By Business & Finance 
Pictured: Katie Tobin, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director, FBD Holdings plc and FBD Insurance plc
There were new and notable appointments this week at FBD, A&L Goodbody LLP, Flutter, Aspira and Crestbridge.
Kate Tobin, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director,
FBD Holdings plc and FBD Insurance plc
FBD has announced that Kate Tobin will assume the role of Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director at FBD Holdings plc and FBD Insurance plc on January 1st, 2024. Tobin will take up the position once current CFO, John O’Grady retires on December 31st, 2023.
Tobin is currently Chief Underwriting Officer and a member of the FBD Executive Management Team. She has an impressive track record in the insurance sector. Prior to joining FBD in 2017, Tobin held a number of senior management roles with Zurich Insurance Group, both locally and at Group level, including Chief Underwriting Officer for Zurich’s general insurance business. She is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries in Ireland.
Commenting on the announcement, Tomás Ó Midheach, CEO, FBD said:
“I would like to sincerely thank John for his significant and distinguished career at FBD. He has played a fundamental part in our journey and I wish him and his family the very best on his retirement.”
“In addition, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Kate Tobin to the Board and as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director. She brings with her a level of experience and perspective that will be of significant benefit to FBD in the years ahead. I look forward to her contribution over the coming period and I wish her every success in the role.”
Liam Herlihy, Chairman, FBD said:
“I have worked closely with John over the past seven years in his role as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director. During that time, John has been a key member of the Board and Executive Management Team that saw FBD navigate through the challenges of COVID-19 and the return of the Group to sustainable profitability and resumption of dividend payments to our shareholders. I wish him the very best for his retirement”.
“Kate Tobin is a high calibre new appointment to the Board. She has played a valuable role as Chief Underwriting Officer of FBD and I very much look forward to what she will undoubtedly bring in this new and challenging role.”
Aisling Muldowney, Partner — Employment,
A&L Goodbody LLP
Pictured (L–R): Aisling Muldowney, Partner — Employment, A&L Goodbody LLP and Duncan Inverarity, Partner and Head of Employment, A&L Goodbody LLP
A&L Goodbody LLP (ALG) has appointed Aisling Muldowney as a partner in its Employment group.
Muldowney rejoins the firm from Google where she was EMEA Employment Counsel for three years. Before that, she trained with ALG and spent twelve years in its IP/IT and Employment teams.
Muldowney advises domestic and international clients on all aspects of employment law – both contentious and non-contentious. She specialises in advising clients on ‘atypical’ workers such as fixed term employees, agency workers and contractors. Muldowney also has extensive expertise in helping clients who are restructuring or harmonising employee terms following a merger or acquisition.
She joins A&L Goodbody LLP led by Duncan Inverarity, alongside partners Michael Doyle, Noeleen Meehan and Bríd Nic Suibhne in Dublin and Gareth Walls and Aisling Byrne in Belfast.
David Widger, Managing Partner, ALG, said:
“We’re delighted to welcome Aisling back as a partner in our Employment team. She adds valuable experience to our already market-leading team. With increasing regulation and focus on employment conditions and workers’ rights, employment law is really important to our clients. Also, with ESG and particularly diversity being top of the board room agenda for very good reason, this brings additional challenges for corporates.”
John Bryant, Non-Exeutive Director and Chair Designate,
Flutter Entertainment plc
Flutter Entertainment plc recently announced the appointment of John Bryant to the Board as Non-Executive Director and Chair Designate.
Flutter stated that this appointment aligns with the Company’s Board succession plan as well as good governance practice, with outgoing Chair Gary McGann stepping down on reaching his nine-year tenure as Non-Executive Director.
Bryant is currently a Non-Executive Director of Ball Corporation, Compass Group PLC and Coca-Cola European Partners plc. He was previously Executive Chairman, and before that Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Operating Officer of Kellogg Company. He is currently a non-executive director of Macy’s Inc. with his tenure ending on May 19th, 2023.
As well as his role as Non-Executive Director and Chair Designate, Bryant will be appointed to the Nomination and Renumeration Committees of the Board and will become Chair of the Nomination Committee on September 1st, 2023.
Gary McGann commented on Bryant’s appointment:
“We are delighted to announce John’s appointment as Chair. John has had a stellar career in Kellogg Company, one of the most internationally-renowned companies in the world. He brings with him an enormous wealth of leadership experience in strategic, financial, and operational matters.”
“It has been a privilege to serve as Chair of this very special Company and I wish John every success as he joins the Board at this pivotal point in Flutter’s evolution. I will use my remaining period as Chair to ensure a seamless transition to John.”
John Bryant spoke his excitement on taking up the new role:
“I am very excited to succeed Gary as Chair of Flutter. I look forward to working with Peter and the management team to grow the business and to take advantage of the many exciting opportunities that lie ahead.”
