CFO 100 Index 2025 in association with Sia — Part 3

Business & Finance

8 months ago

The Business & Finance CFO 100 Index 2025, in association with Sia, recognises the top 100 Chief Financial Officers working across some of the most innovative companies in Ireland and the UK today.

John McCarthy, CFO
Ardonagh Europe and Arachas

John McCarthy is the Chief Financial Officer of Ardonagh Europe, the European platform of the global insurance broker, The Ardonagh Group. He leads the financial management of Ardonagh’s European businesses and plays a key role in M&A and strategic development. He was previously CFO of Ardonagh’s Irish subsidiary, Arachas, which is Ireland’s leading insurance broker.

John joined Arachas in 2018 and was appointed to the Board, where he has played a pivotal role in its sale to the Ardonagh Group in 2020 and in shaping the financial strategy and operational efficiency within the broader Ardonagh framework. Before his tenure at Arachas, John was a Director of AIB Corporate Finance, where he gained extensive experience in M&A, working on a range of high-profile transactions across various sectors.

Earlier in his career, John worked with UDG Healthcare, a global healthcare services provider, where he further developed his expertise in financial management. He began his professional journey at PwC, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant. With significant experience in financial management, M&A, and strategic planning within the financial services environment, John has been a key figure in driving the growth and success of Ardonagh’s European and Irish operations.

Chris McCarthy, CFO
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.

Kerry McConnell, CFO & Country Manager
Bord Gáis

Kerry joined Bord Gáis Energy and Centrica plc in 2023. She has significant experience spanning both industry and financial services, an in-depth knowledge of capital markets and a keen interest in formulating and implementing strategy and in driving performance.

Kerry is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Studies degree in Finance from the University of Dublin, Trinity College. 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 and a keen hiker and sailor. She has also served as a non-executive member of the Strategy Committee of the Irish State Claims Agency, part of the NTMA.

John McGarry, CFO
State Street

John McGarry is currently the Chief Financial Officer of State Street Ireland. He has been with State Street since February 2012. He has experience from previous roles at International Fund Services (Na) Llc, a State Street Company, International Fund Services Ireland a State Street Company, State Street and New Star Asset Management.

Matthew McGee, Finance Director, Global Supply Chain
Boston Scientific

Matthew McGee began his career at PwC, where he worked for five years, developing a strong foundation in accounting and finance. After earning his qualifications from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ireland between 2000 and 2003, he went on to join Boston Scientific in 2006 as a Principal Finance Analyst in their Clonmel Manufacturing Plant. His expertise and leadership quickly led him to ascend through the ranks, becoming Finance Manager, then Senior Finance Manager, and ultimately being appointed as Finance Director in 2016. Last year, Matthew took up the global role of Global Supply Chain Finance Director for Planning, Logistics and Sterilisation.

McGee holds a degree in Business Studies, Accounting, and French from the Waterford Institute of Technology. Over his tenure at Boston Scientific, he has been instrumental in shaping the financial strategy of the organisation, demonstrating his commitment to operational excellence and sustainable growth. His diverse experience has solidified his reputation as a seasoned leader in financial management.

Paul McGowan, CFO
Aerogen

Paul McGowan is the CFO and Company Secretary at Aerogen, Ireland’s leading medtech company. He plays a key role in driving the company’s €300 million global expansion strategy, supporting its transformation into a world-class drug-device combination business. At Aerogan, Paul led financial planning, capital investment, and governance, enabling consistent annual growth. He ensures robust financial oversight as the company scales R&D and manufacturing operations, while maintaining compliance and strategic alignment with stakeholders across global markets.

Paul McKeown, CFO
Enterprise Ireland

Paul McKeown leads a directorate which consists of the Investment Solutions, Client Solutions and People & Transformation 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.

John McLaughlin, CFO
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.

David McManamon, Financial Officer
Cubic³

David McManamon is the Chief Financial Officer at Cubic³. Before Cubic³, David served as Group Finance Director and Chief Financial Officer for EMEA and CALA at Xtrails since 2012. In 2016, Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced that it had completed its acquisition of Xtralis for $480 million. David, along with the executive team, led this transaction. Before that, from 2005 until 2012, David was with Payzone. He steadily progressed at PayZone through numerous corporate finance and divisional finance leadership roles, eventually becoming Group Financial Controller. Along with significant global experience, David has a wealth of international experience, having lived and worked in Australia, managing specific divisional growth initiatives for BKA (a subsidiary of Burger King Corporation Inc). David started his financial career with KMPG in Dublin as a Senior Financial Accountant.

