Membership FAQs

IoD Ireland is built for aspiring directors, board members and seasoned executives. As a member you gain access to a wealth of resources and supports carefully curated to help you grow and develop as a director,  build and expand your network, and enhance your professional profile. 

Being a valued member of Ireland’s leading Director network ensures you will benefit from the following: 

  Access to a valued network 

• Exclusive access to over 3,500 directors and C-suite members within Ireland’s largest and most trusted director network. 
• Extensive networking opportunities at more than 30 complimentary events each year. 

Learn and grow as a director 

• Expert insights and inspiration from thought leaders at our Leading in Governance conference and other prestigious member and partnership events. 
• Director resources and content, including our Director Handbooks, thought leadership articles, Director Factsheets, webcasts, and monthly e-zines, all crafted by leading experts in the legal, professional services, and consultancy sectors. 

Develop with the support of governance experts 

• Benchmark your position and understand how your remuneration compares within the Irish market with exclusive access to the IoD Ireland Board Director Remuneration and Governance Survey 2025/26.
• Educational opportunities with preferential rates for IoD members, ranging from workshops to short programmes, including our gold-standard Chartered Director Programme, taught by a distinguished faculty of Chartered Directors and governance experts. 
• The IoD Ireland CPD Framework for Directors offers valuable guidance, empowering members to navigate the complex policy, regulatory, macroeconomic, and governance landscape with confidence. 
• Tax & Legal Panels - Complimentary access to expert advice on corporate and personal tax matters, along with a Legal Panel offering relevant advice to IoD members. 

Be recognised by peers and enhance your personal brand   

• Develop and enhance your director profile with access to our dedicated Director Development Toolkit.
• Recognition from the only organisation in Ireland that awards the full Chartered Director (CDir) designation through the IoD Chartered Director Programme.
• Promotional opportunities which provide an engagement, information, and promotional platform for members as well as high-profile opportunities to speak and build networks via online and in-person events. 
• IoD Board Recruitment Service – Opportunity to join our candidate pool for potential roles as Non-Executive Chair, Board Member, or Committee Member across a wide variety of sectors.

Shape the future of governance 

• Advocacy work: the opportunity to be a key stakeholder to enable our vision for Ireland to become an exemplar of corporate governance. 
• Policy and public affairs engagement: Be an active stakeholder in IoD’s work with government and regulators, helping influence the debate, shape the agenda, and advocate change through feedback in member surveys, consultations, and published research reports on business sentiment. 
• Member research: opportunity to share your views in key policy areas and issues through our surveys and focus groups.  

Special member Offers 

• Access to essential products and services for personal and business needs, including tailored Directors & Officers Liability Insurance. 
• Members also enjoy a range of exclusive lifestyle and hospitality benefits, including preferred access to business and entertaining facilities at 116 Pall Mall, London, discounted hotel accommodation and golf rates, reduced digital news subscription offers, and a selection of theatre, retail and hotel privileges. 

To learn more about our full suite of member benefits, visit our website page Member Benefits | Institute of Directors Ireland. 

No. Membership is open to senior executives and leaders as well as non-executive directors. The IoD Ireland community brings together individuals at various stages of their board and leadership journey - see the next answer for a full overview. 

Typically, applicants will have held a senior executive position with responsibilities equivalent to a director-level role, involving strategic leadership, governance oversight, or significant decision-making authority, for a minimum of three years.

IoD Ireland membership is composed of company directors, and senior leaders. Typically, applicants will have held a senior executive position with responsibilities equivalent to a director-level role, involving strategic leadership, governance oversight, or significant decision-making authority, for a minimum of three years.

Below are the different experience levels of our membership.  

• Executive Directors, including Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), and others formally appointed to the board.   
• Senior executive team members (for example, COO, CTO, CMO, CIO, CRO, CCO, CHRO, CSO), who report directly to the board and hold primary responsibility for strategic leadership and governance oversight. 
• Individuals in equivalent senior roles, who, though not holding one of the titles above, have demonstrably fulfilled responsibilities involving direct accountability to a board for significant strategic, financial, operational, or governance matters.   
• Non-executive directors or board chairs. 
• Members of advisory boards or governance committees. 
• Trustees of charities or voluntary bodies with board-level oversight responsibilities. 
• Owners, founders, or partners in businesses or professional practices. 
• Corporate governance professionals, such as General Counsel, Company Secretaries, and Governance Officers, with substantial responsibility for board governance, compliance frameworks, and regulatory affairs. 
• Senior civil and public servants, for example Secretary General, Assistant Secretary, or equivalent roles. 
• Investors, venture capitalists, or private equity professionals with board or governance involvement. 

All membership applications are subject to approval by the IoD Nominating Committee. Once approved, your membership will be confirmed. Applications are considered in the context of your professional experience. Further information is available in the previous question.

Yes. IoD Ireland membership is open to individuals with significant leadership or strategic experience across the private, public, or not-for-profit sectors.  

We also offer Board Membership. This option brings Chairs, Directors, C-suite, Company Secretaries and General Counsels together under one collective membership, strengthening your organisation’s governance and leadership.

Board Membership with IoD Ireland extends the full benefits of individual membership to each board member, while also unlocking exclusive, board-specific supports designed to strengthen governance, enhance strategic leadership, and foster continuous improvement. Learn more about our Board Membership offering. 

Yes. The IoD Ireland Board Membership brings Chairs, Directors, C-suite, Company Secretaries and General Counsels together under one collective membership, strengthening your organisation’s governance and leadership.

Board Membership with IoD Ireland extends the full benefits of individual membership to each board member, while also unlocking exclusive, board-specific supports designed to strengthen governance, enhance strategic leadership, and foster continuous improvement.

Learn more by visiting our dedicated Board Membership website page, or by contacting Darren Clarke, Business Development Manager, IoD Ireland.

Our membership is composed of organisations of all sizes and structures from multinational corporations and PLCs to SMEs, family businesses, start-ups, state bodies, and charities across all sectors.

IoD Ireland provides a unique network to over 3,500 directors and business leaders in Ireland. While the membership is composed of the most senior business leaders and directors in Ireland, it is also cross sector and is composed of organisations of all sizes and structures, from multinational corporations and PLCs to SMEs, family businesses, start-ups, state bodies, and charities. 

Our host of member benefits provides directors and senior leaders with all you need to lead and enable the success of your organisation. Our membership allows directors to learn and grow, develop and enhance their governance insights and expertise, be recognised by peers, the ability to enhance your personal brand, and provide you with the opportunity to shape the future of governance standards in Ireland.  

Your membership will begin as soon as it is approved by the IoD Ireland Nominating Committee.

You can apply for membership via our website, and/or by contacting our Membership Team.  

Membership costs €495 per year in the first year and €425 for each subsequent year. All applications are subject to approval by the IoD Nominating Committee.