Appointments

New and notable appointments at Neuromod Devices Ltd, Virgin Media Television, Uniphar Group plc, Adyen, Johnson Hana, Bank of Ireland, EY, and Demand Response Association of Ireland 

By Business & Finance
02 September 2021

Pictured: Ben Mulligan, Head of Digital and New Revenue Development, Virgin Media Television

This week sees new and notable appointments at Neuromod Devices Ltd, Virgin Media Television, Uniphar Group plc, Adyen, Johnson Hana, Bank of Ireland, EY, and Demand Response Association of Ireland. 


Diarmuid Flavin, Chief Operating Officer,
Neuromod Devices Ltd

Diarmuid Flavin, Chief Operating Officer of Neuromod Devices. Neuromod Devices Ltd

Neuromod Devices Ltd, the Irish medical device company which specialises in neuromodulation technologies, has announced the appointment of Diarmuid F

lavin as Chief Operating Officer.

Mr. Flavin brings more than 25 years of global leadership experience in a range of medical devices, technology, and pharmaceutical companies to Neuromod, where he will assume responsibility for the company’s strategic operational execution, Regulatory Affairs, Engineering & Technology, Manufacturing Operations and Supply Chain teams.

Most recently, Mr. Flavin was Director of Global Quality Compliance for TE Connectivity Medical & Healthcare. Prior to that he served as Site Director for TE Connectivity, where he was responsible for the Galway campus with 1,300 employees and associated operational and fiscal performance. Mr. Flavin also served as Quality Director to Creganna Medical, which was acquired by TE in 2016.

Mr. Flavin also spent five years at Irish biotech company Biosensia, as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer aiding in commercialising Biosensia’s Rapiplex In Vitro diagnostics point of care platform technology.

Mr. Flavin will lead an increase of manufacturing capacity of Lenire, Neuromod’s medical device for the treatment of tinnitus symptoms, to meet increasing European demand and anticipated demand in the United States, pending approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Lenire’s availability has expanded in 2021 to Ireland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland, through Neuromod’s clinical partnerships with hearing healthcare professionals.

In October 2020, Neuromod announced it raised €10.5 million in an oversubscribed Series B financing round to fund the ongoing expansion of the availability of Lenire in Europe and the organisation’s FDA submission process.

Dr. Ross O’Neill, Founder and CEO at Neuromod Devices Ltd said: “I’ve known Diarmuid for many years since his days at Biosensia and I’ve seen the impact he has had in both global medtech companies and start-ups, so I’m delighted to welcome him to Neuromod as Chief Operating Officer. Diarmuid’s experience and leadership will be instrumental in preparing us for U.S. market entry, in terms of building our supply chains while ensuring our quality and regulatory processes are robust.”

Mr. Flavin has also held various senior leadership and technical roles at Abbott Vascular and Mylan. He holds an MSc in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technologies from Trinity College Dublin; a Higher Diploma in Quality Assurance & Reliability; and a BSc in Microbiology, both attained from NUI Galway.

Neuromod specializes in non-invasive neuromodulation technologies and has developed Lenire, the first non-invasive bimodal neuromodulation device for the treatment of tinnitus which has shown in large-scale clinical trials to reduce the symptoms of tinnitus. Lenire has CE-mark certification for the treatment of tinnitus under the supervision of an appropriately qualified healthcare professional in Europe.

Lenire uses bimodal neuromodulation to treat tinnitus symptoms. It delivers mild electrical pulses to the tongue combined with sound played through headphones to drive long-term changes or neuroplasticity in the brain to treat tinnitus.

Lenire is prescribed and fitted under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional who specialises in the field of tinnitus treatment such as audiologists and Consultant Otolaryngologists or ENTs (Ear, Nose and Throat).


Ben Mulligan, Head of Digital & New Revenue Development,
Virgin Media Television

Pictured: Ben Mulligan, Head of Digital and New Revenue Development, Virgin Media Television

Ben Mulligan has been appointed as Head of Digital and New Revenue Development at Virgin Media Television (VMTV).  

Ben’s newly created role will see him reporting directly to Ian Byrne, Virgin Media Television Director of Digital and Commercial Enterprises. Ben will be responsible for developing and driving the digital strategy for VMTV, as well as developing new strategic revenue lines for the company.

