The Chief Executive is responsible for the operational activities of the Chamber, working with the President, the Board of Directors and Committee Chairpersons in developing the overall strategic plan of the Chamber and coordinating its implementation.
Annie is responsible for the Membership Team, focusing on both recruitment and retention, with a strong focus on engagement to ensure all members are maximising value from their membership
Naoimh manages the day to day operations within Cork Chamber. She is responsible for the development and implementation of policies and procedures to promote continuous improvement. Naoimh is champion of our extensive employee wellbeing programme,oversees the chambers internal sustainability agenda, is health & safety officer and is Cork Chambers Data Leader.
Cathal is the
Director of Public and International Affairs, with responsibility for lobbying and advocacy activities of Cork Chamber. He focuses on representing the interests of the Cork businesses through engagement with the members, stakeholders, local politicians and elected representatives. Cathal works to ensure that the interests of the Cork region remain on the national agenda.
Bo manages the communications and marketing for Cork Chamber. A communications conduit between Chamber activities, our valued members and external media, Bo channels our news through digital and traditional platforms while nurturing a consistent and authentic brand profile for Cork Chamber.
Lisa works as Events Manager as part of the Events team and is responsible for the creation, organization and administration of the extensive calendar of events throughout the year. Creating opportunities and facilitating the sharing of experiences by connecting our members.
Tim helps identify and generate new revenue for the chamber through the recruitment of new members, the retention of existing members through engagement and the promotion of member services, ensuring that businesses are positioned to succeed.
If you are querying if membership is for you, get in contact with Tim and he can talk you through how best to engage with membership
Ruby is responsible for performing office duties such as helping organise and maintaining office common areas, greeting clients at reception, updating private contact address books and recording export documentation for Chamber records. Ruby also supports the Chamber team with work related errands and diverse tasks.
Juliet is the Operations Executive, bringing over 10 years of diverse experience in visual and graphic arts, international relations, and operations. She has worked with NGOs, embassies, and marketing companies across the Middle East, Latin America, and Europe. Holding an MA in International Relations from UCC, Juliet works closely with the Chamber team, providing executive-level support to operations.
Carmel responsibilities as finance manager include overseeing end-to-end finance operations of the Chamber, financial planning and analysis. She is responsible for all accounting functions and is the point of contact for all finance-related matters. As Company Secretary Carmel ensures compliance with all obligations under company law and contributes to the promotion of good governance at the Chamber.
Lisa is the primary telephone and reception contact within Cork Chamber along with providing general office administration support to the team. Lisa provides a high-level customer service to members, non-members and stakeholders of Cork Chamber.
Grace is the International Manager at Cork Chamber. Grace is responsible for leading and delivering Cork Chamber’s international stakeholder engagement in addition to overseeing key projects: Connecting Cork, Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), REEValue and leading the Cork Financial Services Forum activities. Grace joined Cork Chamber as the EEN Executive in 2022.
Alicia leads the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in the Value Chain REEValue project, funded by the European Commission. Her role encompasses project management, business engagement, and oversight of the online REEValue platform. Additionally, she serves as a central, cross-functional lead for all Chamber sustainability activities, collaborating closely with the senior management team and the Sustainability Committee.
Alicia holds a PhD in Environmental Science and brings substantial expertise in engaging with national and international high-level environmental policymakers, along with a proven track record in impactful media communications.
Imelda is the Export Documentation Manager with responsibility for all export services at Cork Chamber. This includes Certificates of Origin, Notarisation and Legalisation of documentation required for exporting. Imelda is also responsible for meeting the Chambers statutory obligations to Chambers Ireland as an authorised Chamber of the issuance of Certificates of Origin. With over 20 years’ experience Imelda has vast knowledge of the export documentation process and is always ready to assist member companies with their documentation requirements.
Kate is a member of the Cork Chamber Skillnet team; as part of the team, Kate supports trainees and companies in reaching their training needs. This includes scheduling courses, conducting training needs assessments, sourcing quality trainers and providing quality assurance.
Public Affairs & Communications Executive
Vicky works as Events Executive as part of the Events team and supports the Events Manager with the creation, organisation and administration of the extensive calendar of events throughout the year. Creating opportunities and facilitating the sharing of experiences by connecting our members.
Annette works as a Membership Executive as part of the membership services team. Annette is responsible for the implementation of membership processes, acting as the first point of contact for enquiries to effectively communicate the Chamber offering and encourage membership engagement.
