Business movers: People starting new jobs in Ireland

New appointees with IDA Ireland, Finance Ireland, Neuromed, Sky Ireland, Benefacts, Boys + Girls

New roles: (top row, left to right) Michelle Conaghan, Damien Daly, Teri Minard; (bottom row) Ben Staves, Jennifer Coyne, Derek Doyle.

Here is a selection of people starting new roles with IDA Ireland, Finance Ireland, Neuromed, Sky Ireland, Benefacts, Boys + Girls.

Michelle Conaghan has been appointed as IDA Ireland's regional business development manager for the North West region, part of the wider Border Region comprising counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan. A native of Co Donegal, she joined IDA in 2015 as head of emerging technologies/high growth companies for the UK. She then became a VP of new forms of investment and more recently, VP of green economy. While primarily based in London, Michelle also held responsibility for France and the Benelux region. She holds an MSc in Strategic Management from TUD and a diploma in Business Management from the NCI. IDA Ireland has 66 client companies in the Border Region, employing 8,651 people.

Damien Daly has been appointed as chief operating officer of Finance Ireland, the non-bank lender. Damien has extensive experience in the financial services industry across retail banking, capital markets and treasury management. He is currently director of strategy at Ulster Bank and a member of the Ulster Bank executive committee. Prior to Ulster Bank, Damien worked in senior positions in Bank of Ireland, including as MD of Bank of Ireland’s financial services partnership with the AA in the UK and as director of marketing and customer analytics in Bank of Ireland Retail in Ireland. Specialising in mortgages, car finance, SME leasing and agri-finance, Finance Ireland's key shareholders include the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) and global investment management firm PIMCO.

Teri Minard has been appointed as director for government sales at Neuromod USA, the recently established US arm of Neuromod Devices, the Irish medical device company which specialises in interventions for tinnitus. She joins Neuromod from multinational conglomerate 3M, where she helped drive business growth, with global responsibilities for strategic planning, business development, and sales and marketing. She will oversee Neuromod’s bid to offer tinnitus solutions to the US public hearing healthcare ecosystem by partnering with government organisations. Neuromod’s initial area of focus will be to provide tinnitus interventions for US Veterans by building relationships with the Department of Veteran Affairs, the Department of Defence, and other key government stakeholders.

Ben Staves has been appointed the role of head of digital at Sky Ireland. He brings more than 14 years’ experience in digital media, working across advertiser, media agency and media owner roles. He joins from Journal Media, where he managed digital transformation projects involving data and programmatic enhancements. He was also previously head of programmatic and partnership innovation at DMG Media Ireland, head of programmatic at Maximum Media and JOE, and media and head of campaign activation at AMNET Ireland. He will now lead Sky Ireland's development and delivery of new and existing digital advertising opportunities. He said: “I look forward to delivering new and exciting video, display and online content to our Irish consumers.” 

Jennifer Coyne has been appointed as chief financial officer with non-profit data transparency organisation Benefacts. A fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, Jennifer began her career at PWC before moving on to specialist finance roles in the private and charity sectors, where she has served in senior financial management positions at Gorta and Focus Ireland, as well as working with a variety of non-profits as an independent consultant. She is a native of Blackrock, Co Dublin, and a graduate of both UCD and DCU. Jennifer said: “Benefacts work promoting transparency and supporting evidence-based decision making in Ireland’s €14bn non-profit sector is crucial to the effective functioning of the sector.” 

Derek Doyle, the executive production director of advertising agency Boys + Girls, has been appointed to the complaints committee of the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland. He brings almost 30 years’ experience in the advertising and production industry to this independent arm of the ASAI, which adjudicates complaints against advertisements. Derek was also previously head of broadcast/AV production in Ogilvy & Mather. He has a wealth of knowledge in advertising, content production and commercial and financial management. Derek is a graduate of both TCD and TUD and is passionate about working at the interface of creative and commerce. The committee is made up of experts from advertising, media, education, consumer and marketing.