Fáilte Ireland ceo Paul Kelly leaving role to become RDS chief 

Mr Kelly has been at the tourism development authority after eight years and will leave later this year 

Paul Kelly is to leave his role as CEO of Failte Ireland. Photo:Gareth Chaney/Collins

Fáilte Ireland has announced that Paul Kelly is to step down as chief executive to take the lead role at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS). 

Mr Kelly has been leading Fáilte Ireland for the past eight years, is leaving in September to take up the role at the RDS. The recruitment process to appoint a new chief executive of Fáilte Ireland will begin in the coming weeks. “I am hugely excited to have the opportunity to take on the role of CEO of the RDS," said Mr Kelly. "The RDS has a highly prestigious past and huge future potential in its mission to inspire, enable and empower positive change in Ireland, and I’m looking forward to contributing to this mission”.

Prior to his role at Fáilte Ireland, Mr Kelly, who hails from Wexford, held senior positions at Aviva, and previously ran his own strategy and marketing consultancy. He began his career at Procter & Gamble in the UK, followed by senior roles at Diageo Ireland.

“Paul Kelly has notified me of his intention to step down as CEO of Fáilte Ireland, and will leave the organisation later in the year," said Ruth Andrews, chairperson of the Fáilte Ireland Authority. "Paul’s contribution to the success of Fáilte Ireland over the past eight years has been exceptional. I would like to thank him for his leadership and contribution to the sector, which leaves Fáilte Ireland and the tourism industry in a strong position and well primed for future success. We wish him all the best in his future career endeavours.”