The Board consists of two executive and four non-executive Directors. Details of the professional and educational backgrounds of each director encompassing the experience and expertise that they bring to the Board are set out below.
John B. McGuckian
BSc (Econ)
Chairman
John B. McGuckian, aged 80, has been a Director for 32 years having been appointed as a non-executive Director in 1988 and Chairman in 2004. He has a wide range of interests, both in Ireland and internationally. He is also a Director of Cooneen Textiles Limited. He is a former Director of a number of listed companies and he has previously acted as the Chairman of; the International Fund for Ireland, the Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland, UTV Media plc (where he was also a member of the Remuneration Committee) and as Senior Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Senate of the Queen’s University of Belfast.
Brian O'Kelly
BBS, FCA
Senior Independent Director
Brian O’Kelly, aged 57, has been a Director for 7 years having been appointed to the Board in 2013. Brian is Co-Head of Investment Banking in Goodbody having previously been Managing Director of Goodbody Corporate Finance. He is an executive director of Ganmac Holdings, the parent company of Goodbody. Brian qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG and was subsequently a Director of ABN AMRO Corporate Finance. He is a member of the Listing Committee of Euronext Dublin.
Committee Membership: Audit Committee, Remuneration Committee (Chairperson), Nomination Committee
John Sheehan
FCA
Independent Director
John Sheehan, aged 54, was appointed to the Board in October 2013. John holds a senior position with Ardagh Group, a leading operator in the global glass and metal packaging sector with operations principally in Europe and North America. John has over 20 years of experience at management level with exposure to international acquisition and development projects. He was formerly Head of Equity Sales at NCB Stockbrokers, now part of Investec Bank, where he spent thirteen years in a range of roles and directly covered various industry sectors including transport and aviation. John qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC.
Committee Membership: Audit Committee (Chairperson), Remuneration Committee, Nomination Committee
Catherine Duffy
BA LegSC, DipLeg Stds
Independent Director
Catherine Duffy, aged 58, has been a Director for 8 years having been appointed to the Board in 2012. Catherine is a Senior Partner and former Chair of law firm A&L Goodbody specialising its Banking and Financial Services. Catherine is a member and a former Chair of the International Legal Advisory Panel to the Aviation Working Group of Unidroit. She was previously a non-executive Director of Beaumont Hospital and a member of the first Advisory Group to the Irish Maritime Development Office, a government sponsored organisation set up to promote and assist the development of Irish shipping and shipping services.
Committee Membership: Audit Committee, Nomination Committee (Chairperson) and Remuneration Committee
Eamonn Rothwell
BComm, MBS, FCCA, CFA UK
Chief Executive Officer
Eamonn Rothwell, aged 64, has been a Director for 33 years having been appointed as a non-executive Director in 1987 and subsequently to the position of Chief Executive Officer in 1992. He is also a Director of Interferry European Office A.I.S.B.L. He is a former Director of The United Kingdom Mutual War Risks Association Limited, Interferry Inc and The United Kingdom Mutual Steam Ship Assurance Association (Bermuda) Limited. He is a past executive Director of former stockbrokers NCB Group, now part of Investec Bank. Prior to that, he worked with Allied Irish Banks plc and Fáilte Ireland (The Irish Tourist Board).
Committee Membership: Nomination Committee
David Ledwidge
FCA, BSc (Mgmt)
Chief Financial Officer
David Ledwidge, aged 40, was appointed to the Board on 3 March 2016. David joined the Group in 2006 from professional services firm Deloitte where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant. He has held various financial positions within the Group, including Group Risk Accountant, and most recently as Finance Director of Irish Ferries. He was appointed to his current role as Group Chief Financial Officer in May 2015.
Thomas Corcoran
BComm, FCA
Company Secretary
Thomas Corcoran, aged 55, joined the Company in 1989 from the international professional services firm PwC, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant. He has held a number of financial positions within the Group and is currently Group Financial Controller and Company Secretary. He was appointed Company Secretary in 2001.
