By Business & Finance 
Pictured: Tom Lynch, CEO of EI-H2
This weeks new and notable appointments come from EI-H2, Europcar Mobility Group Ireland, BDO Ireland, Westport’s Payslip, and TELUS International Ireland.
Tom Lych, CEO,
EI-H2
Green energy company EI-H2 has announced the appointment of Tom Lynch as CEO
EI-H2 has announced the appointment of Tom Lynch as CEO. Mr Lynch has an extensive track record in the energy sector both in Ireland and overseas. He founded Cork-based Energy Services in the nineties and has vast experience in leading and developing renewable energy and associated infrastructure projects in many parts of the world.
Tom’s recent role as a senior power sector management consultant and electrical engineer, with more than 25 years of experience in executive roles in transmission, power and energy consultancy, brought him to a number of countries in Asia, Europe and Middle East. He has extensive experience in leading international teams, energy infrastructure operations and strategy for government, utilities, development banking and private sector stakeholders, and has also developed power sector master plans for utilities and governments in countries such as Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Iraq and UAE.
He has spent the last 15 years advising power companies and the development banking sector on major projects in Central and South-East Asia and Middle East. During the last seven years as chief advisor to DEWA (Dubai Government), he helped deliver the world’s largest solar PV installation, a 5000 MW facility in the desert south of Dubai, in addition to advising the team for the first Green Hydrogen electrolysis plant in MENA, with Siemens, which went operational in 2020.
EI-H2 recently announced plans for Ireland’s first Green Hydrogen project, a 50 MW €130M facility in Aghada, County Cork. In addition the company along with Zenith Energy also announced plans recently for a joint venture to develop a 3.2 gigawatt (GW) green energy facility at Bantry Bay to produce green hydrogen and green ammonia. This installation once completed will be one of the largest 10 green hydrogen facilities in the world, and will cost in excess of €5BN to develop.
Mr Lynch said: “I am very excited to be joining the EI-H2 team and working on ensuring Ireland is a leader in green hydrogen production. We believe that the use of green hydrogen can present Ireland with a realistic and simple way of decarbonising and meeting our Net Zero targets in a meaningful way, and will form a key part of the energy transition. It will enable high penetrations of renewable energy into the system in order to meet Ireland’s climate change commitments and will improve our national security of supply in the gas and electricity sectors. We look forward to engaging with all relevant authorities and individuals as we plan a greener future for these strategically important sites..”
Founder of EI-H2 Pearse Flynn said: “I’m delighted to announce Tom Lynch as CEO of EI-H2. Tom is the ideal person to lead a very ambitious and multi-faceted project, driving EI-H2 and Ireland to the forefront of the green energy market.”
Mike Smyth, Finance Director,
Europcar Mobility Group Ireland
Pictured: Mike Smyth, Finance Director of Europcar Mobility Group Ireland
Mike Smyth has been appointed Finance Director at leading mobility solutions provider Europcar Mobility Group Ireland. In his new role, Mike will be responsible for managing the company’s financial infrastructure of its car and van rental business Europcar, as well as its car sharing service GoCar.
As a Chartered Management Accountant with extensive experience in Ireland, Switzerland and the UK, Mike brings an invaluable set of skills to the role. Mike joins the company following a tenure as CFO at Opel Ireland and was also formerly Financial Services Manager at Vauxhall Motors Limited.
Colm Brady, Managing Director of Europcar Mobility Group Ireland, commented:
“I am delighted to welcome Mike to our company. He brings significant financial experience of the automotive sector, and we are confident that he will be a valuable addition to our senior leadership team.”
“We are the primary provider of flexible, shareable and sustainable mobility solutions for both leisure and B2B customers and with Mike’s help we will continue to grow and expand our fleet nationwide to support customers’ needs.”