Kevin is the Cork Development Forum (CDF) Policy & Research Executive. He advocates on behalf of the CDF for the sustainable development of the Cork region, assisting the CDF in guiding government policy through political and stakeholder engagement, and policy research.
Garrett manages the day-to-day training operations and strategic direction of the network. Cork Chamber Skillnet is a multi-sector learning network for companies of all sizes in the South West region. Cork Chamber Skillnet facilitate funded enterprise led, bespoke training courses, personal & professional development programmes, seminar, and workshops.
Monica brings significant expertise in EU-funded projects and experience assisting SMEs with inquiries and opportunities. She holds an MSc in International Public Policy and Diplomacy from University College Cork (UCC).
Through the EEN, Monica will be working with SMEs in the region in helping them to innovate and grow on an international scale. She will combine international business expertise with her local knowledge to offer personalised services and opportunities to businesses.
Susie Horgan founded Springboard Communications in 2011, and has developed the business into a multi-award winning communications agency from Cork. She has worked for over 20 years in senior communications roles advising many household names. Susie is a graduate of UCC and UCD and was named Network Cork Businesswoman of the Year 2017. She is a Non-Executive Director of UCC Academy and on the Board of Governors at Fota Wildlife Park. She set up the CUH Charity Ball, which has raised significant funds for the Cork University Hospital. Susie also sat on the voluntary steering committee for the Chamber 200 commemorations.
Rob Horgan is the immediate past president of Cork Chamber and the owner of the multi-award-winning Velo Coffee Roasters, which was listed in the Sunday Business Post’s ‘EI Top 100 to Follow’. Velo Coffee Roasters supplies award-winning, locally roasted coffee to international retail and food service. Having graduated from the Royal Agricultural College in 1996, Rob has worked in many facets of the food industry both in the UK and Ireland.
David is a Chartered Accountant and Advisory Partner at Forvis Mazars in Ireland with over 20 years of professional services experience in business advisory, turnaround and restructuring, corporate finance, transaction services and forensic accounting.
He holds a B. Comm from NUI Galway and master’s in accounting from UCD. He is also a member of the Review Committee of the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (“LSRA”) and Evaluation Committee of LEO South Cork.
Jim joined AbbVie Cork in Feb 2015 and is Head of Finance. He spent a secondment in Ludwigshafen Germany as Finance Head in 2018/19. Prior to joining AbbVie, Jim worked in Operations Finance with Alexion Ireland, and has also previously held several roles of increasing responsibility within the GSK group in Operations and Financial Services.
Jim is a qualified Management Accountant (FCMA) and Member of Institute of Directors. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and is Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certified.
Senior Consultant at Dell Technologies in Global Business Transformation, specialising in Change Management and Change Leadership. Gillian’s passion is the intersection of people, process, technology and culture, leading teams and organisations through disruptive change. Putting people at the heart of how we work, enabling us to simplify complexity, work smarter and lead better in dynamic work environments.
30 years in the Technology industry, Gillian has held both technical and non-technical roles, people-management and individual contributor roles and operates at a global level. She recently completed her term as Chair of it@cork and was instrumental in the MOU bringing it@cork and KerrySciTech together under the umbrella brand of Tech Industry Alliance. She has represented Dell and it@cork on many regional forums and has a strong regional network.
She holds a Masters in Data Business, BA in Economics & Computer Science and Higher Diplomas in Accounting & MIS, and Business Innovation and Digital Transformation. She enjoys podcasts, music, reading and writing.
Maria Desmond is Regional Fundraising Manager at Enable Ireland, a national charity which won Cork Chamber Non-Profit of the Year in 2017 and has provided disability services in Cork for over 70 years. Maria holds honours Commerce and Masters Degrees and has a background in marketing and market research. She won a Network Cork Businesswoman of the Year Award in 2018. Having grown up in a local family business, she is passionate about all things Cork.
Michael, a Chartered Management Accountant, is Chief Financial Officer of Dairygold since 2006 and has worked for Dairygold for over 30 years. Dairygold is one of Ireland’s largest Dairy Co-Operatives, with its headquarters located in Mitchelstown, County Cork, generating over €1 Billion in turnover per annum.
Michael, as part of the senior leadership team and together with the Board, is responsible for driving the strategic direction of the busines as well as ensuring the appropriate reporting, policies, procedures and controls are in place to drive the financial performance and protect the financial integrity of the business.
Michael’s business and financial acumen has been developed over 30 years, through the various financial roles he has held across Dairygold’s wide range of businesses, together with his continued professional development.
