Business movers: People starting new jobs in Ireland

New appointees with Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Retirement Planning Council of Ireland, Mainline Power, Dublin City University, HSBC Corporate Banking Ireland and The Noledge Group

New roles: (top row, left to right) Dr John Hegarty, Michelle Keevans, Shane Hogan; (bottom row) Laura Mahoney, Russell Williamson, Sinéad Galligani.

Here is a selection of people starting new roles with Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Retirement Planning Council of Ireland, Mainline Power, Dublin City University, HSBC Corporate Banking Ireland and The Noledge Group.

Dr John Hegarty, former Provost and now Fellow Emeritus of Trinity College Dublin, has been appointed as the new chair of the council of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), from now until June 2025. He served as Provost of TCD from 2001-11, following a period as dean of Research and as head of the Physics Department. He completed a postdoctoral stay at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was a research scientist at Bell Labs, New Jersey. He has produced over 140 publications and developed several patents. Dr Hegarty is a member of the Royal Irish Academy and a Fellow of the Institute of Physics.

Michelle Keevans has been appointed as marketing, communications and programme management executive with the Retirement Planning Council of Ireland (RPC). She will work to develop the charity’s digital presence and online offering, includig its eLearning platform, RPCLearn. Her prior roles include assistant academic instructor at the Centre of Talented Youth Ireland and as CTYI's web master on its affiliated ECHA.info and ETSN.eu websites; and with eLearning design agency Cobblestone Learning, she created animated online learning platforms for clients including UCD, Johnson & Johnson and the NHS. She studied Animation in Coláiste Dhúlaigh and Ballyfermot College of Further Education, and Digital Marketing in UCD Professional Academy.

Shane Hogan has been appointed as senior contracts manager, electrical at Mainline Power, part of the Mainline Group. The Cork-based engineering solutions provider services the power, water, telecom and energy sectors in Ireland, the UK and Scandinavia. He joins after a lengthy career with Kirby Group, in roles including site supervisor, site manager, project manager to operations manager, responsible for Kirby’s transmission and distribution business unit. A quailfied electrician, he is an experienced project manager, and led a department where turnover grew significantly. He will oversee a team of project managers for Mainline, managing projects from tender through to project handover.

Laura Mahoney has been appointed as executive director of engagement with Dublin City University, leading DCU’s external engagement activities as well as student recruitment and alumni relations. She joins from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform where she was head of public service reform. She was also previously CEO of the Royal Irish Academy, an all-island bridge between academia, government and business. Laura holds an MBA (PG Dip) from the Open University, a Masters Degree in Political Philosophy from UCD and a BA in Contemporary History from University of Sussex. She worked as a tutor and held posts in the RCSI and the Fulbright Commission.

Russell Williamson has bee appointed as as head of food and agriculture with HSBC Corporate Banking Ireland, which employs more than 350 people. He will support HSBC’s existing food and agriculture clients and assist future growth plans within this strategically important sector in Ireland. He previously worked at Bank of Ireland where he was an associate director of corporate banking, supporting more than 60 clients in a diverse range of sectors including food and agriculture, media, logistics, construction and manufacturing. Russell has over 19 years’ experience across a wide range of customer-facing roles and sectors including corporate banking, relationship management, international banking, retail banking and structured products.

Sinéad Galligani has been promoted to group marketing director with cloud specialist The Noledge Group, marketing its Envisage and OSSM brands. She brings more than 20 years’ sales and marketing experience to her new role. She joined the group in 2014 as marketing manager. She has also worked in business development, account management and marketing management roles with Advent Processing Solutions, and in marketing and sales roles with Intellect Accounting & Network Solutions. Sinéad holds a degree in International Marketing and Languages from DCU, and a diploma in digital marketing from The Irish Times/IIA. She has also completed the Forrester B2B marketing foundations and demand-based marketing accreditations.