By Business & Finance 
Pictured: Ann Fogarty, Chief Operating Officer of Investment Services
This week sees new and notable appointments at State Street, Three Ireland, University of Galway, Soarvo, Hiscox, Fairstone Ireland, and the US National Association of Convention Stores.
By Héloïse Chaudot
Ann Fogarty, Chief Operating Officer of Investment Services
State Street
State Street has announced the appointment of Ann Fogarty as its Chief Operating Officer of Investment Services. Working from the U.S, Fogarty will oversee custody and shared services, middle office investment analytics, fund administration, and global delivery transformation.
Additionally, Fogarty is Head of Global Delivery. In this role, she is responsible for leading operations for all services that span across Custody and Shared Services, Alpha and Middle Office Operations, Investment Analytics, Accounting and Fund Administration, Alternative Services and Business Integration, Transfer Agency and Fund Order Services, Enterprise Billing Operations, and Global Delivery Transformation.
Ann Fogarty holds a Master of Arts degree in human resources and is a graduate member of the Marketing Institute in Ireland.
Ronan O’Neill, Chief Experience Officer
Three Ireland
Three Ireland announces the appointment of Ronan O’Neill as Chief Experience Officer. O’Neill has over 25 years’ experience in the service industry. He has held roles at Eircom, Meteor and Esat Clear (now BT) before joining Three in 2010.
Additionally, Ronan O’Neill has held various positions within Three, including Commercial Director, Director of Services, Head of Customer Operations, and Head of Collections.
Most recently, as Commercial Director, Ronan was responsible for driving the commercial strategy, overseeing functions such as propositions, customer lifecycle management and base management.
Commenting on his appointment, Ronan O’Neill said, “Our customers are at the forefront of everything we do at Three Ireland, and we pride ourselves on our award-winning customer service. Every single interaction is important to us, and a key part of my role as Chief Experience Officer will be to continue the strong sense of customer centricity that is at our core.”
Professor David J. Burn, President
University of Galway
The University of Galway has announced the appointment of Professor David J. Burn as its 14th president, effective from the 8th of September 2025. Professor Burn will succeed Professor Peter McHugh, who has held the position on an interim basis since September 2024.
Professor David Burn has been Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Newcastle University since 2017, leading faculty restructuring, research acceleration, EDI advancement, and internationalisation. He is also Professor of Movement Disorders Neurology and Honorary Consultant Neurologist at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust.
Commenting on his appointment, Professor David J. Burn said, “I am delighted and honoured to have been appointed as the next President of the University of Galway. Although born and bred in the Northeast of England, I have had a strong personal connection to Ireland for over 35 years and am therefore no stranger to its rich heritage and vibrant culture.”
Speaking about the appointment, Dr Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Chair of Údarás na hOllscoile, University of Galway’s Governing Authority, said, “Following a rigorous and competitive assessment process, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Professor David Burn as the next President of the University of Galway. Professor Burn brings a wealth of experience in University and health care leadership and presents a compelling vision to inspire the University of Galway’s staff and students to take this remarkable University to new heights.
Sven Van Duffelen, Chief Revenue Officer
Soarvo
Soarvo has announced the appointment of its new Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), Sven Van Duffelen. Van Duffelen, a commercial leader with over a decade of experience in high-growth tech companies, joins Soarvo at a pivotal time as the company expands into new markets across infrastructure, utilities and government sectors.
“Sven’s appointment marks a significant milestone in Soarvo’s growth journey,” said Alan Browne, CEO and Co-founder of Soarvo. “His understanding of the geospatial landscape, combined with proven experience scaling commercial functions, makes him a powerful addition to the team as we accelerate into our next phase.”
Commenting on his appointment, Sven Van Duffelen said, “Soarvo is transforming geospatial intelligence by making data more accessible and actionable. I’m excited to join at such a pivotal time and support its mission to make our world more resilient and safe through the smarter use of geospatial data.”
David Coffey, Head of Sales & Distribution
Hiscox Ireland
David Coffey has been announced to be Hiscox Ireland’s new Head of Sales & Distribution.
As Head of Sales and Distribution, Coffey will focus on strengthening broker relationships and driving the strategic growth of Hiscox Ireland’s portfolio. He will collaborate closely with both internal teams and external partners to achieve commercial success, support broker development, and enhance Hiscox Ireland’s market value proposition.
He brings experience in the insurance industry, having previously served as Intermediary Distribution Manager at RedClick Ireland and Liberty Insurance Ireland. His career has also included key roles in loss adjusting, broking, business development, and risk surveying.
David Coffey holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Studies, Risk Management and Insurance from the University of Limerick, as well as an Advanced Diploma in Insurance (ACII) from the Chartered Insurance Institute.
Derek Delany, Managing Director
Fairstone Ireland
Fairstone Ireland has appointed Derek Delany as Managing Director, marking a step forward in the firm’s strategy to strengthen its position in financial planning and wealth management.
His appointment comes as Fairstone continues to focus on delivering high-quality financial planning services. With industry experience and a client-focused approach, Derek will support the development of Fairstone’s advisor model and contribute to setting new standards within the sector.
In his new role, Derek Delany will oversee the evolution of Fairstone’s advice model, support expansion into new regions, and help establish the infrastructure required to assist its nationwide network of financial planners.
Frank Gleeson, CEO
US National Association of Convenience Stores
Frank Gleeson, former President of Ibec and CEO of Aramark, has been appointed CEO of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), based in Washington, DC. He will succeed current President and CEO Henry Armour, becoming only the fourth person to hold the role in the organisation’s 64-year history.
NACS is a global trade association representing the convenience and fuel retailing industry. Established in 1961, it serves thousands of member companies, primarily in the United States, with a presence in approximately 50 other countries.
Speaking about his appointment, Ibec CEO Danny McCoy said, “Frank’s appointment as CEO of a leading global trade association is a testament to his success in leading large organisations such as Aramark and his long-standing commitment to business representation throughout his career.”
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