Stephen O’Flaherty, Corporate Finance and Recovery Partner,
BDO Ireland
Pictured: Stephen O’Flaherty, Corporate Finance and Recovery Partner, BDO Ireland
BDO, Ireland’s leading Audit, Tax, Advisory and Consultancy firm, is delighted to announce the appointment of Stephen O’Flaherty to partner in its Corporate Finance & Recovery team. Stephen has over 15 years’ experience in Corporate Finance and Recovery, with specific expertise in debt advisory, corporate restructuring and raising finance. He joins BDO in Ireland’s partnership having previously held the position of Director within the Corporate Finance & Recovery team.
Stephen began his career in manufacturing, a background which has enabled him to understand and respond to the precise needs of his clients and to offer strategic and informed advice. He then worked in both Practice and Financial Services, holding a number of non-executive directorships, including Ireland’s healthcare regulator (HIQA), before joining BDO in Ireland in January 2017.
Since joining BDO, Stephen has worked on debt advisory transactions worth over €100m – these include the raising of new finance for growing businesses and restructuring & negotiating existing debt for distressed companies. He has also advised on several M&A assignments worth an estimated €100m.
Stephen went straight into studying accountancy after leaving school and successfully completed his Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) exams. He has been actively involved in ACCA across a number of their committees and was elected Chairman of ACCA Ireland for the 2018/2019 term. He is also a past member of the Corporate Governance Association of Ireland and Associate Member of the Professional Risk Managers International Association (PRMIA).
Speaking on the appointment, BDO Managing Partner Michael Costello said:
“I am delighted to announce the appointment of Stephen O’Flaherty as partner in our Corporate Finance & Recovery practice. Since joining the firm in 2017, Stephen has made a marked impression on the business and has been instrumental in successfully growing this practice area through his work advising some of our largest clients on their strategy and financial planning.
Stephen is another excellent example of our ability to recruit expert talent and assist their development into becoming leading advisors. Stephen’s unique background in manufacturing gives him an ability to understand our client’s needs and deliver strong outcomes. We’re excited for the opportunities that lie ahead for Stephen and look forward to his contribution to the growth of this very important practice area for our firm.”
Speaking on his appointment to partner, Stephen O’Flaherty said:
I am very pleased to be joining the BDO in Ireland partnership. Market changes caused by Covid-19 present new opportunities and challenges for our clients. I look forward to continuing my work in helping our clients manage their businesses out of the pandemic and working with the exceptional team of professionals we have in our Corporate Finance & Recovery practice.
Sam Hunt, Aiveen Hyland, Ann Marie Smith, Chief Financial Officer, Vice President of Customer Relations, Head of People, respectively,
Westport’s Payslip
Payslip, an automation and integration technology platform for global payroll management, announces several senior appointments to its executive team, who will help lead the company’s growing operations at its headquarters in Westport. Payslip recently announced it is creating 150 new jobs in Westport, following a successful close of an additional €8.3 million to its Series A financing round, bringing the company’s total funding to €12 million.
The appointments being announced are:
-
Sam Hunt, Chief Financial Officer
-
Aiveen Hyland, Vice President of Customer Relations
-
Ann Marie Smith, Head of People
Pictured: Sam Hunt, Chief Financial Officer
Payslip helps multinational organisations solve a range of payroll-related pain points, allowing them to operate more efficiently and scale into new countries and markets seamlessly. The company is already used by dozens of multinational organizations throughout various industries, and customers include LogMeIn, Get Your Guide, Cloudera, and Airbus. This has been a record year of growth for Payslip since its last financing in March 2020, which saw a nearly 100% increase in employee headcount, 40% revenue growth, and 25% quarterly customer growth show it’s growing from strength to strength.
“These appointments will significantly bolster our executive team as we seek to grow our customer base from Westport. Sam, Aiveen and Ann Marie bring a wealth of experience to their respective positions. They will each play a leading role as we expand our team over the coming months. I’m delighted we have attracted such a high calibre of candidates. At Payslip, we are offering prospective employees the chance to work in a dynamic company with the added benefit of a great quality of life in Westport. We have many more roles to fill, including software developers, integrations engineers, customer project managers, solution architects and tech support specialists. I look forward to welcoming more new colleagues to our growing and ambitious team,” said Fidelma McGuirk, Payslip founder and CEO.
