Meet our Team

Patrick Downes Partner
Patrick has served as CEO of a number of multidisciplinary and complex organisations and has significant executive and board experience across the public, private and not for profit sectors and has been the Founder of a number of start-ups.</p> <p>He has served as a Non-Executive Director on several Boards and is a past Chair of the Corporate Governance Association of Ireland. He is a Trustee of the Royal Dublin Society where he Chairs the Governance Committee and is a member of the Small Firms Association's (SFA) National Executive. He also serves on the National University of Ireland Galway Alumni Board.</p> <p>Patrick regularly lectures and provides CPD across the domain of Corporate Governance and to inhouse clients. He holds a number of Degrees and Fellowships and is currently completing a PhD in Risk Management. He has undertaken various postgraduates in Corporate Governance, Risk, ESG and Digital Transformation at Harvard, Boston College, UCD, NUIG, TU and Cambridge. He is also an ISO 20700 accredited trainer, is certified by Google and the SEAI and is a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council.</p> <p>He is a duly appointed Commissioner for Oaths and holds membership in the IOD, CIM, IMCA, CGAI, ESRI and the ECGI.

patrick.downes@governanceireland.ie

https://governanceireland.ie/

+353 (87) 7628215

Noel Ford MBA, CIFD, IMCA. Director and Partner
Noel is a vastly experienced independent director and chairman with over 30 years’ experience in the international investment funds industry across multiple jurisdictions.</p> <p>He is an Irish resident and an approved director by the Central Bank of Ireland and the CSSF in Luxembourg. He previously served as the Chief Executive Officer for Skandia Global Funds PLC and Chairman of Skandia Life Ireland Ltd. He also served as Global Head of Operations for the Skandia Investment Group within the Old Mutual Group PLC and has also served as President of Skandia America Inc.</p> <p>Noel is a certified independent director through the Institute of Banking/University College Dublin and is a certified management consultant with the Institute of Management Consultants. He also holds an MBA through Griffith College Dublin/Nottingham Trent University. Noel has also severed as a Programme Director with the Irish Management Institute.</p> <p>Noel was founder member, secretary and council member of the Irish Funds Directors Association. He has also been a regular contributor and speaker at several international industry events and has contributed several articles for industry publications.

noel.ford@governanceireland.ie

https://governanceireland.ie/

+353 (0)87 2511467

Donal Keane Director and Partner
Donal's primary areas of expertise are corporate finance, strategy development, project management and corporate governance. Donal has served as management consultant to the financial services, technology, retail, property and voluntary sectors. Prior to this he served as a senior executive in the Public Sector.</p> <p>Donal holds an International Masters in Management Degree from the European School of Management in Paris (ESCP) and an MBA from Purdue University, Indiana. He also holds a BSc Degree in Business & Information Technology from TCD.</p> <p>He is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants & Advisers. He is an AACB accredited assessor of corporate governance practices in public or private sector organisations seeking SWiFT 3000 certification.

donal.keane@governanceireland.ie

https://governanceireland.ie/

+353 (0)87 2511467

Michael Kelly Dip Corp Gov Director & Managing Partner
Michael has served as head of a number of public service organisations and now specialises in directorships and corporate governance consultancy.</p> <p>From his previous roles as departmental Secretary General and Board Chairman, he has a detailed understanding of the practical challenges surrounding the design and operation of effective governance frameworks. He also has a strong background in strategy development and the management of organisational change.</p> <p>As a former Chair of the Higher Education Authority and founding member of the Chairs’ Forum, he has direct experience of the leadership, management and governance of public bodies and first hand knowledge of the policy and political context in which they operate.</p> <p>Michael holds a B Comm (UCD),M Sc (TCD) and a Post-Grad Diploma in Corporate Governance (UCD). He is an accredited SWiFT 3000 Corporate Governance Assessor. He is a member of the IoD and a member and director of the CGAI, where he currently chairs the board. He serves as a non-executive director on a number of boards.

michael.kelly@governanceireland.ie

https://governanceireland.ie/

+353 (87) 681 3291

Gráinne Madden Partner
After 15 years working in a variety of roles in the corporate environment, Gráinne set up a consulting and training business specialising in Business Ethics, Corporate Responsibility and Governance.</p> <p>She has worked with the IT, financial services, pharma, medtech, commodities, leisure and education sectors. She has consulted and delivered training for private companies, publicly listed companies, state companies, public service and not-for-profit organisations. She has significant board experience in charities and not-for-profit organisations, filling the roles of Chair and Co. Secretary.</p> <p>Gráinne has also lectured MBA and MSc students in Corporate Responsibility since 2004 in Griffith College, National College of Ireland and Trinity College Dublin.</p> <p>She holds a BA (Hons) from Trinity College Dublin, an MBA from the Smurfit Business School, Level Nine Award in Education and Training from Griffith College Dublin, a Diploma in Corporate Governance from Glasgow Caledonian University and a Professional Certificate in Whistleblowing Law, Policy and Practice from NUI Maynooth

grainne.madden@governanceireland.ie

https://governanceireland.ie/

Ann Wright, BCL 1st Partner
Ann is a qualified solicitor providing Independent non-executive director and chairperson services for regulated investment fund vehicles and other entities operating in the global financial services sector.</p> <p>Prior to this, she practised as a solicitor in top tier law firms in Ireland and Luxembourg and in-house in several regulated fund service providers. Ann has extensive expertise, knowledge, and experience of the legal, regulatory, operational, compliance, risk and corporate governance frameworks that underpin each type of investment fund. She has lectured on corporate governance and accountability.</p> <p>Ann holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (Hons) from University College Dublin and was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Ireland in 2005. She also holds a Diploma in Corporate Governance for Directors from the Glasgow Caledonian University.</p> <p>Ann is a member of the Law Society of Ireland, the Irish Funds Directors Association, Irish Funds Industry Association, and the Institute of Bankers.

ann.wright@governanceireland.ie

https://governanceireland.ie/

Paul White C,Dir Dip Corp Gov Director - Partner
A Founding member of Ireland’s largest indigenous ICT Group DCC Technology, Paul held Board & Senior Executive roles for DCC Plc. within the ICT sector in France, UK, & Ireland. paul has significant experience of Plc.’s, start-ups, established companies, M&A, and disposals.</p> <p>A Graduate of the Diploma in Corporate Governance from UCD Michael Smurfit Business School and a IOD Chartered Director (UK). A co-founder and former Executive Director of the Corporate Governance Association of Ireland. A member of the CGAI, the IMCA, the IOD (Irl & UK) & a Fellow of the MII and a member of the Mediators Institute of Ireland.</p> <p>A SWiFT 3000 Corporate Governance Assessor, a Non-Executive Director, mediator, business adviser, investor & mentor, Paul specialise in Board performance evaluation & Corporate Governance audit services.</p> <p>Directorships: Board and Audit and Risk Committee member of TUSLA, the RTB, The Office of the Attorney General, and former Chair of the CMRF, the fundraising foundation for Crumlin Children’s Hospital, and 3 private companies.

paul.white@governanceireland.ie

https://governanceireland.ie/

+353 (0)87 251 3882