In this episode of the EY CEO Outlook Podcast, Laura Trimble, CEO of HSBC Ireland joins host Richard Curran to discuss leadership culture, customer-focused banking, and why Ireland remains a stable and attractive place to do business in a volatile global economy.

“There are quite a few parallels between doing endurance sports and working ... It requires you to plan, to be organised, to make a schedule, and to break big goals down into smaller ones along the way.”

Laura Trimble brings the mindset of an endurance athlete to leadership, focused on preparation, resilience, and long-term performance.

Raised on the south coast of England, Laura Trimble studied Mathematics and joined HSBC during a college placement before progressing into a full-time role with the organisation.

After building extensive technical and international experience across the business, she relocated to Ireland to take up the role of CEO of HSBC Ireland.

Laura has built her career inside the organisation, gaining deep technical expertise, international experience, and a strong understanding of how businesses grow and adapt in changing environments.

They also discuss:

-             How endurance sport principles shape leadership

-             Building a high performance, high care team culture

-             Why customer success is central to HSBC’s role globally

-             What global customers are saying about optimism and supply chain          resilience
 -             Ireland’s position as a stable place to do business

 -             The value of diverse perspectives in better decision-making

-             The impact she hopes to leave as a leader

In this episode of the EY CFO Outlook podcast, Marc Van Huet, CFO of Calor Ireland joins host, Dearbhail McDonald, to talk about building a modern finance engine, why a private, family-owned structure creates space to innovate, and the role LPG and BioLPG can play for rural homes, hotels and industry on the journey to net zero. He also shares the cultural lessons he’s learned in Ireland, the value of a diverse team, and why a good culture is built in small daily choices.

Marc Van Huet’s road to CFO began behind the glass walls of an iconic Louis Vuitton store in Singapore, where a particular project taught him about relationship between customer experience and process discipline. That experience sparked an early interest in how strong brands connect with people, something that continues to guide his work today. 

Marc’s career has taken him across several industries and leadership roles, from working with entrepreneurs to managing financial and project teams within SHV and beyond. Now, as the youngest CFO featured on the EY CFO Outlook podcast, Marc brings that same focus on people, growth, and innovation to Calor Ireland.

They also discuss: 

• Marc’s early career and the importance of customer service.
• Key lessons learned from working with entrepreneurs and across multiple industries.
• The modern CFO: freeing the month-end “engine” to focus on value; AI and process mining in finance
• Calor’s ambition to grow while leading Ireland’s energy transition.
• How being part of a global family business supports innovation and investment.
• Why culture and teamwork matter in modern leadership.

In this episode of the EY CFO Outlook Podcast, Peter Quinn, CFO of An Post joins host Dearbhail McDonald to talk about his career, the challenges An Post has faced, and why he’s optimistic about the future.

“When I started my career, it was before Microsoft Excel,” recalls Peter Quinn. “People thought technology would do away with jobs. Instead, it gave finance more firepower and made us more important.”

That same ability to see challenge as opportunity has defined Peter’s two decades as Chief Financial Officer of An Post. Since joining the company in 2004, he has navigated three of the biggest shocks of modern business - the financial crash, Brexit, and COVID - each one reshaping the world An Post operates in.

Today, Peter says An Post is no longer just the postman at the door. It’s a €1 billion business delivering state savings products, Amazon parcels, daily post, and rolling out electric vehicles. An Post, he says, is no longer just a postal service, it’s competing to be Ireland’s leader in home delivery.

They also discuss:

• How ‘An Post’ has shifted into parcels, logistics and financial services.
• The financial crash, Brexit, and the €100m cost of COVID.
• National postal operators still deliver half of all parcels and why An Post wants to stay on top.
• Believing in Sustainability, Peter talks about electric vans, closing the gender pay gap, and backing UN goals.
• How delegation and finance shape business decisions.
• Peter talks about sea-swimming with Alastair Campbell, a rugby tour in Uganda, and the optimism that drives him.

