Dublin, Ireland, 11th April 2024 - Principal Connections – executive search is pleased to announce that Pat O'Donnell, Director and Managing Partner, has successfully completed a Management Buy-out obtaining full ownership of the firm by acquiring the shareholding interests previously held by Director and Chairperson Hilarie Geary and Shareholder Gary Byrne.
With offices in Dublin, London, Cork and Galway, Principal Connections is one of the top executive recruitment firms in Ireland and in recent years has also established a strong UK client base. Clients include large multinational corporations, small-to-medium enterprises, start-up and family-owned businesses, not-for-profit, semi-state and public-sector bodies. Principal Connections is also part of Agilium Worldwide LLC (est. 1984), ranked one of the world’s top global executive search groups with 55 offices across 30 countries.
Managing Partner, Pat O’Donnell said:
“I would like to sincerely thank Hilarie Geary and Gary Byrne for their significant contributions over the years and wish them well for the future. Together we have assembled an exceptional team of executive search professionals who do ‘executive search’ better than anyone else in the market. Looking ahead, it is now very much business as usual. We will continue to serve and deliver for our clients while also innovating new offerings to achieve further growth.”
Outgoing Director and Chairperson, Hilarie Geary said:
“After three decades of working alongside the incredible team here, I’m filled with mixed emotions as I depart. It’s been an extraordinary journey, and I’m immensely proud of what we’ve achieved together. I extend my deepest gratitude to each and every member of the firm for their unwavering commitment and dedication over the years. While it’s bittersweet to say goodbye, I have full confidence in the outstanding capabilities of Pat and the team and sincerely believe that they will continue to nurture the company’s success. To Pat and all the team, I express my heartfelt thanks for your support and collaboration. As I embark on a new chapter, I carry with me cherished memories and profound appreciation for the privilege of being part of this great firm.”
Principal Connections’ is a market leader in the recruitment of the most senior CFO's and Finance Directors across Ireland and the United Kingdom.
In our view, the responsibilities of the CFO have become broader and more diverse than ever with the increased adoption of digital technologies, disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a wave of geopolitical and economic uncertainties.
Principal Connections - executive search conducted a research programme between 24th July and 11th of August 2023, to investigate the current disposition of the CFO functional role in Ireland. Our objective was to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of what the role of the CFO now means, through capturing the views of those who understand it best. The following is a snapshot of some of the insights....
If you would like to receive a complimentary copy of our CFO Consensus 2023, please click on Download Your Copy above.
Principal Connections’ Financial Officers Practice is a market leader in recruiting for Finance C-suite appointments across Ireland and the United Kingdom. We identify, assess and recruit Chief Financial Officers, Finance Directors, Heads of Finance and Financial Contollers among other finance roles with the right professional experience, competencies, education and cultural DNA to lead in today’s unprecedented business environment.
In our view, DE&I is integral to the success of businesses today. It is well-established that organisations with diverse workforces are more likely to financially outperform their peers and excel in areas ranging from employee retention to innovation. Moreover, leveraging different perspectives contributes to a more complete understanding of opportunities and issues, fostering better decision-making and competitive advantages.
All this being said, what is far less apparent in today’s business environment is how organisational diversity programmes have evolved, and furthermore, what work remains to be done.
Principal Connections decided to undertake a research programme in May and June of 2023, to explore just how far along their DE&I journey organisations across Ireland have come. While it is evident from the findings of the report that good progress has been made, it is clear that there remains a long way to go. We hope that this research piece will help organisations to diagnose and benchmark the maturity level of their DE&I programmes, and to identify their strengths and areas for enhancement.
If you would like to receive a complimentary copy of our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Consensus 2023, please let us know by clicking on the following link and sharing your contact information
Principal Connections - executive search is committed to advancing DE&I in leadership. Actively partnering with our clients to help advance their DE&I objectives, we embrace various methodologies throughout our executive, CEO and board search engagements, with the goal of increasing the representation of historically underrepresented senior leadership.
Principal Connections - executive search is a Founding Signatory of the Executive and Board Resourcing Code of Conduct for search professionals and businesses established by IBEC and the 30% Club. (Jun. 2016, updated Apr. 2019). We are also an advocate for “Balance for Better Business”, the independent business-led Review Group established by the Government to improve gender balance in senior leadership.
In our view, the role of the HR Director is one of the most important functions for organisations worldwide. HR Directors and their teams lead the way in people-based decision making, taking the sentiment of an entire workforce and using it to help shape a destination workplace. By creating somewhere people want to work, HR Directors are propelling a virtuous circle where people are motivated to give their best, which leads to even higher quality talent being attracted to the organisation and contributing to its future. Furthermore, this leads to better products, services and a better customer experience, and of course more bottom-line revenues.
With the above in mind, Principal Connections decided to undertake a research programme in November of 2022, to explore the current disposition of the HR Director functional role in Ireland. Building on the foundations of a similar study undertaken in 2020, the objective was to develop and provide a comprehensive post-Covid understanding of what the role of HR Director now means in 2023, through capturing the views of those who understand it best.
If you would like to receive a complimentary copy of our HR Directors Consensus 2023, please click on Download Your Copy above.
Principal Connections’ Human Resources Officers Practice is a market leader in recruiting for HR C-suite appointments in Ireland. We identify, assess and recruit CHRO’s, CPO’s, HRD’s and HoHR’s with the right professional experience, competencies, education and cultural DNA to lead in today’s unprecedented business environment.
