By Business & Finance 
Pictured: Feargal Brennan, Managing Partner, ByrneWallace LLP
This week sees new and notable appointments at KPMG, Global Shop Solutions, Prestige, CSG, Home Plus, Vyta, Edwards Lifesciences, and ByrneWallace LLP.
Rio Howley, Sean Sheridan, Jackey Hennessy, Terence Coveney, Philip Murphy, Cian Liddy, Jean Rea, Christian Reyes, Stephen King, Emer O’Brien, Partner, respectively
KPMG
Rio is an Audit partner in KPMG’s Financial Services Group. She has extensive experience providing audit and advisory services to asset managers and investment vehicles in multiple jurisdictions, with a particular focus on UCITS and AIFs. She has also assisted banking and asset management clients in risk, governance & regulatory reviews. Rio is a member of the Irish Funds (IF) Financial Reporting working group, and also works with the 30% Club in Ireland in support of increased gender diversity at board and senior management levels. Rio has a BComm from University College Dublin.
Sean advises a diverse range of Irish headquartered and multinational clients on all aspects of tax. His clients include Irish and multinational public companies, privately owned groups, and high net worth individuals. Sean has extensive M&A experience, advising on due diligence, complex financing transactions and structuring of Irish and international acquisitions and expansion. Sean regularly leads multi-jurisdictional teams in delivering solutions for clients on large scale transactions. Sean also has significant experience advising multinational groups on their foreign direct investment into Ireland having spent a year on the firm’s Irish tax desk in the US. Sean has a BBL in Business and Law from University College Dublin.
Terence is a partner in the Financial Services group. He has over 14 years’ experience of providing audit and advisory services clients in the aviation finance, leasing and banking sectors. Terence has significant experience in technical accounting matters and advises clients on the application of International Financial Reporting Standards. He has been closely involved in the listing of securities by aircraft lessors on various stock exchanges and supporting aircraft lessors on transaction projects. Terence has also worked with Chartered Accountants Ireland and the Central Bank on a number of areas, including the development of guidance on Client Asset Regulation assurance engagements. Terence has a BComm from University College Dublin and is a member of Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Philip is a Tax partner focused on financial services with specific expertise in the asset management and aviation finance sectors. His clients include private equity firms and asset managers focused on a broad range of strategies including aviation, credit, renewable energy and infrastructure. Philip has extensive domestic and international experience advising on aspects such as mergers and acquisitions, investment structuring, taxation of financial products, debt issuance, securitisations, redomiciliations and structured cross-border transactions. Philip has a BA in Accounting and Finance from Maynooth University. He is also a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ireland (FCA) and a member of the Irish Taxation Institute (CTA).
Cian is a Tax partner advising a broad range of Irish and international businesses. His clients include privately owned groups, Irish and multinational public companies, and high net worth individuals. Cian has broad experience across a wide range of sectors, including property, technology, pharmaceutical, retail, and aviation, with a particular focus on family business transitions and inter-generational management of wealth. Cian has a BA in Law and Accounting from the University of Limerick.
Cristian is a partner with over 15 years of experience working in financial services, mainly on the structured finance and asset management sectors. He has worked on capital market transactions, regulatory exercises and accounting advisory assignments. Cristian specialises in structuring, transaction and accounting advice in relation to structured products/S110 vehicles, and is one of the firm’s leading experts in financial instruments. Cristian is a member of KPMG’s global accounting team for asset management and structured finance. Cristian has a Masters in Audit and Financial Risk from IEB Madrid and a degree in Business Administration & Finance from CUNEF Madrid.
Stephen is a partner in our Audit practice having joined the firm in 2005. He has extensive experience providing a wide range of audit, assurance and advisory services to both listed and privately owned Irish and international clients across a range of sectors. These include energy and natural resources, technology, distribution, life sciences, aviation and manufacturing. In addition to audit and assurance, Stephen has also worked with clients on various capital market transactions including IPOs, mergers and acquisitions, vendor due diligence and regularly provides accounting advice on the application of International Financial Reporting Standards. Stephen has a bachelor of business studies degree from Trinity College Dublin.
