The new Board members elected at the AGM were: Dr Terry McWade CDir, former CEO of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland; Martin Shanahan, Partner, Grant Thornton, and former CEO and Board member of IDA Ireland; and Fiona Tierney CDir, Non-Executive Director on the Board of Eircom Holdings (Ireland) Ltd.
Speaking about his appointment, John Reynolds CDir, President, IoD Ireland, said:
“2023 is a significant year for IoD Ireland, as we mark 30 years since our incorporation. I am honoured to be appointed the President of the Institute of Directors in Ireland during this significant time. As the commitment of being a director and business leader evolves, with new and evolving matters, such as the Individual Accountability Framework consultation, and fast developing ESG and Cyber related issues, IoD will be there to support the needs and concerns of its members. Our ambition is for Ireland to be considered an exemplar of corporate governance. We will continue to instil stakeholder trust and confidence in organisations by educating, informing, and supporting directors and business leaders to lead successfully.
“I would also like to acknowledge former President Imelda Reynolds CDir for her commitment to IoD Ireland over the last two years, and the significant impact she had, including the launch of our new strategy. Thank you also to outgoing board members Dan Flinter and Gervaise Slowey CDir for their time on the board. I am delighted to welcome Dr Terry McWade CDir, Martin Shanahan and Fiona Tierney CDir who bring an extensive level of expertise and experience, to the board. I look forward to working with the IoD Executive and Council and thank them for their focus and commitment in supporting our members”.
Former IoD Ireland President Imelda Reynolds CDir reflected:
“To meet the growing expectations on directors and our members, I was delighted to have the opportunity to lead the development and launch of the new Institute of Directors (IoD) in Ireland strategy, which includes measures to further enhance the member experience, as well as leading the voice for directors in Ireland. I would like to express my appreciation of the work and commitment of each of the members of our Council and Executive during my tenure as President. I am delighted to pass on the baton to John and see IoD Ireland go from strength to strength”.
John Reynolds CDir
President, IoD Ireland
John Reynolds is President of the IoD Ireland Council and a Chartered Director.
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.
Dr Terry McWade CDir
Director, IoD Ireland
Dr Terry McWade is a member of the IoD Ireland Council and a Chartered Director.
Terry is the former CEO of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. He previously held the positions of Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Valitacell Ltd which is now part of Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, Deputy CEO in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, CEO Exceptis Technologies, Principle in the Boston Consulting Group (London), and CEO (Denmark) and Adjoint Operationnel (Paris) Servier Laboratories Ltd.
He is a Board member of Our Lady’s Hospice and Care Services. He is a former Chair of the European Vaccine Initiative and Deputy Chair of the Dublin University Dental Hospital. He is a former Board member of the National Treatment Purchase Fund and the Institute of Bankers. Terry qualified in medicine from Trinity College Dublin and holds an MBA (INSEAD), MSc Healthcare Ethics and Law, Diploma in Child Health, and Diploma in Corporate Governance (UCD). He is a Chartered Director of the Institute of Directors.
Martin is a Partner at Grant Thornton, leading the firm’s Industry and FDI activities. He is also a former CEO and Board Member of IDA Ireland. Martin is an Adjunct Full Professor at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business since September 2019.
Previously, Martin was Chief Executive and Board Member of Forfás, Ireland’s policy advisory board for enterprise, trade, science, technology, and innovation. He also held executive roles in Fáilte Ireland, the tourism development authority. Martin is an advocate for equality, diversity, and inclusion, and has been recognised for his leadership on LGBTQ+ matters.
Fiona Tierney CDir
Director, IoD Ireland
Fiona Tierney CDir is a member of the IoD Ireland Council and a Chartered Director.
She is a professionally qualified non-executive director, with experience as a board member in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Fiona, from Butlers Bridge, Cavan, is currently serving as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Eircom Holdings (Ireland) Ltd, Ireland’s premier communications company and of Wells Fargo Bank International UC, (the EU banking licence holder for Well Fargo) where she is a member of the Audit Committee and of the NomRem Committee. She is also a Member of the Board of the National Advanced Manufacturing Centre in Limerick, an IDA-funded initiative which showcases and supports the transition to digital manufacturing in Ireland.
Fiona was appointed by the Taoiseach in 2019 as a member of the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC), a standing interview board which recommends candidates to Ministers and to Government for appointment at the most senior levels of the Irish civil service. She was also appointed by Government in 2018 to ‘Better Balance for Better Business’, a business-led working group examining gender representation in leadership of Irish business.
Previously, Fiona was Chair of the Audit Committee in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (2019-2022); a Trustee of the Irish Management Institute (2013 – 2021); and a Trustee of Pieta (2018-2022), a charity in Ireland focused on the prevention of suicide and self-harm. As CEO of Ireland’s Public Appointments Service (PAS) from 2012 to 2018, Fiona was an ex-officio member of the Board of PAS and was a member of the Civil Service Management Board from 2013 - 2018.
Educated at Trinity College, Dublin (BA (Mod) in Economics and Political Science) and at University College Dublin (Masters in Public Administration), Fiona is a Chartered Director of the Institute of Directors (2017) and a Certified Bank Director of the Institute of Banking (2021).