By Business & Finance 
Pictured: Billy O’Connell, Bank of Ireland
This week sees new and notable appointments at Bank of Ireland, Gallagher, PRCA, EY Ireland and Allianz Trade
Billy O’Connell, Chief Strategy Officer,
Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland has appointed Billy O’Connell as Chief Strategy Officer, joining the Group Executive Committee.
Billy O’Connell has 30 years’ experience with Accenture, and has served in a range of senior leadership roles working with clients across the full financial services ecosystem. Throughout his career, Billy O’Connell has worked in all areas of banking – including retail, SME and corporate – and brings to this role a depth of experience in strategy development and delivery, technology (including data and AI), transformation, and change management.
Myles O’ Grady, Group Chief Executive, Bank of Ireland said: “Billy has been immersed in financial services for three decades, devising and delivering complex strategic projects for a range of clients across Ireland and the UK. This is a pivotal time for Bank of Ireland as we deliver the final year of our current three year strategy and work on our next strategic steps. In his role as Chief Strategy Officer, Billy’s deep expertise and strong commercial acumen – across strategy, transformation, and change – will support the Group as it future-proofs its business for the years ahead.”
Laura Vickers, Managing Director of Commercial Lines,
Gallagher
Global insurance broker Gallagher has announced the appointment of Laura Vickers as Managing Director of Commercial Lines in Ireland. This key leadership role marks a significant step forward in advancing Gallagher’s strategic vision for Commercial Lines, focusing on market trends, innovation, and a client-first approach.
Laura Vickers’s appointment comes as Gallagher continues to position itself as a market leader by responding to industry changes with agility and foresight. Her extensive industry expertise and exceptional track record across the entire spectrum of commercial insurance will enable Gallagher to address evolving regulatory landscapes, harness technological advancements, and deliver unparalleled service to clients.
Commenting on the appointment, Ronan Foley, CEO of Gallagher in Ireland, “I would like to congratulate Laura on this appointment. In her time with Gallagher, Laura has demonstrated exceptional leadership as we continue to expand our business in Ireland. This promotion recognises Laura importance to our commercial business in Ireland and as a member of the Executive Leadership Team”
Speaking about her new role, Laura Vickers, Managing Director of Commercial Lines “I’m proud to take on this role at such a pivotal time for Gallagher. My focus will remain on strategic leadership to identify new market opportunities allowing for increased market capacity and greater choice for our clients, to drive innovative solutions & market insights that will ensure we continue to keep our clients’ needs at the forefront of our decisions. This will allow us to continue to provide exceptional service, and success for our clients”.
Angela Guillemet, Executive director,
Public Relations Consultants Association of Ireland
The Public Relations Consultants Association of Ireland (PRCA Ireland) – the representative body for the country’s leading PR agencies – has announced the appointment of Angela Guillemet as executive director.
Ms Guillemet and her company, Association Innovation, will provide executive support services to the PRCA, encompassing the day-to-day running of the Association, stakeholder relations, and managing the consultancy management standard process, PRCA Ireland’s quality assurance standard for members. Other duties include supporting and growing membership, rolling out an ambitious programme of events, enhancing PRCA Ireland’s digital presence and brand, and advocating for the value and impact delivered by member agencies. The annual PR awards – recognising the best communications campaigns in Ireland – will also be delivered by the Association Innovation team.
Commenting on the appointment, Martina Quinn, chairperson of PRCA Ireland, said: “Last year, we agreed an exciting new business plan to ensure our Association continues to grow and evolve in the years to come. Angela and her team are excellently placed to deliver on the targets we have set within that plan. Already, we are working on an overhaul of our annual awards programme, and delivering enhanced events for members.”
Previously, Angela Guillemet worked in public affairs in Brussels and Paris. She has had a successful career advising and managing European and international associations. She serves on the board of the European Society of Association Executives. She is also a judge of the European Association Awards and the Irish Association Awards. She is immediate past president of Trinity Women Graduates Association.
Aoife Gallagher-Watson, Director in Employment Law,
EY Ireland
EY Ireland is pleased to announce that Aoife Gallagher-Watson has been appointed as Director in Employment Law at EY Law Ireland, specialising in the areas of employment and work health and safety law.