Since joining Virgin Media Television, Ben has spearheaded the broadcaster’s expansion into e-commerce with the launch of Ireland’s first ‘Love Island’ online store which has been a resounding success.

Ben previously worked in senior strategic roles with a number of international organisations based in Australia & New Zealand, including The Walt Disney Company, Fox and Channel Nine (Australia’s largest commercial broadcaster).  

Commenting on his appointment Ben said; “I’m delighted to be joining Virgin Media Television in a role that is at the forefront of the company’s growth and innovation. It’s a really exciting time to work in television as audience viewing habits are evolving and VMTV is focused on developing our digital platforms to create more opportunities for marketers to connect.”


Hugh McDonnell, Chief Technology Officer,
Uniphar Group plc

Uniphar Group plc announces the appointment of Hugh McDonnell as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the Group. The Chief Technology Officer role is a newly-created position on the Executive Leadership team reporting to the CEO.

Uniphar Group is growing rapidly in Europe and the US, both organically and through acquisitions and today has a combined workforce of more than 3000. Its use of technology to increase efficiency and improve outcomes for customers has become a key differentiator for the business and an important competitive advantage as it continues to expand.

In his new role, and in partnership with the technology teams across the business, Hugh will develop and oversee a tech and digital strategy for the Group, leveraging current and emerging technologies and opportunities. Hugh will also oversee the management of Groupwide core IT infrastructure, while also enhancing the digital technology capabilities across Uniphar’s three key divisions –  Supply Chain & Retail; Commercial & Clinical Medtech/Pharma; and Product Access.

Announcing the appointment CEO Ger Rabbette said, “We are really delighted to welcome Hugh to Uniphar and to announce the creation of another new strategic role, that of Chief Technology Officer on our senior leadership team. Hugh brings a wealth of experience to Uniphar and his appointment reflects the pivotal role that digital technology now plays in helping Uniphar advance its ambitious international growth strategy both here in Europe, the United States and beyond. I wish Hugh every success in this exciting new position.”

Hugh was the former Chief Architect for eShopWorld, one of the fastest growing Irish technology companies in history. He was instrumental in designing and creating the next generation platform that enable eShopWorld to scale to over one billion dollars in annual transactions, while driving best practice and promoting quality work through a security-first mindset. Having worked also in IT consultancy for a number of years, Hugh has extensive experience in sectors such as freight and logistics, automation, telecoms and finance, where he played important roles in shaping businesses through technology and driving good business outcomes through digital adoption.


Colin Neil, Managing Director,
Adyen

Pictured: Colin Neil, UK Managing Director, Adyen

Adyen announced the appointment of Colin Neil to Managing Director of its UK operations. Neil has been with Adyen since 2018. He previously held the role Head of Commercial (UK) and headed up the company’s office in Manchester. He will take over from Myles Dawson who is stepping down after nine years in the post.

Colin brings decades of retail experience to the role. He joined Adyen after spending more than nine years with luxury fashion house, Burberry. There he oversaw transformation projects and helped Burberry create its industry-leading unified customer experience. Prior to that, Colin spent nine years with international home improvement retailer, Kingfisher.

His experience managing change within retail will be vital as businesses in the retail, travel, and hospitality sectors look to adapt and bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic.

In his new role, Colin will be charged with helping Adyen’s UK business navigate the current market disruptions and continue growth. Recent new customer wins include luxury furniture brand Loaf and Edinburgh-based heritage brand, Hunter, among others.

“I’m relishing the opportunity to take over the UK business of Adyen – it’s an organisation that I’ve loved working at for the past three years. I look forward to leading our amazing team in the UK to help merchants overcome the challenges they face recovering from the pandemic,” said Colin Neil. “It’s an honour to take over from Myles Dawson, who has been such a mainstay of Adyen, founding the UK office nine years ago. The company has continued from strength to strength and now during these challenging times we are looking at how we can be there even more for our customers and their end-users, improving the payments experience across Adyen’s core industries.”

“Colin joined us several years ago with a rich experience across the sectors in which we operate, so we know he is the best person for the job and to continue Adyen’s growth in the UK,” said Roelant Prins, CCO at Adyen. “I would also like to thank Myles Dawson for his fantastic service over the past nine years. He has been an important part of the Adyen team, growing the UK business from just one person to a team of more than 100 with offices in London and Manchester. We wish him the very best for the future.”


