Governance

Anne was a member of the Irish diplomatic service from 1972 to 2017. She served as Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States (2013 to 2017), to the United Nations, New York (2009 to 2013), to France (2005 to 2009), to the European Union (2001 to 2005), and to the United Nations, Geneva (1995 to 2001).

Her extensive multilateral experience includes chairing the UN Commission on Human Rights (1999 to 2000) and the WTO Trade Policy Review Body; in New York, she oversaw a Review of the UN peace-building machinery and co-facilitated work on Review of the UN Millennium Development Goals. During her EU assignment, she led the Brussels team for Ireland’s EU Presidency in 2004.

Her bilateral assignments as Ambassador in France and the US, focusing on economic and political issues, included a strong cultural component. She was an ex officio member of the Board of the Irish College in Paris, and in 2016 helped to lead the 1916 centenary celebrations in the US - including a three-week festival at the Kennedy Center, DC, the largest festival of Irish culture ever held outside Ireland.

Born in Clonmel, Tipperary in 1952, Anne holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from University College Dublin (History and Political Science) and a Diploma in Legal Studies from King's Inns, Dublin. Her numerous awards include Honorary Doctorates from the National University of Ireland (Doctor of Laws) and from Fordham University, New York (Doctor of Humane Letters).

Appointed to Druid Board of Directors: November 2017.

Mary is the Founding Director and former President of the Trinity Foundation, the fundraising arm of Trinity College Dublin. She is currently a member of the Board of the Landmark Trust and the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). Mary has over thirty years' experience in fundraising for third-level and non-profit organisations.

Appointed to the Druid Board of Directors: December 2018

Derek Diviney joined Indeed in September 2019 as the Europe Middle East & Africa (EMEA) & Asia Pacific (APAC) Vice President of Sales & Client Success. Derek is also a member of the Indeed International Board of Directors, which oversees all international markets outside the United States. Prior to this Derek spent 12 years at Google and was a member of Google EMEA’s leadership team. A key highlight at Google was doubling their EMEA revenue from $20 billion to $40 billion in 3 years. Derek has also helped to more than double Indeed’s international revenues in the past 3 years.

Derek has a passion for Diversity and Inclusion and acted as the Executive Sponsor for Google Dublin’s Inclusion resource groups. Derek is currently the Global Executive Sponsor for Indeed’s Parent & Caregivers resource group.

Over the past 20 years Derek has led Indeed, Google and Microsoft teams to high levels of business growth. Derek is also an investor and operating executive with FrontlineX, a growth fund for fast growing US companies expanding to Europe.

Derek has strong finance and analytical experience with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University of Galway. He is a Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, following 5 years of business advisory, mergers and acquisition experience with Ernst & Young and Arthur Andersen.

Appointed to the Druid Board of Directors: February 2023

Cilian grew up in Connemara and graduated from NUIG in 1988 with a BSc Hons in Marine Zoology. After a career at sea, he joined RTÉ and was appointed Producer of The Late Late Show with Gay Byrne. He then served as Head of Programmes in TG4 before co-founding his own communications company, Stillwater Communications. He is a strategic advisor to a host of national and international organisations and spends much of the year in San Francisco working with technology companies. In 2016 he created and produced the award-winning Centenary show on RTÉ, which was one of highlights of the 100th anniversary of the Rising.

Appointed to the Druid Board of Directors: May 2018

Padraic is from Mountbellew, Galway and graduated from University College Galway with a Law and Politics Degree. Padraic qualified as a solicitor in 1989 and spent his early years working in Galway. Upon moving to Dublin, he founded his own firm Ferrys Solicitors where he remains as joint managing partner.

While in Galway he chaired the boards of both the Galway Arts Festival and Macnas Theatre Company. In Dublin he has served on a number of boards and has co-founded Ranelagh Arts Festival.

Appointed to Druid Board of Directors: May 2018.

Caroline is Secretary for Governance & Academic Affairs at the University of Galway. She has responsibility for all matters relating to the implementation of good governance practice across the University, and is responsible for advising the University’s Governing Board on all governance matters, including statutory obligations and regulation.

As a member of the University Management Team at University of Galway she contributes to the strategic leadership of the University and is the principal officer in respect of the academic administration of the University.