With over 15 years’ experience, Aoife Gallagher-Watson has developed a deep understanding of employment law matters, gained from working in-house and with top-tier law employment teams in Ireland and overseas. She has worked with a range of clients across regulated and unregulated industries, advising on contentious and non-contentious employment matters. Aoife also has extensive experience in advising and representing companies and senior executives in connection with work health and safety obligations, regulatory investigations and prosecutions.
Deirdre Malone, Head of Employment Law at EY Law Ireland, said, “We are delighted to welcome Aoife to the team. Her expertise in the area of employment and workplace health and safety law combined with her client-focused approach will greatly enhance our ability to provide comprehensive and tailored advice to our clients.”
Commenting on her appointment, Alan Murphy, Head of EY Law Ireland, said, “Aoife’s appointment reflects the continued growth and success of EY Law Ireland and will further extend our capability to collaborate with our EY colleagues to bring clients a unique offering”.
Kelly Feeley, Blair Pusey, Johan Bergström, Alexander van Dijk, Richie Pamma, E-commerce sales leads in the Uk & Ireland, Nordics,Benelux and E-Commerce Customer Success Manager for the Northern Europe region,
Allianz Trade
Allianz Trade, the world’s leading trade credit insurer, has expanded its e-commerce team in the Northern Europe region, with five key hires dedicated to the growth of the business’ Allianz Trade pay portfolio.
Kelly Feeley and Blair Pusey have joined Allianz Trade to lead e-commerce sales growth in the UK & Ireland, Johan Bergström in the Nordics and Alexander van Dijk in the Benelux area. Meanwhile, Richie Pamma takes on the role of E-Commerce Customer Success Manager for the whole Northern Europe region. All five report to Eugene Plug, Head of E-Commerce for Northern Europe.
The expansion of Allianz Trade’s E-Commerce team comes at a pivotal time in the payments landscape, with a rapidly growing number of business buyers wanting more flexible options at checkout online. With Allianz Trade pay, the newly appointed team is well-placed to offer a range of services dedicated to B2B e-commerce activities, to even more businesses throughout the region.
Eugene Plug said: “As we continue to support the rapid acceleration of the B2B e-commerce market, we’re delighted to strengthen our team with exceptional talent. In Kelly, Blair, Johan, Alexander and Richie we have five highly skilled professionals in the complementary fields of the B2B payments landscape, underwriting expertise and customer service excellence. Each of them also has an in-depth knowledge of the local market in which they operate, with strong, time-tested business relationships.
“These appointments are a testament to the success and increasing demand for our innovative Allianz Trade pay solution. The majority of B2B sellers today ask for payment in full at checkout, but we know that 95% of business buyers prefer to pay on invoice. Allianz Trade pay directly bridges that gap. Companies that do offer payment on invoice at checkout online often see a drastic improvement in conversion rate and basket size, which is a plus for their business and offers greater flexibility to their customers. Together, the team and I look forward to working with businesses to help them enhance their offering for customers buying online, and ultimately grow.”
Kelly Feeley brings a wealth of global experience in fintech, payment solutions and cybercrime technology to her role. Before joining Allianz Trade, Kelly worked in several business development and sales roles across New York, Madrid and Paris.
Blair Pusey joins Allianz Trade with more than 14 years’ expertise in credit insurance and commercial banking, during which he held senior positions across sales and partnership divisions. Most recently, he led the sales team at a digital insurance platform for SMEs.
Based in Sweden, Johan Bergström joins Allianz Trade as Sales Manager for E-Commerce in the Nordics. His career before Allianz Trade comprised a range of senior roles in customer engagement and strategic sales planning, with a proven track record in driving e-commerce growth.
Alexander van Dijk is based in the Netherlands, having joined Allianz Trade as Sales Manager for E-Commerce in Benelux. He has spent his 18-year career with various financial services businesses in account management positions, building specific expertise in KYB solutions.
Richie Pamma transitions to his new role after five years at Allianz Trade, where was most recently Assistant Head of Risk Underwriting in the UK & Ireland. Before that, he was Credit Manager for a number of Blue-Chip companies. Richie brings extensive expertise in credit underwriting and relationship management to his new role.