Anne-Marie Linehan is a law graduate of UCC and a partner in J.W.O’ Donovan Solicitors based on the South Mall in Cork city. Anne-Marie’s practice involves advising corporate and private clients in the key practice areas of commercial and residential property, construction, banking and finance.
Anne-Marie was initially co-opted onto the Board of Cork Chamber to fill a sectoral gap in legal expertise. Since then, she has fully immersed herself in the role, bringing valuable insights and dedication to the Board’s work. Over the past two years, Anne-Marie has been an active and engaged member of the Cork Chamber Board.
Anne-Marie is the current chair of the Governance and Nomination Committee, ensuring fairness and transparency in how the Chamber is run. She also sits on the Audit and Risk Committee, helping to ensure the Chamber business model is sustainable and able to support the next generation of Cork businesses. For the past two years, Anne-Marie has also been a judge for the Cork Company of the Year Awards and represented Cork Chamber at meetings with Government Ministers and at the recent tri party meeting with the Dublin & Northern Ireland Chambers
A respected figure in the Cork business community for more than 30 years, Anne Marie has supported countless clients and businesses to grow and thrive both in Cork and beyond. If elected, Anne-Marie will continue to bring her business acumen and her real joy in doing business in Cork to enhance her contribution to the Board, the Chamber and, most importantly, to you, Chamber members.
As a Tax Partner with KPMG in Cork, Michael has worked closely with businesses of all sizes across the region for over 20 years and has seen first-hand the importance of strong advocacy, collaboration and practical delivery in supporting sustainable business growth.
Michael is a strong supporter of Cork Chamber’s strategic focus on securing Cork’s future through the timely delivery of housing, transport and enabling infrastructure – including renewable energy development, grid connectivity and the port infrastructure required to support offshore energy and long-term sustainable investment. He believes these foundations are essential to Cork’s competitiveness and continued economic development.
As a long-standing member of Cork Chamber, Michael has contributed to its work, including serving as Chair of the Chamber’s Fiscal Services Group, assisting with Pre-Budget submissions and authoring a joint Cork Chamber / Construction Industry Federation feasibility study on apartment viability in Cork City. This experience reflects his belief in evidence-based advocacy and practical policy solutions.
Most recently, Michael supported the Cork Company of the Year Awards, presenting the Large Company of the Year Award at the Annual Chamber Dinner. The awards, sponsored by KPMG demonstrate its commitment to Cork Chamber and its members.
Professionally, he works with multinational, Irish-headquartered and family-owned businesses across a wide range of sectors, including energy and infrastructure. Michael’s work focuses on delivering clarity, supporting sustainable growth and helping organisations navigate regulatory and economic change – experience that he believes aligns closely with Cork Chamber’s role as the voice of business in Cork.
Chris McCarthy has been Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and a member of the Executive Committee at Uisce Éireann, Ireland’s national water utility, since 2021. A Cork-native, Chris began his career at PWC and brings over two decades of experience in large-scale strategic financial management, corporate leadership, mergers and acquisitions, financial planning, cost control and regulatory reporting. He has a strong track record in driving operational efficiency across the utilities, infrastructure and renewables sectors.
Prior to joining Uisce Éireann, Chris held a number of senior finance roles at Ervia, Ireland’s former gas and water utility, including Group Financial Controller. In these roles, he played a pivotal part in overseeing complex financial operations and major national infrastructure programmes, most notably as Project Director of the landmark Bord Gáis Energy sale.
In his current role, Chris is responsible for the financial management and governance of a record €12bn investment in water services infrastructure over the next five years—one of the largest public infrastructure programmes underway in the State, and a critical enabler of housing delivery, economic growth and regional competitiveness.
At a time when infrastructure capacity—particularly in water, wastewater and energy—has become a defining issue for Cork’s future development, Chris believes there is a strong opportunity for Cork Chamber to further strengthen its board-level insight in this area. Nationally, infrastructure delivery is now a central focus of Government policy, regulatory reform and public debate, with consistent media coverage highlighting its impact on housing, inward investment and business growth. Ensuring these perspectives are well represented within the Chamber’s strategic leadership is both timely and important.
Chris is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and holds a Master of Accounting from University College Dublin, as well as a Bachelor of Commerce from University College Cork.
He lives in Clonakilty with his family and is actively involved in the local community, particularly through local GAA and hockey clubs.
Chris is deeply committed to the continued development and prosperity of the Cork region. Through his professional experience, he recognises the importance of coordinated action, long-term planning and a clear, collective voice between business, infrastructure providers and policymakers. This is why he welcomes his election to the Cork Chamber Board.
