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Our People

Our success is reliant on attracting the best talent to meet our clients’ needs

IPB is focused on workplace development to attract and retain talent. We foster a culture built on mutual values to realise our ambition to be a great place to work. This ambition is founded on a belief that these mutual values will attract and retain the best people available to meet the changing needs of our Members.

See our Board membersSee our Key personnelSee our Risk Team

John Hogan

Chair & Group Non-Executive Director

John Kearns

Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director

Joan Garahy

Independent Non-Executive Director

Caitríona Somers

Independent Non-Executive Director

Barbara Cotter

Independent Non-Executive Director

Mary Cregan

Independent Non-Executive Director

Ronan McMahon

Group Non-Executive Director

John Clendennen

Group Non-Executive Director

Eddie Hoare

Eddie Hoare Group Non-Executive Director (GNED).

Enda Devine

Finance Director and Executive Director

John Hogan – Chair & Group Non-Executive Director

John is a member of the Institute of Directors in Ireland and the Insurance Institute of Ireland, with a Diploma in Corporate Direction awarded by UCC & a Professional Certificate in Governance awarded by UCD & the Institute of Public Administration.  He served as a County Councillor for Tipperary from 1999 to 2019 and as a member of the former Tipperary VEC and Tipperary ETB from 1999 to 2019, performing the role of Tipperary ETB Chairperson from 2014 to 2019.  He served as ETBI President for a one year term from September 2018, following from his considerable work at local and national level for the ETB and broader education sectors

John Kearns – Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director

A native of Dublin, John has held senior leadership positions in insurance companies in Ireland and in the USA. He is a fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute, a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and Dublin City University, where he completed his MBA.

John began his career in the insurance industry in 1976 at Sun Alliance before his appointment in 1996 to the position of Chief Executive Officer at St. Paul Ireland (Now Travelers). In 2000, John moved to the United States to take up the position of President of Financial and Professional Services at St. Paul Travelers at their global head office in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Following a successful tenure with St. Paul Travellers, John was appointed Executive Vice President at ERIE Insurance Group, joining the company in 2007. In 2018 John joined Berkley Mid-Atlantic Group as its President and most recently as Chairman before he stepped down from his role to take up his new position.

Joan Garahy – Independent Non-Executive Director

Joan is a member of the Institute of Directors in Ireland with a Master of Science degree awarded by UCD.  She has significant financial services and investment experience having spent over 30 years advising on and managing investment funds as an Equity Analyst, Fund Manager, Financial Planner and Head of Research and holding other leadership positions in the investment and pensions industry.  She is Managing Director of an independent financial advisory firm that she established in 2011 and has particular expertise in financial and remuneration matters as an experienced Independent Non-Executive Director with a number of PLCs, private companies and a charity.

Caitríona Somers – Independent Non-Executive Director

Caitríona Somers has extensive experience developed throughout her career in general insurance.  Caitríona spent 10 years as CEO of the Irish subsidiary of Cunningham Lindsey Group and was a member of the Executive Global Leadership Team of the Group.

A Chartered Director and Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute and the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters, she holds a Diploma in Company Direction and a MSc in Business and Digital Innovation.  She is a Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee Chairperson with the MIBI, a Non-Executive Director and formerly an Honorary Education Officer and Council Member of the Insurance Institute of Ireland. Caitríona is also a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Risk and Compliance Committee of St. Patrick’s Credit Union (ESB Staff) Ltd.

Barbara Cotter – Independent Non-Executive Director

Barbara is a chartered director and member of the Institute of Directors in Ireland and a Solicitor.  Formerly a Senior Partner with one of Ireland’s leading law firms, she has extensive experience of the financial services industry having spent her executive career advising major Irish and international financial institutions on banking and finance law.

Mary Cregan – Independent Non-Executive Director

Mary is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute and holds a diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors in Ireland and a Professional Diploma in Financial Advice from UCD. She is a member of the Insurance Institute of Ireland and the Life Insurance Association. Mary has over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry having held senior leadership positions in both large general insurance and life, pensions and investment companies.

Ronan McMahon – Group Non-Executive Director

Ronan is a member of the Institute of Directors in Ireland and the Insurance Institute of Ireland and has served as a Councillor since 2014 when he was elected as an Independent County Councillor for the Templeogue/Terenure ward in South Dublin County Council.  He was engaged as Managing Director of Snap Printing in Tallaght, Dublin, & he has been active in the printing & marketing business for over 35 years & presents with experience in Financial Controller & Project Management. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants & secured the Brendan Fitzgerald Memorial Prize for achieving 1st place in Ireland in Final Examinations in the course of his professional studies.

John Clendennen – Group Non-Executive Director

John has been an elected representative to Offaly County Council since 2014. He holds a Diploma in Business Studies & a Diploma in International Hotel Management from the Shannon College of Hotel Management & a Masters of Business Studies in Marketing from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. He has a particular interest in Business Development & Marketing & his career has involved working in compatible roles with the Shelbourne Hotel, the Westin Hotel & the Four Seasons. He has a particular interest in Business Development & Marketing and his career has involved working in compatible roles within the hospitality sector whilst he is currently responsible for the management and operation of a business established in Co. Offaly

Eddie Hoare – Eddie Hoare Group Non-Executive Director (GNED).

Eddie is a member of the Institute of Directors in Ireland and the Insurance Institute of Ireland and has served as a Councillor since 2019 when he was elected to Galway City Council. He is currently serving as Mayor of Galway City. He is a Chartered Accountant by profession and is an Associate of Chartered Accountants Ireland. He works with his own family practice Hoare Chartered Accountants and has over 10 years of practice experience working closely with a large portfolio of clients providing audit and corporate advisory services. He specialises in the areas of Audit & Assurance, Accounts Preparation, Company Taxation and Corporate Finance.

Enda Devine – Finance Director and Executive Director

Enda is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, a Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, a member of the Institute of Directors in Ireland and a member of the Insurance Institute of Ireland with a Diploma in Information Systems awarded by Trinity College Dublin. He has held a number of Senior Executive and Board level positions over the past 20 years in leading financial services organisations.