Peter Jackson, Chief Executive Officer, Flutter Entertainment plc said:
“I would like to thank Gary for the contribution he has made to Flutter over his nine years as Non-Executive Director, eight of which were as Chair. He has helped steer the business through an exceptional period of growth. I am very much looking forward to working with John. His experience will be invaluable as Flutter continues to execute its growth strategy.”
Gillian Whelan, Managing Director and Country Manager,
Aspira Ireland
Pictured: Gillian Whelan, Managing Director and Country Manager, Aspira Ireland
International consulting and technology company Aspira — part of the emagine Group — announced the appointment of Gillian Whelan as Managing Director and Country Manager to lead the Group’s operations in Ireland on May 2nd, 2023.
The appointment comes at a time of sustained growth, with emagine reporting a year-on-year increase of 93% in group revenue to over €605 million in 2022.
Since joining Aspira in 2017 as a Senior Executive, Whhelan has made a significant impact on the business, progressing to head up the very successful Project Management Training Practice within the company. She was subsequently promoted to Chief Commercial Officer in late 2021 and the firm stated she “is the natural choice for the leading role,” as the consultancy evolves and grows through its strategic partnership with emagine.
Whelan takes over from former Ireland MD Peter Ryan who has moved to a Professional Services-focussed role to help lead deployment of this area across emagine’s markets. He was also made Managing Director for emagine’s operations in the Netherlands and Portugal.
Whelan will oversee ongoing delivery and expansion of the firm’s technology solutions to clients primarily within finance, insurance, utilities, pharma and the public sector. She will be responsible for unifying Aspira and emagine as they continue to merge operations since joining forces in August 2022.
“I am looking forward to my next venture as Managing Director in Ireland and it’s an exciting time for emagine as the Group continues to grow rapidly with no signs of slowing down,” said Whelan. “Being part of the emagine Group family, we have the opportunity to really innovate and streamline the technology-based services and solutions we offer, which is a win-win for us and most importantly our clients.”
“We see the rise of automation as a great opportunity for many businesses to develop, whilst freeing up employees’ time for more impactful and rewarding work. In addition, there is scope for clients to be more resilient and adaptive with digital transformation and application modernisation solutions such as re-platforming. We are enhancing our offering in both areas to support clients in Ireland and across Europe.”
Reflecting on the appointment, Anders Gratte, CEO, emagine said:
“We are excited to have Gillian leading operations in Ireland and we look forward to supporting her as she starts working on her ambitious plans in this market and builds on the company’s range of services. Gillian has outstanding experience and expertise and we are very pleased that this appointment comes from within Aspira, supporting the ongoing alignment of our operations and shared values.”
Paul Phelan, Head of Risk and Compliance – Ireland,
Crestbridge
Crestbridge has appointed Paul Phelan as Head of Risk and Compliance – Ireland, as the business continues to enhance its platform in Dublin.
Phelan has over twenty four years’ financial services experience specifically related to the administration and management of regulated multi-domiciled investment fund products. He is an approved person under fitness and probity requirements by the Central Bank of Ireland. Phlean is an accomplished professional with focus on compliance, risk and corporate governance, as well as working with executive leadership.
He joins Crestbridge from another Irish-regulated funds service provider where he had headed up the compliance function in Ireland since 2012. Previously, he held another senior level risk management and compliance position in Ireland for a regulated funds service provider, and before that worked in a number of roles across the fund-servicing space.
Phelan holds a variety of certifications from the Institute of Bankers in Ireland, is a Licentiate of Compliance Institute, and holds fellowship status with Accounting Technicians Ireland.
His appointment comes as Crestbridge continues to expand its offering in Ireland, having originally launched two years ago. Since then, the Irish business’s highly experienced team has continued to grow, offering a range of specialist corporate and fund administration services to global alternative managers.
Commenting on Phelan’s appointment, Andrea Lennon, Country Head – Ireland, Crestbridge, said:
“I’m delighted to welcome Paul to the team, which is continuing to expand in tandem with Ireland’s growing stature as a domicile for cross-border fund management and administration – particularly in the private equity and real assets space. Backed by a commitment to first class client service, we remain focused on continuing to enhance our broad range of services, and high-quality risk management and compliance lie at the heart of that. With that in mind, Paul’s wealth of experience and understanding of financial services in a multi-domiciled context relating to regulated investment fund products will help ensure that we continue to offer the premium service that asset managers need and expect.”
Phelan added: “Ireland continues to evolve as a cross-border investment funds jurisdiction, serving the needs of diverse managers in different geographies in new and emerging areas, and against the backdrop of an increasingly complex regulatory environment. With that comes a greater emphasis on risk and compliance, and Crestbridge has certainly embraced that, recognising that client service goes hand in hand with expertise, experience and high-quality governance. I’m excited to be joining a team that has such a clear vision for the future.”
READ MORE
New and notable appointments at Deloitte Ireland and Sure Valley Ventures