In this episode of the EY CEO Outlook podcast, Shay Walsh, Manging Director of BT Ireland, joins host Richard Curran to reflect on a career at the cutting edge of telecoms and communications, the challenges of leading your people through major strategic change, and the future of data and connectivity. 

Shay Walsh’s journey began in Cabra, Dublin, with Irish-speaking roots and a childhood immersed in technology - his grandfather a radio operator, and his parents civil servants in Posts & Telegraphs. After studying electronic engineering at DCU, he entered the world of telecoms just as the industry was being transformed. 

Having joined Esat Telecom as a field engineer when the company was still in its very early days, Shay has spent almost 30 years helping to shape the evolution of communications in Ireland, rising to the highest ranks of the telecoms industry along the way. Today, as BT sells its Irish wholesale and enterprise business units, he reflects on a remarkable 29-year career with the company and looks ahead to his next chapter. 

They also discuss: 

• BT’s decision to sell its Irish domestic and data centre businesses to focus more on the UK, and what will remain of its presence in Ireland. 
• The power of honesty and clear communication when trying to build trust during a period of big changes. 
• Shay’s view on Data Centres, their economic importance, and their energy requirements.  
• His pride about BT’s 20-year partnership with the Young Scientist Exhibition and its role in helping students grow in confidence.  
• What Shay plans to do next, after he wraps up his 29-year career with Esat / BT Ireland. 

In this episode of the EY CFO Outlook podcast, Rob Morrissey, CFO of AstraZeneca Ireland Commercial operations joins host Dearbhail McDonald to talk about his unconventional career journey, AstraZeneca’s growth plans, the role of AI in finance, and why empathy and compassion matter so much to him as a leader. 

Rob Morrissey’s path into finance was something of an accident. Having spent childhood summers helping on a farm in Wexford, and not being a natural ‘numbers person’, Rob was initially attracted to studying agricultural science at third level. However, without a farm to go to, he chose business studies. When the college Registrar accidentally placed Rob into the accounting module, he reluctantly decided to stick with it, and the rest is history. 

After qualifying as a chartered accountant, Rob entered the jobs market during the economic recession of the late 2000s and was unable to find work for a significant period of time, an experience that he found both humbling and made him more resilient. However, when he successfully applied for a maternity cover contract in AstraZeneca, Rob’s search was over and his journey to CFO began. 

Today, Rob leads financial strategy, governance, and long-term planning for the AstraZeneca Ireland Commercial operations which is a subsidiary of one of the world’s top science-led biopharma companies, with over 95,000 employees across 80 countries, selling products into 125 markets. 

They also discuss:

• How the CFO role has evolved into more of a strategic business partner. He talks about safeguarding the company’s assets but also driving the company’s performance and innovation.
• AI and Digital Transformation - embracing AI tools while upskilling to stay ahead in a changing finance landscape.
• Sustainability and Community Impact - AstraZeneca’s switch to electric vehicles and community initiatives including clean coasts, tree planting, and community gardens.
• Work-Life Balance and Leadership Philosophy - how becoming a parent helped Rob find better balance and explains why empathy and compassion matter in leadership.

In this episode of the EY CEO Outlook Podcast, Brian Walsh, CEO of Vhi talks with host Richard Curran about leading Vhi, combining business with purpose, and the shift toward digital and community-based healthcare.

The career path that Brian Walsh has travelled is testament to the early influence of his parents and childhood.  His mother worked in healthcare and his father in business, and Brian developed deep interest in both fields. These twin passions then converged in 2014 when Brian took a leadership role in Vhi, and today he is “really proud now to be in a role and with a business that marries both healthcare and business”. 

Being drawn to “travelling the path less travelled’, Brian’s career has spanned international roles across finance, telecommunications, and food industries, with experience in Hungary, Germany, and the United States. He became CEO of Vhi in 2021, having previously served as CFO. Keenly aware of the unique position that Vhi holds in Irish society, Brian is determined to keep the company purpose and values-led at its core, and to help its members to love longer and stronger and healthier lives. 