Emer is a partner in our Managed Solutions business. She has over 20 years’ experience across audit, transaction services, managed business and legal solutions. Emer has extensive experience in leading large teams through complex and multi-faceted programmes of work and providing managed services to her clients. She has spent a large portion of the last 10 years working in the financial services industry but also has significant experience in the technology, life sciences and medtech sectors. Emer also spent many years working on capital markets transactions on Nasdaq, ISE and the London Stock Exchange. Emer has a BA in Economics from University College Dublin and a professional diploma in accounting from Dublin City University.
Jean is a consulting partner in our Actuarial and Applied Intelligence practices. She advises domestic and international insurance and reinsurance companies in the areas of financial and regulatory capital reporting, capital optimisation, risk management, M&A and process improvement. Jean also works across all sectors leveraging her deep understanding of data science, applied intelligence and related technologies with her commercial experience to help clients solve complex business problems. Jean is a Fellow of Society of Actuaries in Ireland and has a BSc in Financial Mathematics and Actuarial Science from University College Cork and a MSc in Data Analytics from University College Dublin.
Jackie is a partner in Risk Consulting and has over 15 years’ experience gained across both industry and practice. She works with a range of clients in retail, manufacturing, telecommunications, financial services and the public sector. Jackie leads the firm’s Technology Risk services providing strategic advice and support across a wide range of technology risk areas including technology risk strategy and governance, technology risk assessment, technology controls and compliance, risk-based IT audit and IT attestation. She leads a team of technology risk specialists who are experienced in managing diverse technology risk issues including regulatory compliance, design and implementation of IT risk management frameworks, IT governance, third party risk management, SOC 1 and SOC 2 reporting and many more.
John Davis, Chief Technology Officer,
Global Shop Solutions
Pictured: John Davis, Chief Technology Officer, Global Shop Solutions
Global Shop Solutions, a leading developer of ERP software for manufacturers around the world, has named John Davis as Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
Davis joined Global Shop Solutions in 2004, and over the past 17 years has served the company in many different capacities including analyst, programmer, and management. Most recently he led the R&D Infrastructure Team, and his excellent programming, networking, and all-around technical knowledge has played a critical role in shaping the company’s ERP software product.
“John has been instrumental in leading Global Shop Solutions technical strategy so our customers can take advantage of the benefits IoT brings to the manufacturing industry,” says Erika Klein, VP of R&D. “As CTO he will define the standards for the technical excellence we hold ourselves to.”
An experienced systems analyst in the computer software industry, Davis combines strong Visual Basic, Object Oriented Design, SQL, Perl, and C++ skills with a background in Computer Resource and Instructional Planning. He received his degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Computer Science, Business Information Systems, and Instructional Technology from Utah State University.
“A great leader and coach for our developers, John will be responsible for raising the skill set of all our developers by mentoring and challenging them,” adds Klein. “He will determine which technologies drive our product and develop our feature roadmap for the years to come.”
Eoin Reynolds, General Manager,
Prestige Underwriting Services Ireland Ltd
Pictured: Eoin Reynolds, General Manager, Prestige
Eoin Reynolds has been appointed as Prestige General Manager for Ireland and Executive Director at Prestige Underwriting Services Ireland Ltd.
A former pupil of Trinity Business School, Eoin’s ambitious new role will be to facilitate growth in the Republic of Ireland for the various businesses within the Prestige Group of companies delivering specialist products and services in Broking, Underwriting and Insurtech.
As Director of Operations and Director of Sales and Development for Patrona Underwriting for seven years, and most recently as Divisional Director for Shepherd Compello, Eoin has gained a wealth of experience and market knowledge. He will work closely with the Executive Management teams to increase the Groups market share through both organic growth and M&A activity with new and existing relationships.
With 20+years in the sector, Eoin is an experienced Senior Executive with significant understanding of all aspects of General Insurance. Over the years he has acquired a wealth of operational and corporate experience in areas of relationship management, distribution and performance management at a senior level.
Trevor Shaw, CEO of Prestige Insurance Holdings, welcomed Eoin into his new role and said, “Eoin has built up years of experience specialising in business development and strategic growth across different businesses within the insurance sector and has a strong understanding of the key markets across Ireland and the UK.