Barry Quinn, Senior Advisor,
Johnson Hana

Pictured: Barry Quinn, Senior Advisor, Johnson Hana

Johnson Hana (JH) announced the appointment of Barry Quinn as a Senior Advisor. In this role, Barry will work alongside the Johnson Hana executive team, as the company continues to disrupt the legal industry in Ireland, the UK, and the US. As Ireland’s first on-demand lawyer and managed legal services consultancy, Johnson Hana was established to fill the vacuum between high-value, partner-led legal advice and low-value, process-driven legal work.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Dan Fox, Founder and CEO of Johnson Hana, said, “This is a very exciting time for Johnson Hana and Barry is the perfect addition to our organisation. Having run Axiom’s UK and Asia businesses, he brings an in-depth understanding of the benefits of commoditising certain legal work-streams, as well as being a relationship director with SEI. His expertise and advice will be of great support as we expand into new markets, develop partnerships, enhance our customer offerings, continue to build on our leading position in the legal services market and, as always, keep our clients the priority.”

Regarding his new role, Barry Quinn added, “I am thrilled to be joining Johnson Hana. Their passion for disrupting the legal world is so refreshing and I’m delighted to be able to offer my advice to support their continued rapid progression. Johnson Hana’s client-centric and process-driven approach to managed legal solutions can offer an unparalleled advantage to companies in areas such as conveyancing, data protection, regulatory compliance, and complaints, to name but a few. I hope to contribute to their success by leveraging my experience in the advice I offer.”

The company has witnessed a surge in interest from banking and financial services clients over the past year, who are demanding more innovative resourcing models so that they can meet their legal and regulatory compliance requirements, while scaling back on unnecessary legal costs. Quinn is the latest addition for Johnson Hana, with the firm having welcomed three new team members over the past quarter – Sinead Garnett, Director of Legal Operations and Solutions; Alan Dalton, Commercial Director and Jason Nagle, Strategic Advisor. With a unique understanding of the challenges faced in business process design and deployment by financial sector participants, Barry will be another huge asset to the company as it continues to build on its strengths and growth in 2021. Barry’s support of the business draws from Johnson Hana’s passion for filling the vacuum that exists within the ALSP space, being the absence of providers who ‘marry quality and cost savings’, in contrast with most ALSPs who are focused on costs singularly.

Prior to joining Johnson Hana, Barry worked for over half a decade with one of the global leaders in specialised on-demand legal talent providers, Axiom, as the senior vice president. Before that, he worked for over a decade with SEI, the wealth and investment management solutions providers in a variety of roles. Barry brings an in-depth understanding of on-demand legal talent, deployment of legal technology, and management of service provider-client relationships, all key aspects of Johnson Hana’s already impressive service offering. All of this experience makes him an expert in the legal solutions field and a great addition to the ever-expanding Johnson Hana family.


John O’Beirne, Director of Business Banking,
Bank of Ireland

Pictured: John O’Beirne, Director of Business Banking, Bank of Ireland

Bank of Ireland has appointed John O’Beirne as Director of Business Banking. He moves into his new role following four years as Director of Products and Digital Banking at the Bank, where he led a portfolio of key business units including mortgages, savings and deposits, loans and credit cards.

John returned home to work for Bank of Ireland in 2007, having previously worked for Bank of Ireland while based in London from 2003. He has held a range of senior roles at the Bank including Director of European Real Estate, Head of Credit Risk, and Head of Mortgages.

In his role as Director of Business Banking, John will focus on growing Bank of Ireland’s business lending operations, with responsibility for the end to end business banking customer experience.

Discussing his appointment, Gavin Kelly, CEO, Bank of Ireland Retail said: “We are delighted to appoint John to this key role as Director of Business Banking, at a pivotal moment for Irish business as the economy opens up and focus turns to recovery and growth. John has extensive knowledge of the Irish business banking landscape and longstanding experience in this area.

I look forward to working with John as we enter the next phase of growth for the Bank and I wish him all the best in his new role.”

In addition to a BA in Business, Economics and Politics from Trinity College, John is also a Certified Bank Director and a Qualified Financial Advisor.  He also holds a Professional Diploma in Leading Cultural Change and Applied Behaviour Analysis from UCD.


Colin Ryan, Financial Services Country Leader,
EY

Pictured: Colin Ryan, Financial Services Country Leader, EY

EY has appointed Colin Ryan as its new Ireland Financial Services (FS) Country Leader. Colin succeeds Eoin MacManus following Eoin’s appointment as leader of EY’s Global NextWave Simplification strategic initiative.