Prior to this, Caroline was the Director of Marketing and Communications at the University of Galway, managing the University's marketing, communications and student recruitment functions, and before that, the Head of Marketing at the University of Birmingham in the UK. In both universities she led major brand development projects to successfully reposition the institutions in competitive higher education market places.

Caroline holds a degree in English and History, and a Research Masters in English Literature, as well as Postgraduate Diplomas in Education and in Marketing, and she is currently completing a Doctorate in Governance.

Caroline is currently the Chairperson and non-Executive Director of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute, a charity which fundraises for breast cancer research. She has also served as a non-Executive Board Member of the Galway Cultural Development and Activity Company, established to oversee Galway’s European Capital of Culture designation for 2020. Caroline has a keen interest in contributing to the cultural and socio-economic development of Galway City and County, and the wider West of Ireland region.

Appointed to Druid Board of Directors: December 2021.

Bernadette qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1999 and as a Tax Consultant in 2002. Having graduated from University College Dublin with a Commerce degree, she joined Duignan Carthy O’Neill, a medium-sized practice in Dublin, where she completed her training.

In 2002, she formed Murtagh & Co, Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors, which is based in Galway city.

She is currently Treasurer of the Western Society of Chartered Accountants.

Appointed as Secretary to the Board: July 2013

Born and raised in Dublin, Adrian is a former civil servant and diplomat. After graduating from Trinity College Dublin (History), he joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1979. While most of his career at Headquarters focused on British-Irish relations and the peace process in Northern Ireland, Adrian also served in missions abroad in Madrid (1986-89), Boston (1992-93) and Washington DC (1996-2000).

In 2010, Adrian was appointed Secretary General to the President of Ireland. In this role, he served both former President McAleese and President Michael D. Higgins and was centrally involved in the planning of the State Visit of Queen Elizabeth to Ireland in 2011 and President Higgins’ return State Visit to the UK in 2014.

In June 2014, he returned to the Department of Foreign Affairs as Second Secretary General. After three years leading the Department’s Ireland, UK and Americas Division, Adrian was appointed as Ambassador of Ireland to the UK in 2017. While the UK’s exit from the EU represented a significant challenge during his 5-year tenure, Adrian nonetheless availed of every opportunity in London – including in the cultural domain – to promote positive British-Irish relations.

Since his retirement from the Department of Foreign Affairs in December 2022, Adrian has commenced a post-graduate degree in TCD in modern Irish history and is also a Trustee of the British-Irish Association. He is married to Aisling and has two adult children.

Appointed to Druid Board of Directors: July 2024

Born in Portlaoise, reared and educated in Galway, Sean has been a journalist and broadcaster for 48 years, initially in print with the Connacht Tribune and the Irish Press group, where he worked in sub-editing, sport and feature-writing, before specialising in politics.

For 25 years up to 2020, Sean was a presenter in the RTÉ Radio 1 daily schedule, on the News at One and, from 2013, on the mid-morning Today With Sean O'Rourke, a mix of current affairs, culture, health and human interest items.

For 10 years, Sean was the presenter of The Week in Politics on RTÉ One. He is a three-time winner of the PPI Radio Award of News Broadcaster of the Year and was awarded an honorary doctorate by NUI Galway in 2011. He is an Honorary Professor of Journalism at NUI Galway.

Appointed to Druid Board of Directors: December 2020.

Helen has a Bachelor of Engineering from NUI Galway, a Masters in Project Management from UL, and has completed a Senior Executive Programme at Stanford University. Helen has received an Honorary Doctorate from NUI Galway and is a fellow of the Institute of Engineers of Ireland, and a member of the Irish Academy of Engineers.

Helen currently holds a number of board positions including Enterprise Ireland, Dia Nia Technologies and Galway University Foundation, and acts as a strategic advisor to a number of indigenous companies.

Helen was the Chief Executive Officer of Creganna Medical, ranked among the world’s top 10 medical device outsource providers, from 2005 to 2013. During Helen’s time as CEO, the company grew five-fold to become the largest indigenous medical device company. The expansion included three company acquisitions, a strategic joint venture in Asia, and the raising of significant debt and equity financing.

Prior to joining Creganna Medical in 2003, Helen worked with Medtronic and Covidien in Product Development and Research & Development roles.

Appointed to Druid Board of Directors: December 2017.