They also discuss:

·       Brian’s Career Journey: His early life, influence of his parents and global experience that led him to combine business and healthcare.

·       Leading with Purpose: Brian talks about the organisation being extremely purpose led and values led. How these clear values help guide decisions and manage different stakeholder needs. 

·       Changing Healthcare: How Vhi is using technology and community care to improve healthcare.

·       Reinvesting in Membership: How the company reinvests all income to benefit members and improve services

·       Brian’s views on leadership and his advice for others in management. 

In this episode of the EY CFO Outlook podcast, Thelma O’Driscoll, CFO of the IRFU joins host Jonathan Healy to talk about her diverse career path, her passion for growing male and female rugby from the grassroots up, and how the role of CFO enables her to create a strong and sustainable financial foundation for the game.

Thelma O’Driscoll’s journey into the rugby world was not a direct one. Starting out in the family business, Thelma went on to work in various finance functions across computer manufacturing (Dell), telecommunications, and professional services. This diverse financial background has proven to be a solid foundation for her current role as CFO of the IRFU. 

And diversity has been a strong theme during Thelma’s time in the male-dominated world of professional rugby. Having been the only female around the leadership table when she first joined in 2016, the organisation has since made huge strides, with 40% of the IRFU Union Committee now comprising female colleagues. Thelma is also very passionate about growing women’s rugby and increasing investment in it. 

They also discuss:

Financial Strategy - The IRFU is a not-for-profit organisation, meaning all revenue is reinvested into the game. Over half of the IRFU’s €90m income is distributed to provinces, clubs and grassroots rugby.

Challenges in Sports Finance - The IRFU's income varies in cycles, and careful management keeps national teams and grassroots rugby stable. Thelma explains why tough decisions are needed to invest wisely and control spending in order to maintain sustainability.

Growing Women’s Rugby - Women’s rugby is experiencing rapid growth and the IRFU are committed to grow the game further and increase investment. This strategic plan includes decentralising the current model and moving to four contracted provincial women’s teams. New sponsors like Goodfella’s Pizza are investing in women’s rugby, with more to come.

The Future of Irish Rugby - At the moment Ireland is at the pinnacle of world rugby, but sustaining its position requires careful financial planning. With a debt-free model, Thelma’s goal is to strengthen its finances with modern systems to support all levels of Irish rugby.

In this episode of the EY CEO Outlook podcast, Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec, discusses with host Richard Curran his early influences, his approach to leadership, and his vision for Ireland’s economy.

Danny McCoy’s career showcases a journey driven by a passion for economics and a deep understanding of Ireland’s evolving socio-economic landscape. Growing up in Tuam, County Galway, during challenging economic times, he witnessed firsthand the effects of industrial decline and small business struggles, which shaped his interest in economics.

After a successful academic and analytical career at institutions like the Central Bank, ESRI, and Oxford, Danny transitioned to a leadership role at Ibec, where he has championed Irish business and employers through times of economic uncertainty and growth.

They also discuss:

Background and Career Path: Danny grew up in Tuam and was influenced by the economic challenges of the 1970s and 80s. He was inspired by the role of economists and his love of business subjects, led him to study in Galway and future roles in the Central Bank, ESRI, and academia.

Joining Ibec: Danny joined Ibec in 2005 and became CEO in 2009 during Ireland’s economic recession. He worked hard to integrate the “business” aspect as a strong counterpart to the “employer” identity within Ibec.

Leadership Challenges and Achievements: Danny was instrumental in turning around Ibec’s finances, addressing a pension deficit which transformed Ibec into a sustainable organisation. Today, Ibec has a €50 million turnover organisation with 330 staff, 10 locations, and 39 brands. He was a strong advocate for optimism during Ireland’s economic recovery in the late 2000s.

