl Germany and Chief Administration Officer and Board member in Lidl Romania. A dynamic, experienced and forward-thinking senior leader, O’Hehir’s indigenous and international experience 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. She is a graduate of Technological University Dublin with a Bachelor of Arts in International Business and holds a Diploma in Employment Law. A keen advocate for personal and educational development, O’Hehir has also more recently completed a Master’s in Business Administration at Warwick Business School at the University of Warwick.

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Mark O’Neill, Chief Financial Officer,
ESW

Mark has over two decades of extensive CFO experience covering Finance, Operations, M & A, Legal and Compliance with a proven track record of delivering revenue growth, business transformation, cost efficiency, and profit expansion across a wide range of industries. Mark is currently the CFO for ESW (formerly E Shop World) with Executive responsibility for Finance, Legal, Risk and Compliance. Mark was previously the CFO for the BoyleSports group and delivered significant market share growth and profitability in all markets. He was also responsible for all M & A activity and successfully entered a number of new markets during his tenure with the betting and gaming company. Mark also had a successful career at Kerry Group as Global Operations Finance Director responsible Globally for their transformation program and Project Management office.

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Fiona O’Shea, Group Chief Financial Officer,
CIE Group

Fiona O’Shea was appointed Group Chief Financial Officer in March 2022. Prior to joining CIÉ, Fiona accumulated over 14 years of experience at RTÉ, where she held several senior finance roles, most recently as Group Financial Controller. Her career in finance also includes a notable role as Group Financial Controller at Ogilvy & Mather Group, a leading creative media and public relations agency and a subsidiary of WPP Group plc. Fiona’s background in managing complex financial operations and strategic financial planning is well-established. She graduated with a Bachelor of Business Studies degree (Hons) from the University of Limerick and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Ireland.

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Karena O’Sullivan, Chief Financial Officer,
Davy

Karena O’Sullivan is a seasoned Senior Finance Executive with a wealth of experience working at the Board level across diverse industries. With a background in finance, commercial strategy, and organisational leadership, Karena has developed her skills in dynamic environments across Ireland, the UK, and Australia. As a self-starter, she excels in delivering strategic financial solutions and driving business growth through effective leadership and innovative thinking. Her expertise encompasses comprehensive financial management, strategic planning, and team development, supported by her strong interpersonal and communication skills. Karena’s global experience and proactive problem-solving make her a key asset in senior financial roles, helping organisations achieve their goals and drive lasting success.

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Louise Patterson, Chief Financial Officer,
Energia Group

Louise Patterson was appointed Vice Chief Financial Officer in 2023 and Chief Financial Officer Designate in 2024. Having joined the Group in 2005, she qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant in 2007 and has since held a variety of senior roles, including Finance Director of Energia from 2018 to 2022. During her time as Finance Director, she oversaw the financial management of Energia Group, a leading integrated energy company committed to transparency, sustainability, and responsible financial practices. This commitment supports the company’s role in delivering 17% of Ireland’s electricity and 20% of its wind energy.

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Sinéad Patton, Chief Financial and Commercial Officer — Ireland, Regional Director — Northern Ireland,
Veolia

Chief Financial and Commercial Officer of Veolia in Ireland and its Regional Director for Northern Ireland, Sinéad Patton is proud of the role her organisation plays as benchmark leader of the Ecological Transformation, focused on helping its customer organisations to reduce their carbon footprint and sustainably manage their energy, water and waste resources. She joined the energy division of Veolia as its Financial Controller in early 2005, holding various positions before assuming her current responsibilities across the Group’s full remit of energy, water and waste management services in 2018. A key member of the leadership team charged with bringing to life Veolia’s Purpose and identity of Resourcing the World via Ecological Transformation, Patton is passionate about helping others achieve their potential. She has embodied this in her co-chairing of the Business in the Community Leaders subgroup on Social Inclusion since 2018, seeing the publication of the Inclusive Employer Blueprint in 2019 and more recently, the launch of Elevate, the Inclusive Workplace Pledge in 2021. She is a member of the Business in the Community Board of Directors since 2021.

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Download the full list as PDF

Business & Finance CFO 100 (alphabetical by surname):

View part one (A–D)

View part two (D–L)

View part three (L–P)

View part four (P–W)

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