Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, is set to present ECB President Christine Lagarde with the coveted Sutherland Leadership Award.
Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Finance, will present Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, with the Sutherland Leadership Award in a gala ceremony at O’Reilly Hall, UCD Dublin, on Wednesday 2nd April, in the company of over 600 international business, political and social leaders.
The Sutherland Leadership Award was established in 2018 with the support of the Sutherland Family to recognise international leaders who epitomise the values of Peter Sutherland. Madame Lagarde joins a distinguished list of previous honourees, including: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, former President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso, former President ECB and former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, former Vice Chancellor University of Oxford and President Carnegie Corporation of New York Dame Louise Richardson, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Sir Nick Clegg.
Paschal Donohoe
Paschal Donohoe has served as the Minister for Finance since January 2025, having previously held the role from 2017 to 2022. His career in politics began in 2004, when he was elected to Dublin City Council for the Cabra-Glasnevin electoral area. He was appointed Minister of State for European Affairs in July 2013, a position he held until 2016. That same year, he became Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. He continued in the role until 2020. Between 2022 and 2025, he was Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. Since 2020, Minister Donohoe has acted as President of the Eurogroup.
Christine Lagarde
Speaking about receiving the award, Christine Lagarde said: “It is an honour to receive the Sutherland Leadership Award. Peter Sutherland dedicated his life to driving positive change at the national, European, and global levels.
“His commitment to European integration and global cooperation sets a powerful example for leaders today as we navigate an especially challenging environment for policymaking.”
Madame Lagarde was born on January 1, 1956, in Paris, France. She became the first woman to serve in several influential roles, including: Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry in the French government (2007–2011), Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF; 2011–2019), and President of the European Central Bank (2019–present).
Lagarde received her early education at the Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Maryland, before pursuing legal studies at Paris Nanterre University, where she later lectured. She further specialised in labour law, earning a postgraduate diploma, and also holds a master’s degree in English.
Her legal career began with the international law firm Baker & McKenzie in Paris, where she rose to prominence as the first woman to serve on the firm’s executive committee and later as its chairman.
Her tenure at the helm of France’s economy was characterised by bold policy measures aimed at fostering growth and competitiveness. She championed structural reforms and foreign investment.
As Managing Director of the IMF, she confronted complex global challenges, including the Greek debt crisis, where she advocated for pragmatic debt relief solutions. In 2019, she assumed the presidency of the European Central Bank, where she continues to play a pivotal role in shaping European monetary policy amidst an increasingly volatile economic landscape.
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