Mark Mulqueen, CFO
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 with 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.

Aubrey Mulveen, CFO
Chanelle Pharma

Aubrey Mulveen is Chief Financial Officer and a 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.

Conor Murphy, CFO
DCC plc

Conor has held the role of DCC Energy CFO since July 2022, having moved from his previous role of Director of Group Finance. Conor joined DCC in 1998 and has held a number of senior leadership roles across the Group, including Finance Director of DCC Energy, Finance & Development Director of DCC Technology and Investor Relations Manager. Prior to joining DCC, Conor trained as a chartered accountant with KPMG.

Áine Nolan, CFO
Microsoft Ireland

Áine Nolan has been the Chief Financial Officer 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).

Helen Noud, CFO
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.

Nicola O’Brien, CFO
PTSB

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 are of huge value to the Bank.

John O’Connor, CFO
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.

Ross O’Connor, CFO
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 in Ireland.

Barry O’Donnell, CFO
Actavo

Barry O’Donnell has been Actavo’s Chief Financial Officer since 2021, providing leadership across financial strategy & planning, mergers and acquisitions, technology strategy, debt and working capital management, and tax strategy across a number of diverse businesses and global locations.

He has a Bachelor of Business Studies, a Master of Accounting from the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business in University College Dublin and is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, having trained as part of the Capital Markets team in PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Barry 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 IBRC. As CFO and Executive Director in Actavo, Barry played a key role in transforming the company from disparate underperforming business units into a very successful streamlined organisation, strengthening the team and repositioning the Group’s balance sheet. He is a big believer in Actavo’s value of ‘Perform as a Team’ and will often be heard quoting ‘turnover is vanity, profit is sanity, but cash is king’

Avril O’Hehir, CFO
Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland

With over two decades of leadership in the FMCG retail sector across Ireland and international markets, Avril O’Hehir is a seasoned CFO known for driving strategic transformation, operational excellence, and sustainable growth. Since 2018, she has served as Chief Financial Officer and Board Director of Lidl Ireland GmbH and Lidl Northern Ireland Ltd., overseeing Finance, IT, Legal & Compliance, Corporate Development, Internal Audit, and Customer Care.

Mark O’Neill, CFO
ESW

Mark has over two decades of extensive CFO experience covering Finance, Operations, M&A, Data, Business Intelligence, Legal, Risk 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, Data, Business Intelligence, Strategy, 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.

Fiona O’Shea, CFO
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 in Ireland.

Karena O’Sullivan, CFO
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.

Barry O’Regan, CFO
SSE Airtricity

Barry joined SSE in 2008 and became Chief Financial Officer in December 2023. Prior to becoming Chief Financial Officer, Barry was Finance Director for SSE Renewables, as well as having responsibility for corporate finance across the whole of the SSE Group. In his previous role as Director of Treasury and Corporate Finance, he oversaw group funding and treasury operations. He is a chartered accountant and trained with PwC in Dublin before joining Airtricity in 2005.

Louise Patterson, CFO
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.

Sinéad Patton, CFO
Veolia

Chief Financial and Commercial Officer of Veolia in Ireland and in the Nordics, as well as Finance Director for Veolia UK’s Industrial, Water and Energy business, Sinéad Patton is proud of the role her organisation plays as benchmark leader of the Ecological Transformation, focused on helping its customers to decarbonise, depollute and regenerate resources. The organisation achieves this by working with its customers to reduce their carbon footprint and sustainably manage their energy, water and waste resources.

Sinéad joined the energy division of Veolia as its Financial Controller in early 2005, holding various positions before assuming her Irish responsibilities across the Group’s full remit of energy, water and waste management services in 2018, and adding her current Nordics and UK responsibilities to these in 2024.

A key member of those countries’ leadership teams charged with bringing to life Veolia’s Purpose and identity of Resourcing the World via Ecological Transformation, Sinéad is passionate about helping others achieve their potential. She has embodied this in her co-chairing of the Business in the Community Ireland 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 has been a member of the Business in the Community Ireland Board of Directors since 2021.