John B. McGuckian
Chairman
BSc (Econ)
John B. McGuckian, aged 80, has been a Director for 32 years having been appointed as a non-executive Director in 1988 and Chairman in 2004. He has a wide range of interests, both in Ireland and internationally. He is also a Director of Cooneen Textiles Limited. He is a former Director of a number of listed companies and he has previously acted as the Chairman of; the International Fund for Ireland, the Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland, UTV Media plc (where he was also a member of the Remuneration Committee) and as Senior Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Senate of the Queen’s University of Belfast.
Brian O'Kelly
Independent Director
BBS, FCA
Brian O’Kelly, aged 57, has been a Director for 7 years having been appointed to the Board in 2013. Brian is Co-Head of Investment Banking in Goodbody having previously been Managing Director of Goodbody Corporate Finance. He is an executive director of Ganmac Holdings, the parent company of Goodbody. Brian qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG and was subsequently a Director of ABN AMRO Corporate Finance. He is a member of the Listing Committee of Euronext Dublin.
Committee Membership: Audit Committee, Remuneration Committee (Chairperson), Nomination Committee
John Sheehan
Independent Director
FCA
John Sheehan, aged 54, was appointed to the Board in October 2013. John holds a senior position with Ardagh Group, a leading operator in the global glass and metal packaging sector with operations principally in Europe and North America. John has over 20 years of experience at management level with exposure to international acquisition and development projects. He was formerly Head of Equity Sales at NCB Stockbrokers, now part of Investec Bank, where he spent thirteen years in a range of roles and directly covered various industry sectors including transport and aviation. John qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC.
Committee Membership: Audit Committee (Chairperson), Remuneration Committee, Nomination Committee
Catherine Duffy
Independent Director
BA LegSC, DipLeg Stds
Catherine Duffy, aged 58, has been a Director for 8 years having been appointed to the Board in 2012. Catherine is a Senior Partner and former Chair of law firm A&L Goodbody specialising its Banking and Financial Services. Catherine is a member and a former Chair of the International Legal Advisory Panel to the Aviation Working Group of Unidroit. She was previously a non-executive Director of Beaumont Hospital and a member of the first Advisory Group to the Irish Maritime Development Office, a government sponsored organisation set up to promote and assist the development of Irish shipping and shipping services.
Committee Membership: Audit Committee, Nomination Committee (Chairperson) and Remuneration Committee
Eamonn Rothwell
Chief Executive Officer
MBS, FCCA, CFA UK
Eamonn Rothwell, aged 64, has been a Director for 33 years having been appointed as a non-executive Director in 1987 and subsequently to the position of Chief Executive Officer in 1992. He is also a Director of Interferry European Office A.I.S.B.L. He is a former Director of The United Kingdom Mutual War Risks Association Limited, Interferry Inc and The United Kingdom Mutual Steam Ship Assurance Association (Bermuda) Limited. He is a past executive Director of former stockbrokers NCB Group, now part of Investec Bank. Prior to that, he worked with Allied Irish Banks plc and Fáilte Ireland (The Irish Tourist Board).
Committee Membership: Nomination Committee
David Ledwidge
Chief Financial Officer
ACA, BSc (Mgmt)
David Ledwidge, aged 40, was appointed to the Board on 3 March 2016. David joined the Group in 2006 from professional services firm Deloitte where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant. He has held various financial positions within the Group, including Group Risk Accountant, and most recently as Finance Director of Irish Ferries. He was appointed to his current role as Group Chief Financial Officer in May 2015.
Thomas Corcoran
Company Secretary
BComm, FCA
Thomas Corcoran, aged 55, joined the Company in 1989 from the international professional services firm PwC, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant. He has held a number of financial positions within the Group and is currently Group Financial Controller and Company Secretary. He was appointed Company Secretary in 2001.