Leading in Governance 2024

Nick Wallis is an award-winning freelance journalist and broadcaster. He has worked with the BBC, Private Eye and ITN. His Radio 4 series on the Post Office scandal has been nominated for national awards. He is the author of The Great Post Office Scandal (Bath Publishing) which was published – to great acclaim – in 2021, and was a series consultant on the ITV Drama, Mr Bates vs The Post Office. Other books include Depp V Heard: the Unreal Story also published by Bath Publishing.

Yvonne is the Head of Group Sustainability for DCC Plc which comprises of a portfolio of businesses in three sectors (Energy, Healthcare & technology) with 16,700 employees operating in 22 countries. Previous to this role, Yvonne was the Chief Sustainability Officer for AIB Group for three years and had responsibility for the development and implementation of the Sustainability Strategy.Yvonne is an experienced senior leader with a background in leading business functions covering Data & Analytics, Strategy and Operations. She is passionate about Sustainability and the role that large corporates should play in leading the transition. Yvonne recently completed her Certification in Company Direction with the Institute of Directors.

Dr. Tony Holohan was appointed in July 2022 as an Adjunct Full Professor of Public Health in University College Dublin (UCD) College of Health and Agricultural Sciences. In 2023 he was appointed as Director of a new One Health Centre in the College of Health and Agricultural Sciences in University College Dublin (UCD). He was awarded an Adjunct Full Professorship in the School of Public Health and Primary Care in Trinity College Dublin in March 2024. He was appointed as chair of the governance committee of FutureNeuro, a Science Foundation Ireland research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases in early 2024. Tony is also a board member of the Irish Hospice Foundation. He also works with the WHO at the European level including in relation to public health leadership, health and the wellbeing economy and One Health. Tony is a member of the recently established Advisory Committee on Public Health Emergencies’ (ACPHE) established to advise the European Commission with the decision-making process regarding the formal recognition of a public health emergency at EU level. Tony served as Chief Medical Officer in Ireland for 14 years from 2008 to 2002. He led the public health response to Covid 19 pandemic in Ireland. During this time, he became the public face of the pandemic, helping to steer the nation through the biggest public health crisis in Ireland's modern history. He works as a consultant in public health medicine in the National Cancer Control Programme.

Sarah Keane is a prominent leader in the sports and governance sectors, currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Swim Ireland and President of the Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI). Sarah took up the role as the first CEO of Swim Ireland in 2004, playing a pivotal role in the development of swimming, water polo, diving, and aquatic disciplines in Ireland. She became the first female President of the OFI in 2017 and was reappointed in 2020, following her initial appointment as a Board Director in 2014. Sarah is actively involved in global and national sports governance, including her roles on the Central Bank of Ireland Commission, World Aquatics Bureau, and European Aquatics Bureau. She is a committed advocate for gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, with positions on the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Inclusion & Diversity Commission and she is Chair of the first European Aquatics DEI Committee. A qualified solicitor with a degree in Law from University College Dublin, Sarah also holds a Masters in Commercial Law, along with diplomas in Corporate and Financial Management. Her broad experience extends to governance, strategy, and leadership, having served on numerous boards and commissions including Ireland Active, the Irish Sport Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel, and the EU High-Level Working Group on Gender Equality in Sport.

Tom is an experienced leader with extensive knowledge of the food and agriculture industries combined with a deep background in international negotiation in EU and elsewhere. He has chaired and been a member of numerous Irish Government agriculture and food strategy committees, including the recently published Agrifood 2030 Strategy Group. Tom had a long and distinguished career within the Irish Public Sector where he served 10 years as Secretary General of the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and also held a number of international policy and international trade negotiation leadership roles. Tom served on the Board of An Bord Bia for 8 years and chaired its Dairy Subsidiary Board. He is Vice Chair of the Origin Green Global Sustainability Council. He spent 8 years on the board of French meat processor and has ongoing roles and involvement in the Irish agrifood sector. He is currently Chairman of the Public Appointments Service (PublicJobs.ie). Tom is a registered Chartered Director. He joined the Kerry Group Board in September 2015 and has been Chairman of the Board since April 2022. He is also Chairman of the Governance and Nomination Committee, having previously served as Chair of the Remuneration Committee, member of the Audit Committee and as the designated Workforce Engagement Director.

Dr. Patricia Scanlon holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Speech Recognition from UCD and has a 25-year career in academia and industry, including work with Columbia University, Bell Labs, and IBM. In 2013, she founded SoapBox Labs, a pioneering company specializing in ethical voice AI technology for children, with applications in education and gaming. SoapBox Labs became a global leader and was acquired by US-based Curriculum Associates in 2023. Her innovative contributions to the tech industry earned her recognition by Forbes as one of The World’s Top 50 Women in Tech in 2018. Dr. Scanlon is also an advocate for AI policy and ethics. In 2022, she was appointed Ireland’s first AI Ambassador by the Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, where she fostered a national dialogue on AI and demystified its concepts. In 2023, she was named Chairperson of Ireland’s expert AI Advisory Council, advising the government on emerging AI trends, challenges, risks, and opportunities. Through these roles, Dr. Scanlon continues to influence AI policy and innovation, ensuring ethical considerations are prioritized in technological advancements. Her leadership and advocacy work shape a balanced and informed perspective on the future of AI.

