Barry Guiney has over 20 years’ senior executive experience in the technology sector. He is at the core of Scale Up Collective in Ireland having spent more than a decade of his career specifically working in investor-led businesses, such as Digisoft.tv, Bluemetrix, and Xanadu Consultancy.
What was your first job?
My first job was teaching windsurfing in Crookhaven in West Cork during school summer holidays. My mother had a strong drive to be entrepreneurial and set up the windsurfing school, to not only create a successful business but also to provide outdoor summer jobs for her children.
What pushed you to pursue a career in this field?
With over 20 years of senior executive experience in the technology sector, I had held leadership positions at Microsoft and spent over a decade in investor-led businesses, such as COO of Digisoft.tv and Bluemetrix, and Chief Data Officer of Xanadu Consultancy. I felt ready for the next phase of my career.
Throughout my career, I had built, managed, and mentored high-performing specialist teams in data science, software development, and commercial functions. However, I realised that my true measure of success was the success of my teams. This realisation sparked my passion for helping organisations find the right leaders and build high-performance teams to drive their businesses forward.
What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date?
I believe my greatest achievement has been my adaptability throughout my career. I’ve been willing to embrace new opportunities, take risks, tackle different problem domains, and develop the right strategic approach in each situation.
Career wise, would you do anything differently?
There are certainly things I would do differently, but what matters most is not allowing setbacks to derail your ambition and continuing to move forward—I believe I’ve managed to achieve that. The beauty of my current role over the past five years is that it allows me to blend my diverse experiences across different technology companies, domains, and scales. This has helped me develop a keen ability to identify growth potential and operational excellence in technology leaders.
In one sentence, how would you define success?
Success is the ongoing journey of taking daily steps that align with who you want to be and where you want to go in life.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
The best piece of advice I’ve ever received is to be true to yourself when choosing opportunities professionally, ensuring that the path you take is sustainable for the long term.
How do you motivate yourself and your staff?
The biggest motivation for me is a sense of purpose. I strive to understand the reason behind our work and ensure that this purpose is felt by the entire team every day. Our purpose is to transform our clients’ leadership teams and positively impact the lives of the people we help them hire.
How do you handle adversity?
I handle adversity by addressing issues directly and face-to-face when people are involved. With a growth mindset, I embrace change and focus on finding solutions. My experiences in sports, academics, and professional settings have equipped me with a reservoir of resilience, reminding me that challenges are temporary and everything will pass.
How do you relax?
Exercising, socialising and spending time with family and friends.
What is your favourite (non-business) book?
Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and The Game That Made a Nation by John Carlin.
What are your aspirations for the future of the business?
My aspiration for the future of the business is to make Executive Search and Leadership Advisory services accessible to investors and the scaleup businesses they support through Scale Up Collective.
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Peter Lantry, Managing Director for Ireland, Equinix