Ger Penny, CFO
Sisk

Ger Penny joined the Sisk Group in 2005 as Group CFO and is responsible for the management of the Group’s Finance function. He provides strategic direction to the wider business, including responsibility for all financial governance, reporting and controls across the Group, including FP&A, Treasury and Taxation. He has extensive mergers and acquisitions and joint venture experience. He led the sale of the Group’s medical device business to Uniphar plc and was heavily involved as a non-executive director in its successful listing on the London Stock Exchange in 2019.

Ger also acts as chairperson to certain of the Group’s subsidiary businesses. He also sits on the boards of certain investments made by the Group. He was a director of Archus Consulting in the UK for five years, which was acquired by a strategic investor in 2023. Prior to joining the Sisk Group, he worked in Diageo plc for 12 years and held a number of senior finance and strategy leadership positions, including R&A Bailey Finance Director and Commercial Finance Director of Diageo Northern Ireland. Earlier in his career, he spent nine years with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, including four years in Dublin and five years in its Hong Kong office. He is a fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and is also a Chartered Director. He is a non-executive director of two not-for-profit organisations.

Carol Phelan, CFO
Dalata Hotel Group

Carol Phelan is the Chief Financial Officer of Dalata Hotel Group, a position she has held since July 2021. She joined Dalata in November 2014, bringing with her extensive expertise in corporate finance, strategic development, financial reporting, and controls. Her previous senior roles at Ion Equity and KPMG have equipped her with a strong foundation in financial leadership.

A Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Phelan holds a First Class Honours Master of Accounting. In January 2022, she was appointed to Dalata’s main board as an Executive Director, further solidifying her leadership role within the company. Phelan’s financial acumen has been instrumental in driving Dalata’s growth and operational efficiency.

Ryan Preston, CFO
FD Technologies

Ryan joined the Board of FD Technologies PLC in January 2021 and has responsibility for the Group’s financial and legal operations, M&A and strategy. Ryan was formerly chief financial officer of Independent News & Media plc and at OVO Energy Retail, having spent the early part of his career at Tesco plc, where he was CFO of the European business.

Colm Purcell, CFO
Origin Enterprises plc

Colm Purcell joined Origin as Group CFO on 15 July 2024. Colm was appointed to the Board as an Executive Director in September 2024. Colm was previously CFO of the Glanbia Nutritionals Division of Glanbia plc and also held a number of other senior leadership roles in Ireland and the US within Glanbia over an 11 year period, including Group Financial Controller and Director FP&A of the North American Glanbia Performance Nutrition business. Prior to Glanbia, Colm was an Audit Director with KPMG Ireland. Colm is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and completed his training with KPMG following his graduation from UCD.

Darren Purkis, CFO
Three

Darren oversees Vodafone Three’s financial strategy, management and reporting, along with the Procurement, Data & Analytics and Wholesale functions. Prior to this, he held the position of Chief Financial Officer at Three UK from 2018, having joined the company in 2009, and played a key role in the formation of the new company. Darren previously sat on the MBNL board, overseeing the network-sharing partnership with EE. held finance leadership roles at Warehouse Fashions, Borders Books, Kingfisher plc, and Marks & Spencer Group plc.

Peter Quinn, CFO
An Post

Peter Quinn has built a distinguished career in finance, marked by extensive experience in both strategic and operational roles. Peter obtained a Bachelor of Commerce in 1980 and an MBA in 2001 from University College Dublin. Peter is a Chartered Accountant and began his career with KPMG.

He moved into senior industrial financial positions, first at PJ Carroll and Company, where he played a key role in financial management and group strategy, and subsequently at Monaghan Mushrooms, where he served as Chief Financial Officer. In 2004, Peter joined An Post as Chief Financial Officer, a position in which he has been pivotal in steering the transformation and forward-looking strategy of the organisation. He continues to be a pivotal member of the management team.

At An Post, Peter is Chairman of Post Insurance and Air Business. He was previously a Director of Premier Lotteries Ireland, where he oversaw significant developments, including the sale of the company to the French operator, Française des Jeux. He was previously Chairman of One4All gift vouchers and supervised the sale of that business to Blackhawk Industries.

CFO 100 Index 2025 in association with Sia — Part 3

The Business & Finance CFO 100 Index 2025, in association with Sia, recognises the top 100 Chief Financial Officers working across some of the most innovative companies in Ireland and the UK today.