Dr. Richard Browne is the Director of Cybersecurity at the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). With a distinguished background in cybersecurity spanning over two decades, Dr. Browne has played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s cybersecurity strategy and response capabilities. Throughout his tenure, Dr. Browne has led transformative initiatives at the NCSC, shifting its focus from reactive incident response to proactive cybersecurity measures. Under his leadership, the establishment of the Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) in 2016 marked a significant milestone in Ireland’s cybersecurity preparedness. With a focus on collaboration, innovation, and preparedness, he continues to lead the charge in safeguarding the nation’s digital infrastructure and promoting cybersecurity awareness. As Ireland navigates the evolving cyber threat landscape, Dr. Browne’s expertise and strategic direction remain instrumental in ensuring a secure and resilient future for all.

Professor Niamh Brennan CDir is a Chartered Director, and a Professor at University College Dublin. Niamh is also a Founder/Academic Director of the UCD Centre for Corporate Governance. A first-class honours, first-in-class UCD Science (Microbiology and Biochemistry) graduate, she qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG, holds an MSc (Coaching) from the UCD Smurfit School and a PhD from the University of Warwick. Niamh was elected to the Royal Irish Academy, Ireland’s highest academic honour, the first business school academic to be so recognised.

Nicholas Tarrant was appointed Managing Director of ESB Networks in September 2021. Prior to this he held the positions of Executive Director, Engineering and Major Projects and Managing Director of NIE Networks. He has held a number of senior management positions including Generation Manager with responsibility for ESB’s generation portfolio. He is a Chartered Engineer at the Institute of Engineers of Ireland, a Chartered Director and holds a M.Sc. (management) from TCD.

Raluca is the CEO of Smarttech247, an enterprise cyber security organisation. Trusted by global private and public companies, the AI-enhanced Smarttech247 platform provides threat intelligence with managed detection and response to provide actionable insights, 24/7 threat detection, investigation, and response. Smarttech247 listed on the London Stock Exchange in December 2022. Under Raluca’s leadership, Smarttech247 continues to be at the forefront of innovation, delivering unparalleled cybersecurity solutions and safeguarding organisations worldwide. Raluca is an advocate of public cybersecurity education, empowering individuals and organisations alike with vital insights and expert guidance through her educational endeavours. Raluca holds a Master of Science in Strategic Management from the University of Innsbruck and received the Women in Technology Advocate Award by Deloitte in 2021. Raluca is also part of the 30% Club, a global campaign led by Chairs and CEOs taking action to increase gender diversity at board and senior management levels.

Gina is the Chief Executive of the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), a cross-border body established under the Good Friday Agreement and working to the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Assembly. Gina is responsible for the PEACEPLUS Programme which has a value of €1.144 Billion. This new cross-border funding Programme is supported by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland administration. The Programme is designed to support peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland, building upon the past 25 years of work of the previous PEACE and INTERREG Programmes.

Dr. Roger Barker is Director of Policy and Corporate Governance at the Institute of Directors, the UK’s oldest professional body for business leaders. Dr. Barker is a well-known speaker on governance issues, and the author/co-author of four books and numerous articles on corporate governance and directorship. Dr. Barker is a former member of the European Economic and Social Committee, and spent almost 15 years in a variety of equity research and senior management roles at UBS and Bank Vontobel, both in the UK and Switzerland. He has a doctorate from Oxford University and taught politics at Merton College, Oxford.

Richard Curran is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster and author. He is the presenter of The Business radio show on RTE Radio One and a columnist with the Irish Independent and Sunday Independent. Presenter of Dragons Den on RTE Television for eight series, Richard has over 30 years’ experience in business journalism as a former business editor of the Irish Independent and former deputy editor of The Sunday Business Post. He has co-written two books and also made several television documentaries for RTE. He has also also completed a qualification in mediation.

John is Chairman of Cairn Homes plc. He is also a Non-Executive Director of Computershare Investor Services ( Ireland ) Ltd , the National Concert Hall , a Senior Advisor in Alantra Credit Portfolio Advisors, Ireland and a Director/co-Owner of McGrory's Hotel, Donegal. He is a Patron of Chapter Zero Ireland, the Irish chapter of the Climate Governance Initiative. He was previously Chief Executive of KBC Bank Ireland plc, and was also President of the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland and a member of the board of the European Banking Federation. A native of Culdaff, Co Donegal, he is an economics graduate of Trinity College, Dublin and holds a Master’s degree in Banking and Finance from UCD.

Caroline Spillane CDir is Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Directors Ireland. She commenced the role in July 2022. Caroline has held several senior leadership roles including most recently as Director General of Engineers Ireland, the all-Ireland professional body for engineers, CEO of the Medical Council of Ireland, the independent statutory regulator of over 25,000 medical practitioners and Assistant National Director of the Health Services Executive. Caroline is an experienced Non-Executive Director serving as a board member of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), ESB Networks and Irish Manufacturing Research. She is also a member of the Advisory Group to Balance for Better Business, an independent business-led Review Group established by the government to improve gender balance in senior leadership in Ireland. Caroline's qualifications include a BA from UCC and an MA from TUD. She is currently undertaking a Doctoral programme with SETU.

Dr Margaret Cullen holds a PhD in governance from University College Dublin (UCD). She is a specialist in the areas of corporate, bank and investment fund governance. Margaret is a governance adviser to the Institute of Directors (IoD) in Ireland, an experienced Board Assessor with IoD’s Board Evaluation Service and and member of IoD’s faculty for the delivery of customized governance education and workshops. Margaret is Programme Director of UCD Smurfit Executive Education’s Diploma in Corporate Governance. She lectures on the programme in the areas of governance paradigms and practice, role and responsibilities of the board, sustainability and stakeholder management, investor stewardship, behavioural aspects of boards and executive remuneration and incentives. Margaret is Academic Director for the Institute of Banking’s (IoB’s) Certified Bank Director Programme on an associate basis and lectures bank governance on the programme. She is a fellow of the IoB.