Business movers: People starting new jobs in Ireland

New appointees with Foróige, Stelfox IT Recruitment, Health Matters Occupational Health (HMOH), Bank of Ireland, Elevate Financial and Cairn Homes

New roles: (top row) Eric O’Brien, Jennifer Dillon, Dr Gary Ferguson; (bottom row) Laura Faulkner, Aidan Murphy, Madeleina Loughrey-Grant.

Here is a selection of people starting new roles with Foróige, Stelfox IT Recruitment, Health Matters Occupational Health (HMOH), Bank of Ireland, Elevate Financial and Cairn Homes.

Eric O’Brien has been appointed as CEO of Foróige, the national youth development organisation. Eric, from Togher in Cork, becomes only the fourth person to lead Foróige in its 73-year history. Having begun his career as a youth worker, O’Brien has dedicated over two decades to Foróige, working in communities across the country. From delivering local youth services and mentoring initiatives to overseeing large-scale regional operations, he has worked to enable young people to involve themselves consciously and actively in their own development. “This role is an opportunity to make sure Foróige continues to be a place where innovation, inclusion and impact thrive,” Eric said.

Jennifer Dillon has been appointed as managing director of Stelfox IT Recruitment, a specialist in tech recruitment, based in Cork. She is a specialist recruiter in talent, technology, and managed services, with over 25 years of experience in global recruitment. She was previously a director at recruitment firm Hays. She brings a wealth of expertise in business strategy, client partnerships, and solution design. Stelfox recently moved to a new office at Parliament Street, South Mall, Cork, leaving its Penrose Wharf office. “Big things are happening in Cork. This move reflects our commitment to the region - investing in space, talent, and the local economy,” said Jennifer.

Dr Gary Ferguson has been appointed as medical director with Health Matters Occupational Health (HMOH). He is a consultant and accredited specialist in occupational medicine (MFOM) with more than 16 years of clinical experience across Northern Ireland and mainland UK. Before specialising in occupational medicine, he worked in general practice with a strong interest in workplace health. His expertise spans both public and private sectors, including healthcare, education, emergency services, local government, construction, manufacturing, and SMEs. He will provide clinical leadership and governance across all HMOH services, ensuring the highest professional, ethical, and regulatory standards. He holds a postgraduate certificate in Clinical Leadership and a Master’s in Medical Education.

Laura Faulkner has been appointed as director of shared services with Bank of Ireland, a leadership role designed to unlock enterprise-wide value, innovation, and service excellence. With over two decades of senior leadership experience in financial services, Laura brings a proven track record in business transformation, operations, supply chain strategy, and enterprise efficiency. She joins Bank of Ireland from Nationwide Building Society where she was director of business services and previously held the role of chief procurement officer at Royal Bank of Scotland Group. Her appointment is part of the bank’s commitment to building a simpler, more agile organisation, delivering enhanced value for customers, partners, and stakeholders.

Aidan Murphy has been appointed as senior financial adviser with Elevate Financial. He brings over 18 years of experience across banking, treasury, and wealth management, having held senior advisory and leadership positions within Ireland’s financial services sector. His extensive background spans investment strategy, retirement planning, portfolio construction, and client relationship management, giving him a deep understanding of how to deliver tailored financial solutions for individuals, families, and business owners. During his tenure as insurance and investment manager at Bank of Ireland Life, Aidan was recognised for his outstanding performance and client outcomes, receiving the Investment Manager of the Year Award (2010) among 130 peers.

Madeleina Loughrey-Grant has been appointed as chief strategy and sustainability officer with construction firm Cairn Homes. She joins the Cairn C-suite and senior leadership team. She will lead Cairn’s strategy, sustainability, corporate affairs, legal and digital functions, helping to further shape the Company’s long-term direction, impact and growth ambitions. She joins Cairn after a decade at international engineering and construction firm Laing O’Rourke, where she led several global functions through significant transformational change. As group director of legal and sustainability, and a member of the Laing O’Rourke’s global executive committee, Madeleina helped to set strategy for the business and was the architect of its group sustainability strategy and agenda.