Chris believes his executive leadership experience, financial expertise and deep understanding of national infrastructure delivery would enable him to make a meaningful contribution to the Chamber’s strategic direction and to supporting its members in ensuring Cork remains an attractive place to live, work, visit and do business.
Maria McKnight is a Senior Bank Manager with Bank of Ireland in Cork City, bringing over 30 years of experience across personal and business banking. She has strong business acumen and significant expertise in Finance, risk and compliance, relationship management, and guiding customers through key financial decisions. Maria is guided by strong personal integrity, consistently demonstrating fairness in her decision making and a genuine commitment to supporting customers in achieving the best possible outcomes.
A qualified secondary school teacher, Maria combines her substantial technical knowledge with strong people skills and a collaborative leadership style. She has a proven track record in building high-performing teams, developing people, and delivering results through effective relationship management and clear execution.
Maria holds a Professional Banker designation from University College Dublin, along with a Graduate Diploma in Accounting and IT from UCC. She is actively engaged in UCC initiatives and supports multiple programmes, reflecting her commitment to education, inclusion, and sustainability. She is an advocate for the value of apprenticeships for business and wider society and has close collaboration with the further education colleges in Cork City.
As a lifelong resident of Cork, Maria is passionate about the city’s continued growth as a vibrant, inclusive place to live, work, and do business. On a personal level she is a parent to two young adults and acutely aware of the challenges that this generation face as they navigate the world of education, housing, and the modern workplace and feels a responsibility to make an impact in accessibility and inclusion.
Seán Murphy is the Managing Director of Ronayne Shipping Ltd (RSL, part of Mainport), a leading logistics and port services provider based in Cork. He brings over 25 years’ experience across the maritime, supply chain and wider commercial sectors. His career began at the age of 20 working with Indian steel fabricators in New York, contributing to projects including the construction of the gorilla enclosure in the Bronx Zoo. He later returned to Ireland and joined Leeside Shipping, where he developed expertise in container control, customs formalities and export management, before broadening his commercial experience in a national sales role. He joined RSL in 2007.
Under his leadership, the company has developed strong operational and strategic capabilities across multiple industries that underpin the regional economy. His experience includes the handling of bulk and timber products supporting the agricultural sector, bulk road salt distribution for national infrastructure, and the importation of thousands of vehicles annually through the Port of Cork for the Munster market. He has also overseen complex project cargo movements, including wind turbine components and distillery infrastructure.
RSL has expanded its footprint to over 120,000 sq. ft. of warehousing across five Cork locations, with strong competencies in procurement, inventory management and integrated supply chain solutions. The company operates a global freight forwarding service, managing import and export flows across international markets and numerous supply chains.
Seán has developed a distinct advantage in Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE), having facilitated previous wind energy projects and built a strong understanding of Ireland’s national targets and Cork’s strategic role as a maritime hub in the transition to a sustainable future.
He is a member of the International General Stevedoring Council, where he actively benchmarks operations against leading global port service providers.
Dr Noel Murray is Dean of the Faculty of Business at Munster Technological University, leading a dynamic academic community dedicated to preparing graduates for an evolving business landscape while contributing to regional economic development. His career spans both industry and academia, providing a balanced perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing organisations today.
Prior to this role, Dr Murray served as Head of the Department of Tourism & Hospitality at MTU (since 2016), working closely with industry partners to enhance programme relevance and innovation. Earlier experience includes commercial leadership roles with Kerry Group and O&B Recruitment, where he developed expertise in sales, talent development, workforce planning, and labour market dynamics. These insights continue to inform his commercially grounded, people-focused leadership approach.
Dr Murray holds a PhD in Strategic Management, alongside postgraduate qualifications in marketing, leadership, people & culture, education, and coaching. His research and professional work focus on inter-organisational (business) networks, sustainable business, leadership development, and enterprise growth. He has also secured significant external funding to support initiatives that connect education with real-world business needs.
A strong advocate for collaboration between industry and education, Dr Murray is committed to developing talent, supporting innovation, and ensuring regional competitiveness. Through his role at MTU, he engages with a broad network of stakeholders locally, nationally, and internationally.
Garrett O’ Keeffe is currently the Site Leader for Solarwinds, a US Software Multinational, here in Cork. He is also the Vice President of Customer Success globally, and has worked for Solarwinds for 10 years.
Solarwinds are based in Citygate and employ 180 people in Cork, and were honoured to win Cork Company Of The Year in 2015, an effort which Garrett spearheaded.
