Annual Governance Conference 2024 Speakers

Bríd Horan has over thirty years’ board level experience, executive and non-executive. As well as the above roles, Bríd is Chair of Nephin Energy Ltd (a company of the Canada Pension Plan and the largest shareholder in Corrib Gas), and a Non-Executive Director of PM Group and Insurance Ireland.  

Prior to her retirement in late 2014 she was Deputy Chief Executive of Electricity Supply Board (ESB). Responsibilities included oversight of ESB Group strategy development, corporate communications, risk management and compliance, executive responsibility for Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) Networks, and transformation of ESB’s retail businesses from a fully regulated model to the competitive and newly branded business, Electric Ireland.  

Bríd was a Co-Founder of the 30% Club Ireland, currently a member of their Advisory Board, and was appointed as Co-Chair of Balance for Better Business by government when it was established in 2018 to set targets for and promote gender balance in business leadership. She previously served as a member of the Boards of IDA Ireland and FBD Holdings Ltd and a Commissioner of the National Pensions Reserve Fund.

Barry, who is currently Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Cricket Wales is originally from County Meath in Ireland and has two decades of extensive experience working across various sports disciplines. He has lived in Wales for the past 25 years and currently resides in Newport with his wife and four sons. 

Barry's distinguished career includes serving as the Chief Executive of Scottish Hockey and being a member of the Great Britian (GB) Hockey Board. With 25 years of experience, he has made significant contributions to the sports industry. 

Barry was also the CEO of the Welsh Rugby Players’ Association, representing professional rugby players, whilst sitting on the International Rugby Players Association and Professional Players Federation. Barry served as the first Independent Chair of Tennis Wales helping transform the sports reputation and image. Additionally, he held the position of National Tennis & Sports Manager for Greenwich Leisure LTD, the largest leisure and sports operator in the United Kingdom. Throughout his career, Barry has been clear on his foundations of good governance and the role of good governance principles in the roles he has been involved with.  He is an advocate for “Inclusive Leadership” and has some great techniques as to how he brings that to his CEO role.

John Feehan, CEO of Basketball Ireland, has a notable background in sports administration, especially in rugby. In his current role at Basketball Ireland, John is focused on establishing a cohesive and inclusive culture, leveraging basketball's growth potential and increasing its visibility and accessibility throughout Ireland and internationally, especially as it gains popularity as one of Ireland’s leading indoor sports.

He held long-term roles as CEO of the Six Nations Championship and the British and Irish Lions, driving substantial growth in revenue, fan engagement, and media presence. In addition, he served as CEO of the PRO12 (now the United Rugby Championship). His tenure in these roles involved not only management but also the critical process of enhancing and refining organisational cultures to foster greater unity and drive performance, especially given the international nature and varied stakeholder demands in rugby unions. Beyond rugby, John has entrepreneurial experience, co-founding Sport2Sport, a sports business consultancy, and founding Lions Rugby Travel, an official travel arm for the Lions.​

Rosie Barry serves as the President of Squash Ireland and is an experienced leader in the sports and healthcare sectors. By profession, she is an occupational health physician, and her longstanding involvement in squash spans from her junior playing years to her current role as an advocate for the sport at national and European levels. Her contributions to squash include two terms as Vice-President of the European Squash Federation, where she championed masters' squash and oversaw the European junior circuit, successfully introducing gender equality on junior teams competing in ESF championships.

Under her leadership, Squash Ireland has focused on organisational and cultural improvements aimed at increasing participation and visibility, highlighted by the recent Olympic inclusion of squash for the 2028 Games. This milestone has reinvigorated efforts within Squash Ireland to nurture talent and grow the sport nationwide. Barry’s dual expertise in medicine and sports governance positions her as a leader skilled in fostering inclusive, effective cultures. Her dedication to collaborative growth in sports administration and her advocacy for gender equality in sport governance underscore her contributions to shaping positive and effective cultures within sport.

Thos McDermott is the Sports Coordinator for Active South Dublin, formerly known as South Dublin County Sports Partnership, where he champions community wellness and inclusive access to physical activity. He has been instrumental in initiatives like the Active Parks programme which provides free weekly yoga and fitness sessions in public parks during July and August annually, and the Learn to Cycle programme, delivered year round which teaches children with a disability how to cycle. These initiatives reflects Thos's commitment to fostering a partnership ethos—one he believes is essential for breaking down silos within the sports sector to achieve broader community impact.

He views the sector's biggest challenge as moving beyond isolated, siloed operations, advocating instead for cross-sector collaboration to optimise resources and reach. His leadership within Active South Dublin exemplifies this, as he aligns efforts across schools, local councils, and community organisations, building an interconnected, supportive culture that drives engagement in sport and physical activity.

Joanne O’Riordan studied criminology in UCC and is only one of seven people in the world living with a rare physical disability known as Total Amelia. This means she was born without all four limbs and even though there is no medical explanation as to why this happened, Joanne or indeed her family has never allowed it to hold her back. 

Joanne is an activist for people with disabilities, motivational speaker focusing on delivering inspirational talks on “Living and Thriving”, and a sports columnist with The Irish Times. She appears in the 2013 documentary “No Limbs No Limits”. Most recently Joanne was a central member of RTÉ’s panelists covering the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.   

She has used technology to enhance her abilities in both her education and through the wider social environment. She has conquered enormous challenges and has adapted her life in such a way that it has given her both national and international acclaim.