“Working with colleagues across the Group companies, Eoin will play a key role in developing our business in a number of areas as we accelerate growth and market expansion for all areas of the business.”
Prestige Insurance Holdings has experienced exponential growth over the years, growing its network of subsidiary businesses and specialisms. The Group employs in excess of 650 people working across the UK and Ireland in partnership with around 1,300 brokers and partners.
Greg Conley, Director,
CSG
Pictured: Greg Conley, Director, CSG
CSG is adding technology executive Greg Conley to its board of directors. Effective October 29, 2021, Conley’s appointment as a class I director and member of the compensation committee adds additional depth to the board to support the company’s refreshed growth ambitions.
“Greg will make a fantastic addition to the CSG board,” said Don Reed, chair of the board of directors, CSG. “With more than 30 years of experience in global leadership roles in the technology and software industries, Greg will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to CSG’s well-balanced board of directors. We continue to take board refreshment seriously and strive to achieve a healthy balance of new, diverse and experienced board members who will provide excellent stewardship and leadership for CSG and its stakeholders.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to bring my experiences and expertise to CSG’s board,” said Conley. “CSG’s growth ambitions have been re-energised under the leadership of the management team led by chief executive officer Brian Shepherd. I’m thrilled to join the company at such a transformative time.”
Mr. Conley currently serves as a board member of TTEC holdings, where he is the Chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Compensation Committee, and is a board member of Travelport, a travel technology company. Mr. Conley brings over 30 years of experience in the technology and software industries having served as CEO of Aha! Software, a privately held predictive analytics and cloud computing company, as CEO of Odyssey Group, a Switzerland-based technology services and software company, and as CEO of Verio, a leading global provider of hosting and network services. Prior to these roles, Mr. Conley was the global general manager of e-markets and global general manager of travel and transportation industries at IBM (NYSE: IBM).
Mr. Conley holds a J.D. from Georgetown University and a B.S. in electrical engineering from Purdue University.
Conor Killian, Chief Financial Officer,
Home Plus
Pictured: Conor Killian, Chief Financial Officer, Home Plus
Home Plus, Ireland’s home equity release specialists, is pleased to announce the appointment of Conor Killian as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. In his new role, Conor will report directly to Home Plus CEO Ian Higgins and will be responsible for the financial operations of the company, including financial planning and strategy.
Conor is joining Home Plus following two years as Head of Finance at Great American International Insurance. He has over 15 years’ experience in finance roles at Aviva and AXA, where he worked across the areas of insurance and asset management. Conor is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Conor spent eight years at Aviva Life International as an Investment Accounting & Treasury Manager and a Senior Investments Analyst. He also spent a further eight years at AXA across different groups in London, Paris and Dublin. Conor held the positions of Investment Reporting Manager, Project Manager and Head of Group Investment Monitoring and Head of Finance, Planning & Reporting during his time at AXA.
Ian Higgins, CEO of Home Plus, said, “We are delighted to have an executive of Conor’s experience and expertise joining us in the role of CFO. His extensive finance experience in some of the leading insurance and asset management firms in the market will be of great benefit to the Home Plus team and by extension to our customers. We look forward to working with Conor as we continue to grow Home Plus and provide a best-in-class service to our customers as the only active provider of home reversion plans in the country.”
Conor Killian, CFO of Home Plus, said, “I am delighted to take up this new role with Home Plus and I look forward to working with the wider company team and with our customers. I believe there is an exciting challenge ahead as we work to continue to grow Home Plus in the market and provide solutions for people who may be otherwise excluded by the financial services industry.”
Katrina Quinn, Global Partner Manager,
Vyta
Pictured: Katrina Quinn, Global Partner Manager, Vyta
Vyta, secure IT recycling company, announced that it has appointed Katrina Quinn as global partner manager. In her role, Katrina will be responsible for the continuous growth of Vyta’s business by identifying and managing new partners across the globe.
