By Business & Finance 
Donnacha Hurley is the CEO of Limerick Chamber. He spent 17 years as General Manager and Director of the Absolute Hotel before taking on this role in early 2026. A former President of the Chamber, he holds an MBA from the University of Limerick.
By Héloïse Chaudot
What are your main priorities and goals in your role?
My immediate focus is making sure the Chamber is operating as a genuinely high-impact advocacy body — not just representing members, but moving the dial for them. That means pushing hard on the things that matter: housing supply, infrastructure investment & the cost of doing business.
What are your biggest challenges as CEO?
Every day I need to ensure we deliver an amazing value proposition for all our different member categories, from the micro & SME, through to our strategic partners.
How do you keep your team/staff motivated?
It’s critical to be a positive presence in the organisation. Help the team deliver. Being clear about purpose and the direction we are going in. I came from the hospitality industry, where culture is everything.
What are the challenges facing the industry going forward?
For business representative bodies, the challenge is demonstrating clear, measurable value in an era where attention is scarce and resources are stretched.
What new trends are emerging in your industry?
AI and digital transformation are reshaping how businesses operate at every scale, and chambers of commerce need to reflect that in the support and knowledge-sharing they provide.
Are there any major changes you would like to see in your sector?
I would like to see regional business bodies given a more formal role in national policy development.
As an employer, are you finding any skill gaps in the market?
We have a small, stable team here in the Chamber, but skills gaps are an ever-present challenge — and our members are telling us the same story. There are shortages in technical and trade skills, digital capabilities, and leadership talent at the middle-management level.
How did your strategy develop in the context of the banking crisis and economic crisis?
My career was shaped by that period. I took over the Absolute Hotel in 2008 — right into the teeth of the recession — and the experience taught me that resilience is built on relationships and on clarity about what you stand for. You keep your doors open, you protect your people where you can, and you use the difficult periods to sharpen your proposition.
How do you define success, and what drives you to succeed?
Success is when the businesses and people you serve are genuinely better off because of the work you did. That is a deceptively high bar. What drives me is a deep affinity for this region and the wish to make it a better place to do business
What’s the best advice you’ve been given in business?
Listen more than you talk. The best decisions I have made came from spending time understanding a situation fully before forming a view. The worst came from moving too quickly on incomplete information.
What advice would you give to others starting in business?
Build relationships before you need them. Your network is a long-term asset that compounds over time.
What have been your highlights in business over the past year?
Taking on the role of CEO at Limerick Chamber has been the standout moment, clearly. But before that, seeing the Absolute Hotel through a significant period of recovery and growth post-pandemic was deeply satisfying.
What’s next for your company?
We are in a strong position to be a more influential organisation than at any point in our recent history. Limerick has momentum — economically, culturally, and in terms of governance — and the Chamber needs to be at the heart of that.
Where do you want your business/brand to be this time next year?
I want Limerick Chamber to be regarded as the most credible and effective regional business voice in Ireland. That means being known not just in Limerick, but also in Government buildings and in the offices of investors and policymakers.
What is the best book you’ve ever read (non-business) and why?
The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre. One man’s courage and strong convictions lead him to do something extraordinary.
What is your favourite hobby and why?
Running as the sun rises in the summer. It delivers a state of calmness for me.
What is your mantra for life?
Embrace the uncertain.
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