CIO 100 Index 2024 — Part 2

The Business & Finance CIO 100 Index 2024 recognises the top 100 Digital Leaders working across some of the most innovative companies in Ireland today.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

The full list is available to download here

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Lidia Fonseca, Chief Digital & Technology Officer — Executive Vice President,
Pfizer

Lidia Fonseca is the Chief Digital and Technology Officer — Executive Vice President at Pfizer. She is responsible for the enterprise-wide digital strategy. Fonseca leads all digital, data and technology products and solutions across the company, including digitising drug discovery, clinical development, manufacturing, distribution and commercial.

Fonseca is spearheading the effort to improve patient health outcomes through innovative digital health, medicines and diagnostics products at the firm. Under her leadership, Pfizer launched the Digital Companion™, a suite of digital products and solutions to deepen engagement between patients and physicians. She is also leading the effort to introduce AI-powered predictive algorithms to help disease suspicion, treatment optimization and adherence.

She led Pfizer’s digital team in their critical efforts to help accelerate the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Fonseca has over twenty years of experience in the healthcare industry. In her prior role, Lidia was the Senior Vice President and CIO at Quest Diagnostics.

She is a member of the Board of Directors of Medtronic (NYSE: MDT), Tegna, Inc. (NYSE: TGNA), and the US-Japan Business Council. She was previously a member of the Board of Directors of Gannet, Inc. (NYSE: GCI) from 2014–2017 and Q2 Solutions, a joint venture between Quest Diagnostics and IQVIA, from 2016–2018.

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Jacky Fox, Senior Managing Director — Security,
Accenture

Jacky leads Accenture’s EMEA security practice with over 30 years’ experience in technology and cyber security consulting. Jacky holds an MSc in Digital investigations and Forensic computing, a GCFA and a GICSP. She has worked across multiple industry sectors including health & public services, resources and financial services. Jacky specialises in helping organisation’s to understand and treat their cyber risk and has had the experience of investigating many national and international breaches. She is also a Vice-chair on the board of Cyber Ireland and has previously been an adjunct lecturer in UCD MSc in forensics and security. Jacky is an active contributor at the World Economic Forum, speaking at Davos in 2022 and contributes actively to other security fora at international conferences and Interpol. In 2018, she was awarded ‘Security Champion of the Year’ in Ireland for her contribution to the Irish security industry and her mentorship and encouragement of women in security.

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Carlos Freesz, Group Head of Information & Communications Technology,
Kenmare Resources plc

Carlos Freesz joined Kenmare Resources plc as Group Head of Information & Communications Technology (ICT) in March 2022. He is an IT expert with a wealth of experience in the industry. He previously held positions at Deloitte, Plaut, IBM, SAP, Mars and Accenture.

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Paul French, Chief Information Officer,
Aviva

Paul French was appointed Chief Information Officer at Aviva Ireland in October 2018 and is responsible for all aspects of the IT and Digital strategies across both of Aviva’s regulated businesses in Ireland.

French has extensive experience across a number of different industries and, prior to joining Aviva, was Head of Trading Technology at Paddy Power Betfair where he held a number of senior positions leading large engineering teams for the group. He holds a BSc in Computing and an MBA from IE Business School, Madrid.

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Catherine Gardiner, Group Chief Information Officer & Customer Solutions Chief Operating Officer,
Energia

Catherine Gardiner was appointed Group Chief Information Officer of Energia in 2011 with responsibility for technology, data and digital across the business from a strategy, delivery and run perspective. In 2023, her role was expanded to include operational responsibility for the Power NI and Energia Customer Solutions businesses.

Prior to this, Gardiner was Head of Operations for Energia and has held several other management positions within the Group since joining in 2000.

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Colm Gartlan, IT Director,
Norbrook Laboratories Ltd.

Colm Gartlan is IT Director at Norbrook Laboratories Ltd. and is an experienced executive with global operations experience. He has a proven track record in business transformation, business process re-engineering and optimisation, strategy development and execution, software applications development and support, project management, risk management, operations excellence and leadership development.

His specialties include Business Relationship Management; Strategy Development & Execution; Enterprise Architecture; Program & Project Management; Infrastructure & Applications Service Delivery; Supplier Relationship Management; People Management & Leadership Development; Risk Management & Compliance; Financial Management & Control and IT Operations Excellence.

Previous positions include Vice President, Information Management at Xerox Corporation and Computer Integrated Manufacturing & Information Technology at Motorola.