In his new role, Colin will oversee EY Ireland Financial Services business, an integral part of the firm’s Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) Financial Services Organisation. EY Ireland Financial Services employs more than 700 people, including 30 partners. It provides services in assurance, tax and consulting to clients across sectors including wealth and asset management, banking and capital markets, and insurance.

Commenting on Colin’s appointment, EY Ireland Managing Partner Frank O’Keeffe said; “As Managing Partner of EY Ireland I am delighted that Colin has taken on this role as leader of Financial Services in our firm. He is coming into role at a time of great change and opportunity for the sector and our business and I wish him every continued success. Because of the quality and breath of our client solutions and our world class teams, Financial Services clients are increasingly turning to EY to help them solve their most complex business problems in a fast evolving marketplace.”

Omar Ali, EY EMEIA Financial Services Regional Managing Partner said, “I’m delighted that Colin is going to lead our financial services business in Ireland. Financial Services firms are facing into significant change; they need to think about how they can best support the economic recovery and recovery of businesses, how they can best serve their customers in an increasingly digital world, and what role they will play in greening the economy. I have no doubt that, under Colin’s leadership, the Ireland Financial Services team will continue to support our clients to tackle these changes in a way that enables them to grow and transform their businesses.”

Colin is currently Consulting Leader for EY Ireland Financial Services. He has worked with FS, technology and public sector clients for more than 20 years. Colin joined EY in 2015 to lead the Ireland FS Performance Improvement (PI) business, accepting the role of EY Ireland Financial Services Consulting leader in 2018. Under Colin’s leadership the practice has doubled in size, winning and delivering several high-profile tech-enabled engagements as well as significant cross-functional, cross-border regulatory and compliance driven programmes for clients including PTSB, AIB and Bank of Ireland.

Commenting on his appointment, Colin said: “I am delighted and honoured to have the opportunity to take on this role and lead such a talented, passionate and successful team. We are standing at the beginning of a great new chapter in the growth and development of the Financial Services sector. There is huge change in the world right now, and financial service providers are under pressure to evolve to remain competitive and continue to support and enable their customers. That’s where EY comes in.

 “Our clients need support and leadership to help them navigate this period of transformation, and we have the capability, drive and commitment to partner with them for success, and much more. The colleagues I work with, the expertise in our global team, and the way we partner with our clients makes us unique as a firm. We have everything we need to help financial services organisations build a better working world.”


Siobhán McHugh, CEO,
Demand Response Association of Ireland (DRAI)

Pictured: Siobhán McHugh, CEO Of Demand Response Association Of Ireland

The board of the Demand Response Association of Ireland (DRAI) has appointed Siobhán McHugh as the trade association’s CEO. Siobhán joins the organization as its first Chief Executive Officer.  

In her new role, Siobhán will lead the association and represent members’ interests with policymakers, regulators, government and stakeholders across the energy sector and wider national and international context.  

“We are delighted to announce Siobhán’s appointment as the CEO of DRAI,” said Paddy Finn, Chairperson of DRAI and CEO of VIOTAS. “She is coming into the role at a time of great change and opportunity for the energy sector. We believe that the role of demand response is key to addressing challenges in meeting Ireland’s energy goals.” 

The organisation’s members operate in the Integrated Single Electricity Market and aggregate the demand reduction potential of multiple industrial and commercial sites to help network operators balance electricity supply and demand.  

The association represents approximately 600MW of demand and embedded generation. DRAI members are Electric Ireland, Enel X, GridBeyond, Veolia and VIOTAS.  

Siobhán has over 15 years’ experience in the energy sector, having worked for Aryzta, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, the Single Electricity Market Operator, and EirGrid. Most recently she worked for management consultants EY, primarily focused on strategy, transformation, and major programme delivery in the energy sector.  

Commenting on her appointment Siobhán said: “I am delighted to have this opportunity to lead the DRAI and to playing a part in advocating for the role of demand response in the energy sector. The potential for demand response is huge and it can play a significant role in helping Ireland achieve future energy targets.” 

“I look forward to working on behalf of members at this critically important time in the energy sector. Demand response and flexibility offer real solutions to the energy challenges we face in Ireland and I am excited to play a part in helping maximise this potential.”