GI board members bring wide range of business expertise to the table

The Guaranteed Irish board includes members from a broad range of industry sectors who make time in their busy professional lives to support the organisation with their vast expertise and business knowledge.

“When I joined the organisation in 2016 the board membership was due to change,” says CEO Bríd O’Connell. “It was very important that we had a diverse and gender-balanced board that reflected the new Guaranteed Irish. That meant having members from large and small and international and multinational organisations.

“The board also needed to represent the different sectors. It includes people from tech, pharma, retail, professional services and other industries.”

Additionally, it required “companies and people with the same ethos as Guaranteed Irish”, says O’Connell.

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“We have people on the board who want to effect change in a positive way and support jobs and communities,” she says. “That’s how we targeted companies to ask them to become involved.

“The people are as important as the companies. These people are busy enough in their own lives and organisations and when they tell us that they would see it as a privilege to serve on our board, we are just delighted.”

The role of board members is to bring their experience and expertise, says O’Connell.

“We have people from firms like KPMG and Matheson who bring financial and legal expertise. We have people from other sectors like tech and pharma who all bring something different. That gives us a unique mix of skills and backgrounds which gives us a broad perspective when making decisions,” she explains.

Viatel Technology Group chief commercial officer Damien McCann says it’s a pleasure to serve on the board.

“For me, it is great to be able to give back to an organisation like Guaranteed Irish; it’s an iconic brand that everyone can relate to. It’s about creating jobs in communities and supporting the Irish economy. As you succeed in business you should want to give back to organisations like charities, sporting bodies and so on.”

McCann says the Guaranteed Irish board is made up of “a fabulous collection of business leaders”.

“It includes executives from organisations like SuperValu, MSD, Matheson and KPMG. Our role as a collective is to help shape the direction of Guaranteed Irish and chart the future course for the organisation while remaining true to its core values of doing it was set up to do in a sustainable manner.

“We are helping to shape the direction of the organisation for the years ahead. We work very closely with the CEO in bringing a strong element of diligence across everything that happens in the organisation.”

McCann joined the board to represent the technology sector.

“Viatel was asked to fly the flag for the sector and we were happy to do so,” he says. “Since then, we have seen many more small and large tech companies, including Microsoft, join Guaranteed Irish.

“We have been able to establish Technology Month to celebrate and champion our technology sector members and all the indigenous and multinational technology firms in Ireland and their commitment to providing quality jobs, supporting local communities, and to Irish provenance.”

KPMG tax partner Camilla Cullinane has been a member of the board for the past three years.

“I enjoy it hugely,” she says. “KPMG is a huge supporter of business in Ireland, and this is another way of providing that support. KPMG aligns with the Guaranteed Irish core values of jobs, community and provenance.

“Ireland is a great place to do business and Guaranteed Irish supports jobs in the country and that leads to greater prosperity. The board helps the organisation to respond to the needs of its members.”

Cullinane succeeded a colleague as a member of the Guaranteed Irish board.

“I do a lot of work on the private enterprise side of the business and it was suggested that would make me a good fit for the board,” she says.

“I enjoy playing a role in the governance of Guaranteed Irish. We discuss risk factors and strategy and governance for the organisation.

“We take a high-level view and make sure the organisation is run as it should be. We also help the CEO and the management team with the implementation of strategies.”

Cullinane believes the broad sectoral spread of the board is helpful.

“It’s very important to have as broad a perspective as possible and to have a board that is reflective of the membership,” she says. “I’m proud to be Irish and Guaranteed Irish is a great organisation that plays a part in making Irish a great place to do business and I am very pleased to support that.”