Appointments

New and notable appointments at Sidero, Drinks Ireland|Spirits, IQ-EQ, The Noledge Group, and Fuzion Communications

By Business & Finance
25 March 2021
Carmel Owens, CEO, Sidero
Pictured: Carmel Owens, CEO, Sidero

This week sees new and notable appointments at Sidero, Drinks Ireland|Spirits, IQ-EQ, The Noledge Group, and Fuzion Communications


Carmel Owens, CEO,
Sidero

Sidero, Ireland’s software, cloud and digital transformation specialist, today announces the appointment of Carmel Owens as its Chief Executive Officer. Carmel brings an excellent track record in business growth and more than 20 years of experience in the technology sector to her new position.

Founded in Athlone in 2013, Sidero builds transformative technology solutions and services for businesses, specialising in solving key challenges through software innovation. As well as a headcount of 150 people, the company has enjoyed considerable growth, with revenue rising 25% year-on-year to €14 million per annum.

As CEO, Carmel will assume responsibility for shaping Sidero’s strategy, increasing market share and spearheading the overall growth of the company. In addition to expanding Sidero’s customer base and enhancing its relationship with leading global technology partners such as AWS and Ericsson, Carmel will also be involved in ensuring the wellbeing of staff and delivering service excellence for clients.

Carmel is highly experienced in the technology industry, having held numerous senior executive roles with both indigenous and multinational technology leaders, including SQS (Expleo), Version 1 and Dell EMC. Most recently, she held the role of EMEA Vice President of Sales at Sungard Availability Services.

Carmel’s experience of successfully growing businesses dates back to her time as founding member and Sales Director of Irish IT distributor Commtech, where she drove early growth for the company which was ultimately acquired by US firm Arrow Electronics in 2017. Previously holding head of sales roles for regions across EMEA, Carmel also has experience in expanding business footprints into new markets. She established Version 1’s Northern Ireland business division in 2011 and will leverage her knowledge and experience in Northern Ireland to grow Sidero’s business there.

“I’m thrilled and privileged to have been appointed as CEO of Sidero”, said Carmel Owens. “Sidero has been quietly successful in delivering innovative software solutions from the heart of Ireland that are powering some of the world’s most successful companies. I’m looking forward to taking the company to the next level of growth and bringing our cloud expertise, agile approach and high-performance platforms to more companies across the island of Ireland.”


Bryan Fallon, Chair,
Drinks Ireland|Spirits

Bryan Fallon, Managing Director Heaven Hill Ireland, brand owner of Carolan’s Irish Cream liqueur and Irish Mist Honey liqueur has been elected for a two-year term as Chair of Drinks Ireland|Spirits, the representative body responsible for promoting the interests of the Irish spirits industry.

Bryan Fallon, Managing Director Heaven Hill Ireland, brand owner of Carolan’s Irish Cream liqueur and Irish Mist Honey liqueur has been elected for a two-year term as Chair of Drinks Ireland|Spirits, the representative body responsible for promoting the interests of the Irish spirits industry.

Heaven Hill Ireland is a subsidiary of US based Heaven Hill Brands. Acquired in 2017, Carolan’s and Irish Mist have a rich Irish history. Heaven Hill Brands is recognised globally for its leading portfolio of brands including Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Lunazul, Deep Eddy and Black Velvet.

Mr. Fallon, who was previously Vice-Chair of Drinks Ireland|Spirits, will take over from Pat Rigney of The Shed Distillery who stepped up to take the Chairmanship of Drinks Ireland.

David Boyd-Armstrong, Head Distiller & Operations Director at the Rademon Estate Distillery, which creates Shortcross Gin, has been elected as Vice-Chair of Drinks Ireland|Spirits.

Drinks Ireland|Spirits was established in 1997 and acts as a voice to national and EU policy makers for issues such as taxation, trade and the ongoing international protection of Ireland’s Geographic Indicators (GIs). Drinks Ireland|Spirits is part of Drinks Ireland, the representative organisation for alcoholic drinks manufacturers and suppliers on the island of Ireland.

Speaking about his appointment, Bryan Fallon said:

“Ireland has a dynamic spirits industry, that has seen domestic sales and exports increase in recent years. As with other parts of the drinks industry, the spirits sector has been negatively impacted by Covid-19. It also faced uncertainty in recent times because of Brexit and the trans-Atlantic tariff disputes which particularly effected Irish Cream exports. I look forward to working with the industry to navigate the challenges ahead, as we work to deliver growth again post-Covid.”

Head of Drinks Ireland|Spirits, Vincent McGovern said:

“While a challenging time for the industry, I have no doubt that Bryan Fallon and David Boyd-Armstrong will bring their invaluable experience and expertise to the roles of Chair and Vice-Chair, and I look forward to working with them.  I also want to thank Pat Rigney for his tireless work for the industry during his time as Chair of Drinks Ireland|Spirits.”


