New and notable appointments in association with One4all: Viatel Technology Group, Ergo, Ornua, Davy, IAIM, IMI, PRCA, Interpath, Sysco Ireland, and Murgitroyd

Pictured: Eilish O’Connor, Director of Strategy & AI, Viatel Technology Group.

This week sees new and notable appointments at Viatel Technology Group, Ergo, Ornua, Davy, IAIM, IMI, PRCA, Interpath, Sysco Ireland, and Murgitroyd.

By Héloïse Chaudot

Eilish O’Connor, Director of Strategy and AI
Viatel Technology Group

Viatel Technology Group has announced the appointment of Eilish O’Connor as its first Director of Strategy and AI. O’Connor joins the role from an eight-year tenure as Chief Technology Officer within the company.

Speaking on her new role, Eilish O’Connor said, “I’m incredibly excited to step into this role at such a pivotal moment – not just for Viatel, but for every organisation exploring how to get the very best from AI. We are entering a new era of possibility, and AI is transforming how people work, collaborate, and solve problems. I’m proud to help guide Viatel’s strategy as we unlock powerful, practical AI solutions that move the needle for us and our customers.”

Paul Rellis, CEO of Viatel Technology Group, said, “This investment in our AI strategy reflects Viatel’s continued evolution toward a fully integrated, future-ready Solution Stack, bringing together our Communications, Cybersecurity, Digital Services and AI capabilities into one cohesive, end‑to‑end offering.”

He added, “Having Eilish take the helm of this role underscores Viatel’s commitment to helping organisations navigate one of the most significant technological shifts of our time; responsibly, securely, and with a clear focus on high‑value, real‑world outcomes for our customers. Her leadership strengthens our ability to guide organisations as AI becomes deeply embedded across their operations.”

Conal O’Donnell, Chief Executive Officer
Ergo

Conal O’Donnell has been appointed as Ergo’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Ergo is the largest IT solutions provider in Ireland. O’Donnell was previously with the company, having held the role of Group Chief Operations Officer for over six years.

In his new role, Conal O’Donnell will focus on scaling operations and driving customer value.

Commenting on his new role, he said, “Having been part of the business for over six years, I have seen first-hand the depth of our expertise, the strength of our culture and the exceptional talent across our teams.”

Various appointments
Ornua

Ireland’s largest dairy exporter, Ornua, has announced a series of appointments to its Board of Directors.

Frank Tobin will join the Board in June 2026 as the Tirlán Co-operative Society nominee. Before that, Tobin served as Executive Director of Tirlán, where he held the role of Chief Investments and Strategy Officer, following a 46-year career with the co-operative. During this time, he held several senior leadership positions, including Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer.

Dermot Farrell joined the Board in December 2025 as the Lakeland Dairies Co-operative nominee. Previously, he held the position of General Manager of the Foodservice and Consumer Foods Division with Lakeland Dairies and was also Chair of the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland.

Tim Healy will join the Board in March 2026 as the Dairygold Co-operative Society nominee. Healy has been with Dairygold for 37 years, and has held various roles, spanning from Chief Operations Officer, to General Manager of Dairy Ireland, and Overseas Businesses.

Commenting on the new appointments, Kevin Toland, Ornua Chair, said, “On behalf of the Ornua Board of Directors, I am delighted to welcome the appointments of Dermot Farrell, Tim Healy, and Frank Tobin to the Board, following respective nominations from our Member Co-operatives Lakeland Dairies, Dairygold, and Tirlán. Their combined leadership experience, sectoral knowledge, and fresh perspectives will be hugely important as we continue to strengthen the company’s strategic oversight and long-term vision of driving value for Irish dairy farmers during a complex period for the global and domestic dairy sectors.”

Various appointments
Davy

The investment banking and wealth management services company, Davy, has announced a series of senior appointments. These hires reflect Davy’s continued investment in its Debt Capital Markets capabilities as activity in Ireland’s debt market increases.

To support this growth, Davy has secured a number of senior hires across debt origination, solutions and trading.

Aaron McIvor joins from BNP Paribas in New York as a Director. He spent 18 months on the US Private placement desk. Before that, he spent five years with BNP Paribas in London and two years with Mizuho in London in DCM roles covering UK and Ireland corporates.

Eavan Coakley has joined as Director, Debt Origination from Bank of Ireland. Since joining Bank of Ireland Corporate in 2019 within the Global Markets Solutions group, she gained experience across a range of treasury risk products and, from 2024, led the establishment of an expanded green product offering for Irish corporate clients. She previously held debt-related roles with Investec, ANZ Bank, and RBS.

Ross Keeling has joined as Director, Debt Solutions from HSBC in Dublin. He spent 13 years with HSBC in roles including infrastructure and real estate debt origination. Most recently, he led HSBC’s sustainable finance initiative across European markets.

Rod McAuliffe will join Davy’s Fixed Income trading team in April 2026 from Cantor Fitzgerald, where he has been a Senior Bond Trader since 2019. Before that, he spent four years in Bank of Ireland’s Global Markets division in interest rate swap and FX trading roles.

Commenting on these new appointments, Michael Cummins, Head of Fixed Income, said, “The continued build-out of our Fixed Income team reflects a sharp uptick in activity levels in Debt Capital Markets, a trajectory that we expect will continue given significant planned investment in infrastructure and housing across the public and private sector over the coming years.”

