Sue O’Brien OBE joins the Board of The Ireland Funds Great Britain

28th November, 2021 : Great Britain

Press Releases

The Ireland Funds Great Britain (IFGB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Sue O’Brien OBE, Executive Chairman of Ridgeway to its Board of Directors. 

This latest appointment takes The Ireland Funds Great Britain’s Board of Directors to 17 – full list below.

IFGB Chair Rory Godson said: The Board of IFGB continues to grow from strength to strength and the addition of a director of Sue O’Brien’s calibre and experience adds to both the reputation and fundraising power of The Ireland Funds. 

Ms O’Brien said: “I am thrilled to join The Ireland Funds and to contribute in a meaningful way to the work they do in supporting Ireland and the Irish community in Great Britain. 

The Great Britain chapter of The Ireland Funds recently enjoyed thsuccessful return of its popular annual luncheon, The London City Lunch, which took place to great acclaim at Mansion House in City of London on 24 September. Sponsored by McCann FitzGerald and Ridgewaythe event, which was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, was attended by over 220 senior business executives and dignitaries 

Board of Directors 

Rory Godson, Powerscourt Ltd (Chair) Eoin Bastible, Sera Global Emily BohillBohill Partners Evelyn Bourke, NED M&S, Bank of Ireland Ruairi Conneely, Sunlight Project Finance (Treasurer) Brian Dickie, Investcorp John Feeney, MizuhoEmer Finnan, Kildare Partners Garrett Hayes, Paul Hastings Conor Hillery, JP Morgan Seamus McGarry, Retired Rachel Naughton, AIB 

Sue O’Brien, RidgewayDeclan Tiernan, Oak Hill Advisors Bridget Walsh, EY Zachary Webb, M&G Investments 

Susan Whelan, Leicester City FC & KingPower International   

-END- 

Notes for Editors

About The Ireland Funds: 

The Ireland Funds was established in 1976 and the Great Britain chapter in 1988. Its mission is to harness the power of a global philanthropic network of friends of Ireland to promote and support peace, culture, education and community development across the island of Ireland and among Irish communities around the world. 

Biography of Sue O’Brien:  

Sue O’Brien With over 30 years’ experience working with boards, serving as an executive and non executive, Sue advises CEOs on the pressure points of people risk and talent innovation. As a key relationship builder, her network of clients spans the boardrooms of the UK and a global network of candidates and clients.  Understanding the complexity and challenge of navigating CEO change is her key skill. 

After an early commercial career in retail and the leisure industry she led a reverse IPO as Chief Executive Officer of a listed search firm which she grew for seven years. Joining Ridgeway in 2015, she has led the partner team in both an MBO and subsequent sale to global CEO advisory firm, Teneo, in 2020. 

In addition to her Executive Chair role at Ridgeway, Sue is non executive director of The Pipeline, was a founder member of The Women’s Business Council and is a trustee and Chair of the Nominations Committee for KidsOut children’s charity. Sue also serves as a member of the global talent advisory business in Teneo. In January 2014, she was awarded an OBE for services to business and charity, and for promoting equality in the workplace. 

Further information:  Katie Jemmett Director GB, The Ireland Funds  Email: kjemmett@irelandfunds.org, Tel: 00 44 7597 665646   Charity Registration No. 327889