Katrina was quickly promoted to the role of Global Partner Manager after she joined the company in 2019 as a data security specialist. With more than 30 years of experience in business development and operations across a number of sectors, she will cultivate close multi-level relationships with new and existing partners through the delivery of bespoke solutions that will meet their clients’ varied needs.
Katrina will focus on spreading awareness of the need for secure data destruction, compliance, and sustainability. She has been instrumental in Vyta’s collaboration with Techies Go Green – a community of organisations who are aiming to become carbon-neutral by 2030. As a member, Katrina collaborates with other business leaders to purposefully improve their organisations’ energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint.
Prior to joining Vyta, Katrina was business development manager with internet communications company, Voxbit. Previously, Katrina spent 20 years with the online directory company, Yell. Prior to this, Katrina worked in London for IPC Media as group head of digital publications and was instrumental in the company’s transition to digital media.
Katrina is an advanced GDPR qualified professional and an active committee member of the annual Newry Business Christmas Children’s Charity Appeal. She has been awarded at the UK National Awards for customer excellence on several occasions throughout her career.
Andrew Walls, General Manager,
Edwards Lifesciences
Pictured: Andrew Walls, General Manager, Edwards Lifesciences
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation today announced that Andrew Walls has been appointed General Manager for its new Limerick plant and facility in Shannon. The appointment follows the company’s recent announcement to create 250 additional jobs at the Limerick plant to reach its goal of 850 employees by 2025.
Andrew Walls started his career at Edwards Lifesciences and has more than 15 years of experience in manufacturing engineering and leading operations within the company’s global supply chain.
“Andrew Walls is a highly talented leader who has risen through the ranks at Edwards though his passion for innovation and his vision of putting people at the heart of decision-making,” said Joe Nuzzolese, Corporate Vice President, Global Supply Chain & Quality at Edwards Lifesciences. “We are confident that he will be an excellent leader to embrace our patient-first culture, contribute to the local community and help grow our facility in Limerick.”.
Edwards established operations in Ireland in 2018 at a facility in the Shannon Freezone and recently celebrated the opening of its new plant in Limerick. Over the past 60 years, Edwards has been the leader in the field of heart valve innovation. Its partnerships with physicians have placed the company at the forefront of most of the major breakthroughs in the treatment of valve disease.
“I am proud to join our Limerick team, to lead the expansion of our unique facility in Europe and bring our lifesaving technologies closer to the heart valve disease patients in the region. I am grateful to Ireland and especially to the Mid-West community for welcoming me so warmly. I look forward to seeing our workforce grow in the near future and having new members join our team, to carry out our mission to improve and save people’s lives.” said Andrew Walls, General Manager of the Limerick plant and Shannon facility.
Andrew Walls succeeds Nathan Tenzer who is moving to a new role in Edwards, based in Irvine, California.
Feargal Brennan, Managing Partner,
ByrneWallace LLP
Pictured: Feargal Brennan, Managing Partner, ByrneWallace LLP
ByrneWallace LLP is delighted to announce the reappointment of Feargal Brennan as Managing Partner for a second three-year term.
Feargal joined ByrneWallace LLP in 2000 and prior to his election as Managing Partner in June 2018, Feargal was Head of the firm’s Corporate practice since 2011.
Commenting on his reappointment, Feargal Brennan said, “It was a great honour and privilege to have been appointed by my partners as Managing Partner three years ago and I am delighted to be reappointed for a further three-year term.
“Through the collective efforts of a big team of talented people, the firm has achieved a great deal over the last number of years. Our clients are at the core of our business, and we have made significant investment over the years to ensure that our firm continues to be ideally positioned to meet the increasingly changing needs of our clients, both private and public, Irish and international.
“The ongoing pandemic has been challenging for all businesses, and it is a testament to the strength and versatility of our firm and our people that we have been able to adapt quickly and seamlessly to this changed business landscape, whilst continuing to provide consistently excellent service to our clients.
“Looking forward, I believe that we are very well positioned as one of Ireland’s leading law firms to grow and prosper in the years ahead as we support our many clients through a post pandemic world of challenge and opportunity. I’ll certainly be putting all my energy into delivering on that objective to the very best of my abilities.”