Enda McMahon & Paulin Plunkett, Chair and Vice Chair
IAIM

The Irish Association of Investment Managers (IAIM) has announced two new appointments to its Board of Directors.

Pauline Plunkett is the Managing Director of L&G’s asset management business in Ireland, and has been with the company for 12 years. She joins IAIM’s board of Directors as its Vice Chair. Plunkett brings more than two decades of experience in client relationship leadership roles, investment strategy, governance, and risk management.

Enda McMahon is the Country Head of BlackRock’s Irish operations, and has joined IAIM as Chair of the Board of Directors. He brings over 25 years of experience, as well as a deep understanding of the regulatory and governance landscape.

His focus on fostering trust and constructive dialogue between financial institutions and regulators aligns with IAIM’s mission to support a robust and responsible investment management sector in Ireland.

He is a Chartered Management Accountant, and his qualifications also include Investment & Treasury and Law.

Speaking on the appointments, Michael D’Arcy, Chief Executive Officer of IAIM, said, “These appointments capture the exceptional experience and high calibre of leadership in the Irish investment community. I look forward to working closely with Enda as Chair and Pauline as Vice Chair.”

Dr Mark Glynn, Director of Education and Learning
IMI

The Irish Management Institute has announced the appointment of Dr Mark Glynn as its Director of Education and Learning. The institute specialises in executive education and leadership development. Dr Glynn’s position is a newly created post.

Dr Glynn brings more than 20 years of experience across higher education strategy, digital transformation and the learner experience, having worked across organisations including Dublin City University (DCU), EY, Catalyst IT, and Institutes of Technology Ireland (IOTI).

In his new role, Dr Mark Glynn will lead the evolution of IMI’s education portfolio, including curriculum and learning design, faculty excellence, quality assurance and the end-to-end learner experience, supporting IMI’s continued growth and impact for leaders and organisations in Ireland and beyond. 

Speaking on his appointment, he said, “I’m delighted to be joining IMI at such a pivotal moment in its journey. After 20+ years working across higher education strategy, digital transformation and the learner experience, this role brings together what matters most to me—the intersection of leadership, learning and impact. I’m excited to work with such an important business and dynamic brand to shape IMI’s education portfolio—from curriculum and learning design to faculty excellence, quality assurance and the learner experience—and to help leaders and organisations thrive in a rapidly changing environment.”

Shane O’Sullivan, CEO at IMI, added, “Mark’s appointment is a significant addition to IMI’s senior leadership team as we continue to innovate and enhance our executive education offering. The need for continuous learning has never been greater, while the return on investment has never been clearer.”

Various appointments
PRCA

Pictured (Back to Front): Niamh Hopkins, Legacy Communications; Kathryn Byrne, Limelight Communications; Martyn Rosney, Reputation Inc.; Sarah O’Connor, Wilson Hartnell & Sonia Harris Pope, Harris PR; Claire Feely, Elevate PR; Brian Harrison, MKC Communications; & Michelle McCoy, Drury.

The Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) Ireland has appointed a new Board of Directors.

Three new directors have been appointed to the Board of PRCA Ireland: Sonia Harris Pope of Harris PR, Niamh Hopkins of Legacy Communications, and Martyn Rosney of Reputation Inc. They serve alongside Chair Brian Harrison of MKC Communications, Treasurer Claire Feely of Elevate PR, and Board members Kathryn Byrne of Limelight Communications, Sarah O’Connor of Wilson Hartnell, and Michelle McCoy of Drury.

Speaking on the appointments, Brian Harrison, Chair of MKC Communications, said, “The communications industry in Ireland is creative, commercially significant and increasingly influential. Agencies are helping organisations navigate complexity, build trust and contribute meaningfully to society. The PRCA will play an active role in championing that impact, promoting agency careers, reinforcing high standards and ensuring the sector is recognised for the expertise and integrity it delivers every day.”

Dr Orlaigh Quinn, Senior Adviser
Interpath

Interpath has announced the appointment of Dr Orlaigh Quinn as Senior Adviser. She was formerly the Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for Interpath, from 2016 to 2023.

During her time in the role, she guided the Department through a series of significant global events, including Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Alongside this, she supervised the development and rollout of several major national policy frameworks. These included the White Paper on Enterprise, the National Digital Strategy and the Trade and Investment Strategy.

She has extensive experience in public sector reform, complex policy development and cross-organisational transformation, and has also been involved in initiatives supporting women in leadership.

She currently serves on several boards, including The Convention Centre Dublin, the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA), the Institute for International and European Affairs (IIEA), Business in the Community Ireland, and the Foundation for Fiscal Studies.

In addition, she is Chair of the Governance Board of CONNECT, the Research Ireland Centre for Future Networks.

Commenting on her appointment, she said, “Interpath is making a significant impact in Ireland and internationally, and I’m delighted to support the further development of its work across Advisory and Restructuring services. Organisations across the economy are dealing with unprecedented levels of change and uncertainty, and I look forward to bringing my experience in policy, governance and strategic transformation to help clients work through those challenges and seize new opportunities.”

Dr Catherine Logan, In-house nutritionist
Sysco Ireland

Pictured (L-R): Sysco Ireland Development Chef Simon Hudson, Nutritionist Dr Catherine Logan, and Culinary Specialist Liam Byrd.

Dr Catherine Logan has been appointed as the sector’s first in-house nutritionist in Ireland. She brings over 2 years of experience, ranging from public health, academia, and the food industry.