Board Members

Paul O’Faherty is an actuary and is an independent non- executive director of a number of companies in the financial services and not-for-profit sectors. He also acts as a strategy consultant and an executive coach. 

Gary is Managing Partner and co-founder of Genesis, a business advisory firm established in 1995, that helps organisations grow and thrive by reimagining and redefining their strategy, brand and organisational culture. Alongside her advisory work, Gary is an executive, leadership and teams coach, working with people to enable them to be the best they can be. She has extensive non executive director experience on the boards of private sector, public sector and not-for-profit organisations. She has chaired several industry and political taskforces on behalf of government and state agencies. Gary is a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants and Advisors and the Marketing Institute of Ireland.

Ivan Fox has over 30 years’ experience in financial markets. He is currently an active private investor focused on financial services. In 2014, Ivan co-led the buy-out of Merrion Capital Group. The business was successfully sold to Cantor Fitzgerald in 2018. He continues to serve on the Boards of a number of regulated entities within the Cantor group. In the past 7 years he has co-founded and successfully exited two fintech businesses. Ivan holds an MBA and BA from University College Dublin and a CDipAF from the ACCA. He also holds a Diploma in Company Direction and is a Certified Investment Fund Director.

Kate Malone is a senior HR professional and chartered fellow of CIPD. She brings over 25 years experience of working in various HR roles and projects across the public, private and NGO sector. Kate currently specialises in interim HR Director/ Chief People & Culture Officer roles where she supports clients’ immediate strategic and operational HR needs.

Kate’s previous roles include Director of HR with IMI, Director of HR with Trinity College Dublin, Head of Global Mobility with Kerry Group and International HR Manager with Concern.

Kenneth Burns is a senior lecturer, Deputy Director of the Master of Social Work course and Director of Practice (social work) at University College Cork.

He has worked as a social worker and social work team leader in child protection and welfare. His main research and teaching interests are in child protection policy and practice, staff retention, social media abuse in social work, child care proceedings in the District Court / voluntary care / informal kinship care, and community-based participatory research. He was twice awarded the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Kenneth was the Principal Investigator of an interdisciplinary research team that won the UCC Research Team of the Year Award. Kenneth was a co-author of a paper that won the European Social Work Research Association’s outstanding publication award. Kenneth is a CORU registered social worker (reg. # SW003803). Kenneth is also involved in sports with Waterloo AFC, Grenagh LGFA, and Mid Cork LGFA.

Personal UCC page. 

Professor Louise Crowley is a family law expert at the School of Law, University College Cork (UCC) where she is the Director of the Masters in Children’s Rights and Family Law.

Louise is the author of the leading Irish text Family Law (Roundhall Thomson). Her research focusses on the regulation of family formations and intimate relationships in a modern and diverse Ireland. Louise is a national voice on intimate partner violence having published widely on the adequacy of legal and educational responses to the challenges of gender-based violence.

Louise was a member of the Government appointed expert group that developed the National Framework to end Sexual Harassment and Vioelnce at Third Level and continues to advise on law and policy reform. At UCC, Louise has developed the campus-wide Bystander Intervention initiative which seeks to educate and empower staff and students to challenge the normalisation of sexual abuse and to recognise their role as pro-social bystanders to effect change and bring about a new normal of safety and respect.

Sue has worked in the communications industry since 1987. She is currently Group Director, Employee Experience for Smurfit Kappa and brings a wealth of knowledge in Marketing and Communications to the Board.

Ciaran has over 35 years’ experience in the insurance industry in actuarial, IT, transformation, sustainability, and operations governance roles. He is currently EMEA Head of Operations Governance and Sustainability at Zurich Insurance.

Irene is a former CEO of Early Childhood Ireland (CDI) and, prior to that, Irish Preschool Playgroups Association (IPPA). Irene has been a practitioner and trainer in the sector as well as having management and relevant strategic skills.

Ken is Director of Information Technology for the Sisk Group and has 30 years’ experience in the IT industry with expertise in leading teams and change agendas.

Denis Lucey has over 36 years of experience in the technology sector, including 26 years of global executive leadership across professional and customer services, engineering, and supply chain. Denis is a professional Executive Coach, inspiring people to reach their full potential. He is passionate about helping customers’ achieve their objectives while championing an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone can bring their authentic self to work. He believes a culture of personal development with continuous process improvement creates great outcomes for team members, customers and the business. Through people, skills and technology, Denis strives to create a positive social impact within the communities where we work and live During his career with Dell Technologies, Denis served as a Vice President in Global Services and also as the Dublin Executive Site Leader.

Gary McGann is the Chairman of Sicon Ltd (Sisk Group) and Aon Ireland. Gary is the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Smurfit Kappa Group plc, one of the leading providers of paper-based packaging solutions in the world. He is also former CEO of Aer Lingus Group and Gilbeys of Ireland, a former Chair of DAA, Aryzta AG, a former director of Green Reit Plc and a former NED/SID of UDG Plc. Gary has recently retired from his position as Chairman of Flutter plc (Fanduel) which he held for 9 years. Chair of The Ireland Funds in Ireland. Gary is a former President of IBEC (Irish Business and Employers’ Confederation).