Born in Cork, Garrett has worked in Cork all his life in various roles for companies such as Esat Telecom, BT Ireland and Vodafone. Healso worked for 6 years as an executive coach. He graduated with a BComm from UCC in 1991, and in 2020 completed a Masters in Human Resources (also in UCC).
Garrett believes his unique blend of large corporate experience, self-employment and academic insight, makes me a great candidate to join the Chamber board, as he has seen the challenges facing both ends of the business spectrum. Having a multinational member of the board would bring a perspective that is necessary, given the importance of that sector to the business community here in Cork.
His relationship with the Chamber goes back to 1998, when Esat Telecom was a sponsor of the Cork Company of The Year Awards. At that time he also sat on the Telecoms Committee. More recently he has been a contributor at the Chamber Leadership Forum, including being a panel member in 2023, where he spoke about the challenges facing businesses due to the housing crisis. Garrett was also asked to represent the Multinational Sector on this topic at a Chamber meeting with the Taoiseach in 2023.
On a personal level, Garrett is a keen follower of Cork hurling, was involved for many years with underage hurling in Cloughduv and is a member of Lee Valley Golf Club.
Conor has worked in the hospitality sector for over 30 years in a range of management roles and has been heavily involved in leading and driving company culture through team collaboration. His proven success with leading teams and collaborating closely with peers has helped fulfil the value of “success is dependent on team collaboration”.
In his current role, Conor manages and leads Cork’s largest 4-star Hotel. His strengths are customer focus, with my eye constantly on the changing needs and behavior of our valued customers. With a long-standing record of initiative, innovation, achievement of outstanding results and the successful management of KPI’s, he has developed and executed strategies which he believes will bring value to this role. He enjoys the challenge of board membership in various aspects of the community and is confident that they will prove beneficial to Cork Chamber of Commerce should he be fortunate enough to be elected.
Throughout the course of his career, Conor has honed his business development skills. He is an astute problem-solver capable of prioritising and managing complex projects with proficiency. He exercises innovation, decision-making and project management in contribution of team efforts and organisational improvements. He is open minded and focused on new developments. He has proven to be effective and motivational with proficiency in critical thinking and collaborative work with others. Conor enjoys brainstorming and coordinating efforts to achieve a common goal.
Conor believes he will bring exceptional leadership qualities, excellent communication skills, ambition, results focused mindset, innovation and vision to this role.
Educated to post-doctorate level as a scientist, Jean is a highly accomplished professional with over 30 years of experience in academia. In her roles at University College Cork, she focuses on establishing and nurturing national and international partnerships to advance UCC’s education, research, and public engagement missions. She has strong advocacy and influencing skills, extending her reach to policymakers and business leaders both nationally and internationally. She and her teams have informed, connected and promoted the university and this region, only one measurable outcome of which has been the generation of in excess of €200M of income for the University.
Committed to internationalisation, one notable achievement is her role as the founder and director of the European University Alliance, UNIC, which consists of 10 universities across Europe. Jean has received recognition for her achievements, including being named the “Women Mean Business” Business Woman of the year in Ireland in 2010.
Jean aims to leverage her extensive experience and network to benefit the Cork Chamber. She understands the dynamics of effective partnerships between academia and business, emphasizing talent provision and research outcomes. She also plays a crucial role in promoting Cork as a business-friendly destination, working in partnership with organizations like the IDA to attract multinational companies.
Jean is committed to influencing policy to drive economic growth, particularly in the higher education sector. She believes that strengthening the links between the Chamber and UCC can ensure that education programmes meet the changing needs of the business community. If elected to the Chamber’s Board, she pledges to raise awareness of UCC’s learning, teaching and research among Chamber members and enhance interaction with Chamber members and the University’s global partnership base.
In summary, Jean’s candidacy for the Cork Chamber Board brings a wealth of experience in partnership building, policy influence, and academia-business interface, with a focus on driving economic growth and fostering collaboration between academia and the business community in Cork.
Noreen Walsh is Head of AIB Cork, Cork’s largest bank. She is responsible for leading a team of over 250 staff across 26 branches throughout Cork City and County. A graduate of University of Limerick, Noreen is a customer focused senior Financial and Banking services expert, with over 24 years experience gained from working in a variety of roles within AIB. These included positions in AIB’s Wealth Division, Regional Roles in AIB’s Retail and Business Banking areas and Branch Manager position’s in Mallow and South Mall branches. Noreen is responsible for driving the performance of her team by consistently putting the customer first and delivering the best banking experience.