Teneo, the New York-based communications and advisory firm, has appointed former Fine Gael minister Frances Fitzgerald as a senior adviser here.
The former tánaiste will also join the Teneo Ireland advisory board, which is chaired by Gary McGann and includes former Ireland and Lions rugby captain Brian O’Driscoll.
Teneo said the appointment “deepens the firm’s expertise” in Government and public affairs.
Ms Fitzgerald, who at one stage had been tipped for a run at the presidency later this year, will advise the firm’s clients and support the growth of Teneo’s business in Ireland and Europe, the company said.
Teneo’s Irish business has 100 people working across five business segments: strategy and communications, financial advisory, management consulting, people advisory and risk. It has annual Irish revenues of about €20 million.
Ms Fitzgerald served as tánaiste from 2016 to 2017 and was previously a minister for justice and equality, a minister for children and youth affairs, and a minister for business, enterprise and innovation.
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She was first elected to the Dáil in 1992 and most recently served as a member of the European Parliament from 2019 to 2024.
Commenting on her appointment, Ms Fitzgerald said: “Having served in Cabinet during a period of major social and economic transformation, I hope to bring that experience to bear in helping leaders navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead.”
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Teneo Ireland chief executive Michael O’Keeffe said Ms Fitzgerald would bring “unmatched experience and insight into Irish public life” to its clients.
“Her deep understanding of policymaking – both nationally and in Europe – make her an invaluable addition to our advisory team,” he added.
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Based in New York, Teneo was founded in 2011 and is led by Irishman Paul Keary, as global chief executive. It has annual revenues of more than $600 million (€516 million).
Ms Fitzgerald is the latest former senior Fine Gael politician to land an advisory role with a PR and communications group. In March, it emerged that former taoiseach Leo Varadkar was taking up an advisory role with US-based public relations firm Penta, which boasts Microsoft, Google and JP Morgan among its clients.
In 2021, another former taoiseach Enda Kenny was appointed to the board of Heneghan Strategic Communications, a PR firm led by Nigel Heneghan. In April, Big Four firm EY announced that former tánaiste Simon Coveney had joined the firm as a consultant.
