Irish strategic communications and public affairs consultancy Drury has appointed Cathal Barry as its new chief executive.
Barry, who has been with the firm for more than 10 years, will take over from Anne-Marie Curran in January.
In 2016, Barry joined Drury as a client manager and in 2022 was appointed managing director of the agency’s financial communications unit. Earlier this year, he was also appointed to the company’s board.
Barry said he has been proud to work for the Drury, which provides strategic communications advice to number of well-known Irish businesses, including CRH, Cairn Homes, ESB Group, Flutter Entertainment, Ires Reit, Irish Life, Musgrave Group and Ryanair.
READ MORE
“The communications sector is changing faster than at any time in Drury’s history, and our clients need counsel that is sharp, independent and grounded in real experience,” Barry said.
Drury is controlled by several executive directors and co-owners, including Curran, Paddy Hughes and Sinead Birt, with the agency’s cofounder Billy Murphy still acting as lead adviser to many of Drury’s key clients.
The most recent accounts for Drury show the firm, which was sitting on accumulated profits of €1.2 million at the end of 2024, paid its five directors a combined pay package of around €1.5 million in the year, which would have averaged at €298,576 each if distributed evenly.
Curran, who has led the agency for more than 16 years, will become executive chairwoman when Barry takes on the chief executive role.
During her time in charge of the agency, Curran led the management buyout of the business from Omnicom Group in 2020. The move returned Drury to independent ownership.
She said leading Drury had been “the privilege of my career” and she was proud of the business she helped to build.
“Cathal is an outstanding adviser and respected leader who has played a central role in our growth, and the strength of our team means we can, once again, appoint from within. As executive chair, I look forward to working closely with our clients, and supporting Cathal and the team as Drury enters its next chapter.”
Barry has specialised in advising clients on capital markets and transaction communications since joining the firm. He has worked closely with a range of public companies listed on stock exchanges in Dublin, London and New York.
He has also provided crisis management services for several private and family-owned businesses in Ireland.
