By Business & Finance 
Pictured: Stuart McCarron of McCann FitzGerald LLP
New and Notable Appointments at McCann FitzGerald LLP, Virgin Media Television, Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research, and Mason Hayes & Curran
Stuart McCarron, Head of Debt Finance Group,
McCann FitzGerald LLP
Ruairi Carroll, Head of News,
Virgin Media Television
Ruairi Carroll, Head of News, Virgin Media Television
In his new role, he will report directly to Mick McCaffrey, Virgin Media Television’s Director of News and Sport. Carroll will have responsibility for the newsroom, its three daily bulletins at 12.30, 5.30 and 7.00 and all current affairs output such as The Tonight Show, The Group Chat, and our online platforms.
Carroll studied Media Production at Liberties College in Dublin and has nearly 20 years of journalism experience, working for Dublin’s FM104 before joining Virgin Media Television.
Commenting on his appointment, Carroll said, “I’m really excited to take on the role of Head of News. It’s an honour to lead the outstanding team we have in the Virgin Media newsroom. Live news and current affairs is hugely important to our audience especially with a General Election on the way.”
Richard Colwell, President,
Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research
The Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research (WIN) has announced the election of its new board and the appointment of Richard Colwell, CEO of the RED C Research Group with offices in Dublin and London, as the new President of the network.
Richard Colwell, President, Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research
WIN is a global network of independent market research and polling companies, with members in over 40 countries. The network brings together key entrepreneurs and thought leaders in the global market research industry, working to promote and ensure insight driven decisions and innovation bring prosperity to business and society. The network also conducts multi-country surveys and opinion polls since 2018, with the purpose of measuring people´s opinion on current topics, such as gender equality, health, climate change and sustainability.
The election took place during the annual conference AGM held in Bali last week, where 40 members worldwide attended to discuss the topic of Evolution and Empathy in the world of market research, with a focus of the challenges and opportunities afforded by AI.
Richard Colwell steps into the role of President, succeeding Vilma Scarpino, CEO of Doxa based a research agency based in Milan, Italy; who served as President for seven years. Vilma will continue to contribute to the board in an ex-officio role, ensuring a smooth transition and continued excellence in leadership.
Joining Richard Colwell on the board for the next three years are:
- Edouard Lecerf: Deputy Managing Director, BVA Group, France
- Jari Pajunen: CEO, Taloustutkimus Oy, Finland
- Constanza Cilley: Executive Director, Voices Research & Consultancy, Argentina
- Dave Scholz: CSO, Leger, USA
- Laura Ruvalcaba: CEO, Brain Research, Mexico
- Raul N. Esteban: CEO, PSRC (Philippines Survey & Research Center, Inc.)
- Vilma Scarpino: CEO, Doxa, Italy (ex-officio)
Richard Colwell expressed his enthusiasm about his new position, stating, “I am honoured to have been voted by members to take on the role of President of this great network and look forward to continuing the legacy of excellence in human understanding and insight fostered by my predecessors. The WIN network is a driving force in international collaboration and innovation in the $130bn global research and insights industry. Our new board represents a diverse and talented group of professionals committed to advancing the field of market research and beyond. We will continue to promote the value and innovation of the industry through the network and our global client base.”
Stephen Cowhey, Real Estate Partner,
Mason Hayes & Curran
Vanessa Byrne and Michael Doran, Co-Heads of Real Estate and Mason Hayes & Curran, are pictured with new partner Stephen Cowhey (far left).
Business law firm Mason Hayes & Curran has announced the promotion of Stephen Cowhey to partner in its market-leading Real Estate team.
Cowhey helps clients through the entire real estate project lifecycle, from development and financing to operation and sale. Having worked on some of the largest renewable financing transactions in Ireland, he has significant expertise in advising both project developers and funders.
Cowhey recently advised SSE on its joint venture with Bord Na Móna for the development of wind farms across eight of Bord Na Móna’s repurposed bogs. These projects aim to develop up to 800MW of new renewable energy, enough to provide power to over 450,000 homes.
Vanessa Byrne, Partner and Co-Head of Real Estate at Mason Hayes & Curran, commented: “Stephen brings a wealth of specialised knowledge across all areas of real estate, with a particular focus on renewable energy. His deep understanding of the complexities and market forces in this vital field makes Stephen an invaluable asset to our team. His appointment further underscores our commitment to helping our clients to navigate the current dynamic legal environment.”
Michael Doran, Partner and Co-Head of Real Estate at Mason Hayes & Curran, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Stephen to the partnership. Stephen’s promotion ensures we will continue to provide clients with the highest levels of commercially-focused advice, reinforcing our firm’s dominant position in the Built Environment and Energy sectors.”
Cowhey added: “Sustainability is critically important, so I am proud to work with clients to help Ireland meet our energy targets. Advising on the property elements of key energy projects such as wind, solar and storage is a core area of my practice. Ensuring that property compliance is built in at the start means that projects are future-proofed for investment and sale. I am also actively helping clients on emerging energy technology projects such as the development of hydrogen-ready power plants.”
Cowhey is a graduate of the University of Limerick. His professional memberships include the Law Society of Ireland, Wind Energy Ireland and the Irish Solar Energy Association.