Conor Joyce, Head of Transfer Agency in Ireland,
IQ-EQ

Conor Joyce, Head of Transfer Agency, IQ-EQ

IQ-EQ, a leading global investor services group, is pleased to announce the appointment of Conor Joyce as Head of Transfer Agency for its new Irish Funds business, launched earlier this month.

Conor has over 14 years’ experience in the financial services industry, spanning the banking and fund services sectors. Working for leading national and international banks, Conor spent the first few years of his career focused on international payment and new account administration, gaining solid expertise in AML and customer due diligence requirements. He then joined the fund services division of one of the largest Japanese banking institutions where he began specialising in investor AML.

Before joining IQ-EQ, Conor was Head of Transfer Agency for Ireland within the asset servicing division of one of the top European financial services groups, where he held responsibility for all TA functions including trade processing, investor AML/KYC and register set-up, cash reconciliation and dividend payments. He holds both the Professional Diploma in Compliance and the Professional Certificate in International Investment Fund Services from the Institute of Banking.

In his new remit, Conor will be responsible for the day-to-day delivery of IQ-EQ’s Transfer Agency operational and investor servicing function in Ireland while working collaboratively with the Compliance team in relation to AML requirements. As a key member of the senior management team, he will also play an instrumental role in growing and developing the new Irish Funds business and its client base.

Conor’s appointment comes in line with the recent launch of IQ-EQ’s Funds business in Ireland, following the firm’s authorisation as an Irish fund administrator by the Central Bank of Ireland on 15 December 2020. The new business builds upon the group’s existing Irish corporate services operations and global fund services offering, and reflects both client demand and the increasing prominence of Ireland as a leading funds domicile.

Commenting on his appointment, Conor said:

“I am delighted to join IQ-EQ at such an exciting and pivotal time for the Irish business. With the approval of the funds license, I am excited for the new opportunities this will bring to IQ-EQ Ireland and the Group as a whole. I look forward to working with the Funds teams in Ireland and more broadly across the business and using my experience to grow this key new service offering and ensure IQ-EQ becomes a fund administrator of choice in Ireland.”

IQ-EQ’s Managing Director for Ireland, Joanne McEnteggart, added:

“I am very pleased to welcome Conor to IQ-EQ as we embark on the next step of our growth journey in Ireland. I am sure that Conor will be a huge asset to the Irish Funds team and that he will use his extensive industry experience to help us establish a strong and successful Funds business here in Ireland. The demand from our existing client base is strong and the future for Ireland as a key funds domicile is brighter now than it ever was.”


Roger Gribbin, Sales Director for Envisage and OSSM brands,
The Noledge Group 

The Noledge Group, the Irish cloud solution specialist group, today announces it has appointed Roger Gribbin as Sales Director for its Envisage and OSSM brands. In this new role, Roger will be responsible for leading the sales teams and strategy for both Envisage, Ireland’s largest Sage Partner, and OSSM, a leading NetSuite Solution Provider.

Roger brings more than 25 years of extensive leadership, sales and IT experience to the role. Having worked with both large and small organisations across the UK and Ireland, he will bring invaluable skills and knowledge to help The Noledge Group grow while maintaining excellent service delivery for its wide client base and across both brands.

Prior to joining The Noledge Group, Roger was head of sales and marketing with Acorn IT Solutions for three years, leading all new business and sales activity for the software company. Previously, he held the position of Regional Sales Manager with K3 FDS, the UK-based business technology provider, for a total of seven years. Roger was also Managing Director of IT consultancy practice, Making IT Happen, for a period of three years, helping organisations to maximise value from their IT infrastructure.

Roger holds a Bachelor of Science in Computing and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Sales and Marketing from the University of Ulster.


Martyna Potocka, Senior Graphic Designer and Production Manager,
Fuzion Communications

Martyna Potocka has joined Fuzion Communications as their Senior Graphic Designer and Production Manager. Martyna from Carrigtwohill in Cork, joins Fuzion from Woodland Print and Signage, where she worked as the head designer, managing the design team across a wide range of activities including brochures, brand identities, vehicle graphics, interior branding and a comprehensive list of signage jobs.

Martyna began her career in design in B2B Print, Cork, before setting her sights for Woodland Print and Signage where she stayed for six years and progressed as their Head Designer. Throughout her career, Martyna has managed the production of artwork for both national and international clients including Stryker, Pepsico, Danone, Pfizer, Centra, Alcon, Abbvie and many more. Martyna brings an outstanding knowledge of production processes with her to Fuzion, with the ability to choose and offer the best possible solutions to meet clients’ needs and exceed their expectations.

Martyna, who holds a degree in Visual Communications from CIT, is thrilled to join the team at Fuzion Communications.

“I’m delighted to be part of the Fuzion team, working in an agency is a great opportunity to work in a fast-paced environment with a diverse range of clients. I’m delighted to work alongside a great team of communication experts. As Communications and Graphic Design go hand-in-hand, we can bring the story of our client’s work to life together. I’m excited to use my knowledge of production processes to ensure the smooth production flow within the design department of Fuzion and work with our fantastic portfolio of clients.”