Irene O'Gorman

You’ve been involved as a non-executive director for several years now. What have those experiences been like for you?

I’ve been a Non-Executive Director (NED) with the Irish Cancer Society for five years, and it has been a true win-win experience. I also joined the advisory board of the Gate Theatre in January of this year. I enjoy being able to leverage my marketing, business development, and fundraising expertise for the benefit of the non-profit sector.

I’ve also learned a huge amount from stepping out of my day-to-day environment. Both organisations have given me the opportunity to learn and build on my skillset. It’s a real win-win all round.

How did you prepare yourself for the boardroom?

My preparation was greatly strengthened by the Institute of Directors (IoD) Ireland Chartered Director Programme, which I completed a few years ago. It’s a phenomenal course - tough, intensive, and incredibly well presented.

I’ve been able to leverage all the theory and put it into practice in my NED roles. I would encourage anyone who wants to step into the NED world to do the course. It’s a hugely beneficial thing to do.

The pressures on boards today are significant. How do you see those challenges evolving?

Governance requirements are very strenuous - and rightly so. There is a huge onus on board members to be mindful of risk and to stay up to speed on the latest developments in areas like ESG, governance, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence (AI).

It’s not just about keeping up; you need to be ahead of the curve. The digital world is moving so fast, and for organisations to harness those benefits, board members must invest the time, effort, and energy to understand current trends and how they can be leveraged for business impact.

Risk management is also huge - digital, cyber, and geopolitical risks are all significant and having an increasing impact on companies of all sizes.

How does your IoD Ireland membership support your professional journey?

I’ve been a member of IoD Ireland for many years. The organisation provides access to a really rich and important network which is immensely valuable. The training and networking events are excellent. Those events help you keep up to speed on governance, risk management, AI, and other key topics for directors. I really enjoy having access to that learning environment.

What have you found most rewarding about your board roles with the Irish Cancer Society and the Gate Theatre?

The Irish Cancer Society does exceptional work - supporting people on the cancer journey, funding research and development on treatment and prevention. It’s also an incredibly professional and well-run organisation, heavily reliant on external fundraising, with less than 10 per cent of its income coming from the State.

It’s been a fantastic experience helping to shape its strategy and success, ensuring it’s well positioned to serve the public interest in Ireland.

The Gate Theatre is quite different. It’s about promoting awareness of and access to the arts - bringing inspiring theatre to wider communities and attracting new audiences. Helping an organisation like that to grow is very rewarding.

You’ve highlighted the importance of marketing expertise in the boardroom. What value does it bring?

It’s really important to have a marketing focus on a board - to help craft marketing and digital strategies and ensure the organisation has the right infrastructure to implement them.

In the charity sector, for example, there has been a huge pivot to online and digital fundraising, and the Irish Cancer Society is at the forefront of that. Marketing skills can really help grow the revenue base in the non-profit area.

Brand building and protection are also vital. The value of a trustworthy brand is everything to a charity. We’ve seen some high-profile cases of what happens when brand reputation is damaged. Building, protecting, and safeguarding an organisation’s brand is critical to its longevity and success.

Tell us a bit about your own career journey - how did you get to where you are today?

I’ve spent most of my career in marketing and business development roles with Big 4 professional services firms, though I actually started out in psychology. I did an honours degree in Psychology at UCD but always wanted to apply it to a business rather than a clinical environment.

I followed that with a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Studies and a Masters in Business Studies (Marketing) from UCD Smurfit School. Early on, I identified the importance of international experience and spent three years working in marketing roles in South Africa and Australia.

When I returned to Ireland, I joined Enterprise Ireland as a Business Development Manager, helping businesses around the country sell into the public sector. From there, I moved to the National College of Ireland as Director of Marketing and Communications, before joining Deloitte in 2005 as Director of Marketing and Business Development.

That was my first foray into the Big 4. I built the firm’s marketing infrastructure and was then approached by a headhunting agency to move to the Middle East with KPMG. It was a great opportunity to broaden my horizons, both culturally and professionally.

I worked across the UAE and Oman for almost six years, helping drive new business growth across key service lines. It was a remarkable experience - I loved every minute of it.

How do you view the role of marketing today in professional services?

The role of marketing has grown significantly in importance in the Big 4 firms. KPMG is a phenomenal organisation, with exceptional people helping clients tackle huge challenges to sustain and grow their companies.

Ultimately, it’s a people business - we don’t sell physical products; we sell expertise. Firms need strong brand differentiation to succeed in a cluttered market.

There’s now great recognition of the role of marketing in driving business and revenue growth. I work closely with partners to identify where growth will come from and to ensure we bring the right services to clients to support their objectives. I never get tired of the role, even after many years doing it.

What advice would you give to others considering a NED role?

I’d absolutely encourage others to step into the NED world. It’s hugely fulfilling, and stepping out of your comfort zone can be both educational and enriching.

People might be surprised by how much they stand to learn from involvement on boards - but they do need to understand the significant time and commitment involved: learning about the organisation, reading all the board papers, understanding the core mandates, and staying up to date with governance and other issues.

Looking ahead, I see myself remaining involved in the NED world. It will always be an integral and important part of my career journey, and for as long as I can make a meaningful contribution - leveraging my commercial marketing expertise - I’m very happy to do so.