By Business & Finance 
Pictured (L-R): Ryan McCarthy, Managing Partner, KPMG; Ian Hyland, President & Publisher, Business & Finance; TJ Malone, CEO, NBI; Anne Heraty, Ibec Chair & Non-Executive Director, Kingspan; Carolan Lennon, Co-Chair, Balance for Better Business; and Lucinda Creighton, Founder & CEO, Vulcan Consulting.
The 2026 Business & Finance Awards Programme, in association with KPMG, officially kicked off this morning with senior business leaders meeting in KPMG’s Platform X to discuss Better Balance in Leadership: Moving the Dial on Diversity Across Leadership Teams and Boardrooms.
By Héloïse Chaudot
Ian Hyland, President & Publisher of Business & Finance, opened the event and said, “If we want stronger businesses and better outcomes, we must be willing to say ‘yes’ – yes to talent, yes to opportunity, and yes to leadership that reflects the full diversity of our society.”
Senior leaders gathered at KPMG’s Platform X this morning warned that Ireland risks losing momentum on gender balance in leadership unless organisations take more decisive action, arguing that closing the executive gender gap requires board-level accountability and structured action despite a strong pipeline of female talent entering the workforce.
There was an acknowledgement of the disconnect between educational attainment and executive representation. Women continue to outperform men at second and third-level education in Ireland, yet remain significantly underrepresented in senior leadership, CFO, and CEO roles.
Pictured (L-R): Ryan McCarthy, Managing Partner, KPMG; TJ Malone, CEO, NBI; Carolan Lennon, Co-Chair, Balance for Better Business; Anne Heraty, Ibec Chair & Non-Executive Director, Kingspan; Lucinda Creighton, Founder & CEO, Vulcan Consulting; and Tom Lyons, CEO, The Currency.
One statistic drew particular attention during the discussion: “23% of listed companies in Ireland have no women on their leadership teams,” said Carolan Lennon, Co-Chair of Balance for Better Business. While many organisations have introduced diversity initiatives, speakers cautioned that progress remains too slow.
TJ Malone, CEO of National Broadband Ireland, said the company has set a target of 40% gender representation and is focused on ensuring balance is embedded throughout the organisation rather than concentrated at senior levels.
Lucinda Creighton, Founder & CEO of Vulcan Consulting, shared the experience of mentoring a professional who, despite being entitled to full maternity support, avoided engaging with her company’s maternity support programme, fearing that stepping back, even briefly, would cost her client relationships.
The example cut to the heart of the day’s discussion: that cultural barriers to progression persist not because policies are absent, but because the environment around those policies makes them feel like a risk rather than a right.
Speakers were clear that this is not an HR problem. It is a leadership problem. Until gender balance is treated as a strategic priority at executive and board level – with the same rigour applied to financial targets or succession planning – incremental progress will remain the ceiling.
Mentoring and structured succession planning were identified as the most effective levers available, though speakers acknowledged that both remain too limited in scale to drive change at the pace required.
The use of AI in recruitment
It was recognised that while AI can improve efficiency, it may also reinforce existing biases if relied upon too heavily.
Questions from the audience focused on the potential impact of AI on graduates. As an example, a highly qualified candidate was screened out of an initial recruitment process by an AI tool before later securing an EMEA-level role within the same global technology company following human intervention.
Ryan McCarthy, Managing Partner at KPMG, argued that while disruption is inevitable, organisations should view AI as an opportunity to accelerate career development rather than replace entry-level talent.
“I think the moat around this country, from a business point of view, and the moat around businesses like ours from a professional services point of view, is back to the people,” he said, highlighting the strength of Ireland’s workforce.
As organisations navigate geopolitical uncertainty, rising costs and rapid technological change, speakers stressed that diversity must remain a boardroom priority. They argued that the strongest case for continued focus lies not only in fairness but in business performance, succession planning and long-term competitiveness.
The Business & Finance Awards
Interested parties can complete and submit their application via the Business & Finance Awards website.
Awards submissions consultation
Applicants may also avail of the Awards consultation service, which provides support throughout the submission process.
Submissions for the 2026 Business & Finance Awards in association with KPMG will close on July 24th.
