25 of Ireland’s Most Powerful Women recognised

11 Jun 2015

Enterprise Ireland CEO Julie Sinnamon at the Silicon Republic Female Founders Forum in June 2014. Photo by Conor McCabe Photography

Enterprise Ireland CEO Julie Sinnamon was among those honoured at this year’s Ireland’s Most Powerful Women event, with Microsoft MD Cathriona Hallahan inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Sinnamon, a speaker at the upcoming Inspirefest 2015, was one of the public sector winners, alongside the Irish ambassador to the US, Anne Anderson, Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan and Louise Richardson, who is soon-to-be the first-ever female vice chancellor at Oxford University.

Other women ranked in the list included campaigner Philomena Lee, Rosaleen Burke of Boston Scientific and Vodafone’s Anne O’Leary.

“The gender pay gap in Ireland is 14.4pc and getting worse according to EU statistics,” said Pamela Jeffery, Founder of WXN, the organisers of the event.

“The stats also show that women with children tend to fare worse in the pay scale against male counterparts.

“Women need to be facilitated in their career progression and confident in their own value in the system. This is why we identify, promote and celebrate successful and influential women in Ireland,” she added.

 

See the full list of honourees below:

  • Her Excellency, Anne Anderson, Irish Ambassador to the United States
  • Bronwyn Brophy Vice President, Early Technologies, Covidien Group, Medtronic EMEA
  • Rosaleen Burke, MSVP Quality Assurance, Supply Chain and International, Boston Scientific
  • Anne Marie Caulfield CEO, Caulfield McCarthy Group
  • Dorothy Cross, Artist, Kerlin Gallery
  • Helen Dooley, Group General Counsel, AIB
  • Veronica Dunne, Soprano & Founding Member, The Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition
  • Bernadette Gallagher, Chairman Pembase Holdings
  • Ellvena Graham, Head of Ulster Bank NI & Managing Director of SME Banking, Ulster Bank Group
  • Christine Heffernan, Corporate Affairs Director, Tesco Ireland
  • Caroline Keeling, CEO, Keelings
  • Philomena Lee, Campaigner & Founder, The Philomena Project
  • Judge Fidelma Macken, SC
  • Suzanne McAuley, Producer, Octagon Films
  • Nicola McCracken, HR Director, Talent Management & Reward, CRH plc
  • Fionnuala Meehan, Managing Director, SMB Sales, North and Central Europe, Google Ireland
  • Marie Moynihan, Chief Diversity Officer & VP, Talent, Dell
  • Joanne O’Riordan, youth campaigner
  • Anne O’Leary, CEO, Vodafone Ireland
  • Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan
  • Louise Phelan, VP, Global Operations EMEA, PayPal
  • Louise Richardson, Principal and Vice Chancellor, University of St Andrews (soon to be first ever female vice chancellor at Oxford University)
  • Julie Sharp, Head of Group Human Resources, Bank of Ireland
  • Julie Sinnamon, CEO, Enterprise Ireland
  • Siobhan Talbot, Managing Director, Glanbia Plc

Hall of Fame inductees (have been in the Top 25 twice previously):

  • Cathriona Hallahan, MD, Microsoft Ireland
  • Ann Keenan, Head of Group Human Resources, DCC plc

Inspirefest 2015 is Silicon Republic’s international event running 18-19 June in Dublin that connects sci-tech professionals passionate about the future of STEM with fresh perspectives on leadership, innovation and diversity.

Gordon Hunt was a journalist with Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com