Sam Hunt: Chief Financial Officer:
Sam joins Payslip with a wealth of experience. Most recently, he worked as Director of Finance at Everseen, a high growth B2B Irish software business that grew into a world leader in the development and deployment of computer vision and artificial intelligence solutions for blue-chip retailers. Previously, Sam worked in corporate finance, corporate restructuring, and assurance in companies such as Focus Capital Partners, PPB Advisory, Web Summit and PwC. Outside work, Sam has a love for sailing; he was captain of the Trinity College Dublin Sailing Team during his undergraduate degree in History and Political Science, and he was part of the Olympic Sailing Circuit in the Men’s Lightweight Double Handed Dinghy (2005 – 2007).
Pictured: Aiveen Hyland, Vice President of Customer Relations
Aiveen Hyland: Vice President of Customer Relations
Aiveen comes to the Payslip team with extensive experience across the financial and tech industries. Most recently, she worked for the Bank of Ireland in the Enterprise Transformation Office and as Head of Prioritisation Group Portfolio Office. She previously worked as COO of Vearsa, a software company that provides distribution and data analytics to eBook publishers throughout the world, the Head of Finance and Accounting at SouthWestern BPO and as a Director of Global Outsourcing at Capgemini. Aiveen holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Business, and Economics from University College Cork and a master’s degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Stirling. She is also a board member and treasurer for it@cork, a leading not-for-profit independent business organisation that represents the interests of Ireland’s tech industry.
Ann Marie Smith: Head of People
Ann Marie has a diverse background in the telecommunications and finance industries. Her previous roles include Programme Consultant and Head of Rewards for RSA Insurance, and Rewards, Benefits, and Talent Director for Eir Ireland. With solid experience in HR strategy and personnel management, she is an accomplished Compensation and Benefits professional. Ann Marie has a successful track record in establishing, maintaining, and promoting a positive work environment and culture, and excels in executing significant transformations for improved organisational performance. Ann Marie graduated from UCD with a Bachelor of Social Science and obtained an MBA from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.
Ainhoa Toro, Digitial Marketing Specialist,
TELUS International Ireland
Pictured: Ainhoa Toro, Digital Marketing Specialist, TELUS International Ireland
TELUS International Ireland, a global provider of multilingual digital customer experience (CX) and digital IT solutions, has announced the appointment of Ainhoa Toro as Digital Marketing Specialist within the Brand and Communications team. With extensive experience in communications, Ainhoa will be responsible for supporting the creation and delivery of brand and content marketing strategies and enhancing the overall digital presence of TELUS International Ireland.
Ainhoa joined TELUS International Ireland in 2015 as a Tech Support Specialist after moving from Spain, her home country. She was promoted twice and took on the role as Employee Engagement Specialist in 2018 where she developed and implemented team member engagement strategies. Ainhoa was eager to learn and grow her skills and completed a Masters in Digital Marketing Strategy in 2019, achieving a first-class honours result. In 2020, she started a successful internal podcast, which now has over 30 published episodes.
Steph Cooke, Senior Brand and Communications Manager, TELUS International Ireland said: “We’re delighted to have Ainhoa join the Brand and Communications team to focus on enhancing our digital presence. It’s a busy and exciting time for TELUS International Ireland and it’s fantastic to have someone with Ainhoa’s expertise supporting our journey of evolution.”
TELUS International designs, builds and delivers next-generation digital solutions to enhance the CX for global brands. TELUS International partners with brands across high growth industry verticals, including tech and games, communications and media, eCommerce and fintech, healthcare, and travel and hospitality. Cork is a key location for TELUS International globally and is set to grow further as an international hub, providing services in multiple languages thanks to people like Ainhoa, who moved to Ireland to improve her English and is now part of a truly diverse team.
Speaking on her appointment, Ainhoa said: “I believe communication between a company, its employees and the world is crucial for success, and the need for open, honest communication between all stakeholders is at an all-time high. Being part of this journey with TELUS International Ireland will allow me to commit to this belief as I work alongside my fellow team members in reflecting our core brand identity – both internally and externally. I look forward to contributing to the outstanding work being done by the Brand and Communications Team.”