Economic Views: He highlights the need to focus on real issues and long-term solutions, such as energy, infrastructure, and social policies. He controversially challenges the idea of a “cost of living crisis,” suggesting support should go to those who truly need it.

Leadership Philosophy: Danny believes good leadership means making bold decisions, focusing on long-term goals, and prioritising lasting impact over short-term approval and follows the motto: "No good turn goes unpunished."

Future Outlook: Danny emphasises challenges like housing, sustainable energy, and global economic shifts. And urges Ireland to use its resources wisely and plan responsibly for the future.

Aisling Kenny, CFO of SMBC Aviation Capital, has built a notable career in the aviation leasing sector. She started her career at EY, where she was involved in auditing various clients, including banks and leasing companies. She joined SMBC Aviation Capital (then RBS Aviation Capital) in 2012, initially as manager and head of finance. In 2022, she became the CFO.

Ireland has established itself as a global centre for aircraft leasing with over 60% of the world’s leased aircraft managed from Ireland.  Aisling discusses how Ireland became a hub for aircraft leasing and the growth of SMBC Aviation Capital, which now owns and manages over 1,000 aircraft, “every minute of the day, one aircraft takes off or lands around the world in our portfolio”.

In this episode of the EY CFO Outlook podcast, Aisling Kenny, CFO of SMBC Aviation Capital joins host Jonathan Healy to talk about her career journey, the challenges and opportunities in the aviation leasing industry, and the sector’s focus on sustainability and innovation.

They also discuss:

• Challenges in Aviation Leasing: Despite disruptions like COVID-19 and the war in Russia, SMBC Aviation Capital has grown by focusing on high-demand aircraft and diversifying its portfolio.

• Sustainability in Aviation: Aisling highlights the need for fuel-efficient aircraft and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to cut emissions, though capital investment may be required.

• Cultural Collaboration: Aisling speaks about the shared values of Ireland and Japan, with both being outward-looking and respectful of tradition, while striving for future growth.

• The Future of Aviation Leasing: Leased aircraft now make up 60%. Aisling predicts industry consolidation, with larger lessors leading. Graduate programs and apprenticeships are key to sustaining growth.

Niall Gleeson was 13 years old when he realised he wanted to be an engineer. Influenced by his grandfather, whose love of tinkering and ham radio sparked Niall's curiosity for how things worked, he developed a passion for taking things apart and understanding the mechanics behind them.

After earning his engineering degree from Bolton Street College in Dublin, Niall began his career with General Electric in the United States, where he installed gas turbines and power plants. He went on to lead major infrastructure projects across the UK, and Asia before moving back to Ireland to work with Shanahan Engineering.

In this episode of the EY CEO Outlook podcast, Niall Gleeson, Chief Executive Officer of Uisce Éireann, joins host Richard Curran to discuss the major challenges of managing Ireland’s water infrastructure. Niall reflects on his career journey, the infrastructure issues facing the country, and his vision for the future of Uisce Éireann.

They also discuss:

-                 Infrastructure Challenges: €60 billion in investment is needed to bring Ireland’s water infrastructure up to modern standards.

-                 River Shannon to Dublin Pipeline: 50% of the population will benefit from it. A vital solution for ensuring water supply not only to Dublin but also to towns along the way.

-                 Network Management: Ireland's 64,000 km water network had a leakage rate of 48-50%, now reduced to 31% in Dublin and 37% nationwide.

-                 Leadership approach: The importance of active listening and giving people time to find their solutions.

-                 Private vs Public Sector: difference between the sectors i.e taking on new tasks often means stopping old ones.

-                 Community Focus: Uisce Éireann’s vision is to deliver for communities.

-                 Housing Crisis and Infrastructure Capacity: Currently, the system can support around 30,000 new homes per year, which may not be sufficient for future housing needs.

-                 Water Conservation: Protecting Ireland's water resources and using them responsibly.