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Stuart Halford, Chief Information Officer,
Goodbody

Stuart Halford is an accomplished technology leader with over twenty five years of experience across the private and public sector, predominantly in the heavily regulated financial services industry. He is responsible for the development, management and delivery of Goodbody’s technology strategy, solutions architecture and information security in addition to leading the delivery of key technology change and operational management of the firm’s technology services and outsourced/managed service providers. Halford has a track record of successfully defining and leading numerous innovative technology solutions and strategic transformation initiatives supporting the firm’s overall business strategy whilst ensuring regulatory compliance, risk management, security and resilience. He holds a B.Eng from UCD.

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Deborah Harrington, Group IT Director,
Dairygold Co-Operative Society Ltd.

Deborah Harrington has been Group IT Director at Dairygold Co-operative Society Ltd since December 2018. Prior to her appointment to the role, she was Dairygold’s Business Solutions Manager, working at the company for over 30 years. Deborah has overall responsibility for establishing the strategic direction for IT, helping to integrate technology into all parts of the Society. She oversees IT service operations, such as application support, help-desk, infrastructure and security services. Deborah and her team are dedicated to driving change, business process improvement and digital automation.

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Tom Hayes, Chief Technology Officer,
Permanent TSB

Tom is an experienced business transformation and technology leader, with extensive track record of delivering organisation value through high performance team culture. Tom is currently Group CTO and member of the Executive Committee at PTSB, having previously held senior technology leadership roles at AIB. Within current role, Tom has broad set of accountabilities including the Bank’s digital transformation strategy, innovation agenda, strategic technology roadmap and cyber resilience programme. Tom is also accountable for all day-to-day critical technology service operations across the Bank. Tom’s leadership philosophy places customers and colleagues at the centre of thinking. Essential aiming to bring the best of people and technology together to create exceptional experiences. Tom is a Computer Science graduate of UCC, holds a Masters degree in Business Studies from Smurfit Business School UCD and is a Certified Bank Director.

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Gregory Henwood, Group Chief Information Officer,
Ardagh Group

Gregory Henwood is Chief Information Officer for the Ardagh Group, with $10bn turnover in the manufacturing business across 65 metal and glass production facilities. The Ardagh group is a supplier of sustainable, infinitely recyclable, metal and glass packaging for brand owners around the world. Gregory has helped build a talented, adaptable and inclusive IT organization, embedded a new technology operating model and applied best practice delivery methods.

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Lee Hesselden, Head of Technology,
Linked Finance

Lee Hesselden is Head of Technology at Linked Finance. He is also Director at On2 Media and has a BSc (Hons) in Computing & Networks from the University of Plymouth.

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Robert Hickey, Chief Technology Officer,
SoftCo

Robert Hickey is the CTO of SoftCo and has been at the firm for almost thirty years having joined in 1993. Hickey was made CTO of the firm in August 2019. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computing Mathematics and Executive MBA from University College Dublin.

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John Hurley, Chief Technology Officer,
Ryanair

John Hurley is a senior executive with over sixteen years experience in the IT industry. He has proven leadership skills including growing, developing and motivating teams. His current role is Chief Technology Officer at Ryanair.

Hurley is a flexible and self-motivated individual with proven analytical, design and problem-solving skills. He has a strong mix of software development experience combined with planning and delivery of complex technical projects in a demanding environment. Hurley currently leads a team of 50+ onshore and 250+ offshore developers.

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Michelle Kearns, Head of IT,
Boots Ireland

Michelle, a leader in health informatics, drives transformation as Boots Ireland Head of IT. Former CIO of Caredoc, she has a track record in improving patient care through innovative collaboration. As a founding member of the Council of Clinical Information Officers, she advises the HSE and contributes to global health initiatives as a World Health Organization advisor. Michelle’s contribution to the profession has been recognised by her regular inclusion in the esteemed CIO 100 list. Founding director of One HealthTech Ireland, she champions openness, inclusion, and diversity, propelling global health tech innovation. Michelle integrates technology with compassionate care, shaping the future of accessible healthcare with unwavering dedication. At Boots Ireland, Michelle is as a strategic leader ensuring that the Boots team in Ireland has the digital and technological support to offer the customers of Ireland the best possible Boots experience, whether in store or online.

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Damien Kelly, Chief Information Officer,
Uisce Éireann

Damien Kelly is Chief Information Officer at Uisce Éireann. He is also Chairperson of the Academic Board at the Open College, a position he has held since November 2020. Prior to his appointment at Uisce Éireann, he was Head of Commercial Operations, Billing, Payments, Credit and Key Account Management at Ervia. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant.

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Susan Kemp, IT Director,
A&L Goodbody

Susan Kemp is the IT Director at A&L Goodbody. She is responsible for the development and implementation of the firm’s IT strategy. She manages a multidisciplinary team which has responsibility for IT support, information security, DevOps and Infrastructure globally. Kemp was awarded a BA in Computer Science from Trinity College (TCD). She previously served in technology positions at TCD/St James Hospital Medical Informatics Unit, AIB and Deutsche Bank.

