Pictured: Sean Casey
Sean Casey is UK&I Energy & Infrastructure Consulting Leader at EY
What was your first job?
My very first job was working as a caddy at the local golf course in my hometown of Skibbereen in West Cork. After College, I joined ESB’s graduate programme to pursue a career in engineering and I remained in ESB for the next 15 years.
What pushed you to pursue a career in this field?
My love for science and engineering. When I think back this came from the amazing science and physics teachers I had in secondary school, most notably my teacher Mr O’Donovan, who had a big impact on me. I have always had a particular interest in energy and how we fuel the economy and the country, so the idea of being able to pursue a career in this area really appealed to me.
What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date?
My greatest achievement in life is my family – my wonderful wife AnneMarie and my fantastic kids, Aoife, Eimear, and Ronan. In terms of my professional life, I have been very fortunate to work in an area that continues to excite and interest me greatly. I have had the opportunity to work right across the Energy Sector from Electricity to Gas, Water and Renewables, in everything from public sector to start-ups, to my current consulting role and I am really proud that my work is playing a part in helping to drive the transformation of our energy sector while delivering reliable and sustainable power to families and businesses.
Career wise, would you do anything differently?
Not particularly. I consider myself very lucky with the path that I have taken and the opportunities that arose for me as a result. I attribute this luck to my sense of curiosity and willingness to try new things. I didn’t overstay my time in any one place and have always been keen to take on new and varied challenges within the energy sector. As well as working with ESB, I also worked with Bord Gáis, Ervia and eventually, EY.
In one sentence, how would you define success?
Success for me is two-fold: Providing impactful solutions to clients that help solve their most complex problems and doing so as part of a diverse and talented team. We’ve built a large energy team here at EY Ireland. In my view to build a great team, you need to identify people who are passionate on the subject and who can provide a range of different views, perspectives and experiences. This is something we’ve put a real focus on here at EY and I’m proud to say that this has been really impactful, particularly for our clients.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
A former manager in my early days at ESB said something that has always stuck with me: “You’ve only one career and it is up to you to build it”. You can’t sit back and wait for things to happen. Try new things, be open to new experiences and even though you might not succeed in everything, there is real value in learning from your failures.
How do you motivate yourself and your staff?
For those of us working in the Irish energy sector, the motivation is easy. Everything we are doing is focused on decarbonising the Sector, becoming more energy self-sufficient as a country and ultimately assisting to reduce prices for households across Ireland.
Secondly, the variety of work that my team and I have the privilege to work on is a strong motivator. We support clients with the most complex and challenging projects and we gain vast knowledge and learning from working with clients and each other.
How do you handle adversity?
Handling adversity is never easy, but you must confront it head on. It is never easy on your own, but as a team you can pull together and ultimately become stronger by taking learnings from every experience.
How do you relax?
Relaxation for me is all about spending quality time with my family. Sport is also big for me. I enjoy playing golf and I also coach local GAA teams. I also love to travel.
What are your aspirations for the future of the business?
My aspirations are to continue to grow our energy practice at EY Ireland and continue to be the number one energy practice in Ireland. In doing so we will deliver for clients and will help to speed up the decarbonisation of the Irish energy sector and our energy independence.
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Niamh Graham, Senior Vice President of Global Human Experience, Workhuman