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Colin Kennedy, Executive Director & Chief Information Officer,
DPD

Colin Kennedy became Executive Director and CIO of DPD in 2018. His role is to oversee the strategic journey, implementing DPD’s vision of innovation in delivery and orchestrating digital transformation across the organisation. He also holds responsibility for International Trade, Logistics and Sustainability.

With over thirty years’ experience in the digital space, Kennedy has been leading and inspiring teams to deliver brilliant products across both B2B and B2C environments. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA).

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Tony Kennedy, VP — ICT Strategy Architecture & Design,
Elavon

Tony Kennedy has been VP — ICT Architecture Strategy and Design at Elavon for over twenty years. Elavon Inc. (formerly NOVA) is a processor of credit card transactions and a subsidiary of US Bancorp. Elavon offers merchant processing in more than thirty countries and supports the payment needs of more than 1,000,000 merchant locations across the globe.

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Brona Kernan, IT Director,
Zurich Ireland

Currently IT Director at Zurich Ireland, Brona Kernan was previously CIO at The Irish Times from 2009–2015. Prior to that, she was IT Director for Cpl.

From 1994–2006, Kernan was IT Director at Ryanair where she was in charge of building and developing the company’s essential computing and communications infrastructure as it took its first steps into online booking.

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Keith Kiernan, Group CIO,

Bank of Ireland

With over 25 years of experience in the IT and services industry, Keith Kiernan is a senior executive who leads the digital transformation strategy, service delivery, operations, and procurement functions at Bank of Ireland, one of the largest financial institutions in Ireland. As the Group Chief Information Officer, Keith is responsible for delivering innovative and customer-centric solutions, enhancing operational efficiency and resilience, and driving business growth and performance. He has a proven track record of leading successful business transformation programs, outsourcing initiatives, and strategic alliances, leveraging his skills in change management and strategic sourcing. He is also a Non Executive Director at Aware, a national organization that provides support, education, and information for people affected by depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

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Rashmi Kumar, SVP & Chief Information Officer,
Medtronic

Rashmi Kumar became Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Medtronic in December 2022.

Focused on operational excellence, strategic project execution and growing IT as digital business partner, Kumar is also very passionate about building a strong IT leadership team and facilitating her team members’ growth while enabling them to maximise their potential.

A seasoned turnaround and growth-oriented CIO, Kumar has a multifunctional background and extensive ERP, cloud transformation, data analytics, operations, board-facing and cybersecurity expertise. With more than thirty years of proven experience, her primary areas of focus include digital transformation, AI/ML, data and analytics, strategic planning, digital business model development and large-scale business process transformations.

Prior to Medtronic, she led the global IT team at Hewlett Packard Enterprises (HPE), and was the company’s Senior Vice President and CIO, responsible for global implementation of the company’s digital transformation programs. She served as CIO and CTO for many Fortune 50 companies including McKesson, Southern California Edison, Toyota, HPE and Tata Steel.

Kumar is also a member of the Board of Directors for Myriad Genetics. She holds a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from BIT Sindri in India and an MBA from the University of California, Irvine.

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Enda Kyne, Chief Technology & Operations Officer,
FBD Insurance plc

Enda Kyne is Chief Technology and Operations Officer with FBD Insurance. He previously held the positions of Director of IT and Technology Transformation with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Interim CIO with Dairygold Co-Operative Society, and Head of Operations Enablement and Programme Director with Bank of Ireland. He was appointed to the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland Business Transformation Programme Board in January 2019. Enda holds a BSc in Information Technology from Dublin City University, and a Diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors.

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John Lenihan, Chief Information Officer & Head of IT,
KPMG Ireland

With KPMG since 2001, John Lenihan holds an M.Eng.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from NUI Galway. He is responsible for IT systems and technology for KPMG’s Irish business and his team supports KPMG’s operations across its six offices on the island of Ireland.

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Brian Lewis, Chief Technology Officer,
Datalex

Brian Lewis has helped accelerate Datalex’s technological innovation as it continues to evolve its digital retail offering. Lewis leads Datalex’s evolving technology strategy, with a continued focus on emerging and adjacent technologies that are aligned with the company’s market position in airline digital retailing. His extensive experience in travel, innovation and technology includes previous roles as CTO at OpenJaw Technologies, senior technical architect at SITA and most recently he ran his own strategic and technical advisory consultancy. Lewis has also been instrumental in founding and participating in various industry innovation think tanks and industry bodies including IATA’s Airline Industry Retail Forum.

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Business & Finance CIO 100 (alphabetical by surname):

View part one (B–F)

View part two (F–L)

View part three (L–O)

View part four (O–W)

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