Governance Ireland 2026

Overview

TWO WEEKS until Governance Ireland 2026: Guiding Governance in Turbulent Times

Ireland's premier governance conference sponsored by OnBoard returns to Dublin on 7 May 2026 bringing together Ireland’s governance community together for a powerful, practical day focused on how to lead with confidence, clarity and resilience in a volatile world.

From geopolitical instability and shareholder activism to AI, data integrity and regulatory change, the demands placed on boards and governance professionals have never been greater.

Taking place at the Royal Dublin Convention Centre, this flagship one‑day event will equip company secretaries, board advisers, directors and senior leaders with insight they can act on immediately - not theory, but real‑world governance in action.

In addition to taking away practical takeaways, the day offers valuable networking with governance professionals from across Ireland.

Tickets are on sale now! With a discount rate available for CGI Students and Members.

This one-day conference is not to be missed. You can view this year's agenda below.

For any related enquiries please contact us at events@cgi.org.uk, or call us at +44 (0)20 7580 4741

TICKET PRICES

Conference prices (ex. VAT)

Non-Member - €460.00
Professional subscriber - €450.00
Member - €410.00
Student - €265.00

INTERESTED IN SPONSORING GOVERNANCE IRELAND 2026?
Get in touch to explore our range of sponsorship opportunities to showcase your organisation to a highly engaged community of governance professionals.

Tara Wilson
twilson@cgi.org.uk

+44 (0)20 7612 7021

PAYMENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Payment must be made by card at the time booking.
The option to be invoiced is not available.
All cancellation or transfer requests must be submitted via email to: events@cgi.org.uk
Please note that the Irish VAT rate of 23% will be applied to your booking.
Full booking terms and conditions can be found on our website

Agenda

Agenda: Guiding Governance in Turbulent Times

08:30 - Main registration, exhibition and networking

09:15 - Welcome and opening remarks

Speaker: George Alton President of the Irish Branch, The Chartered Governance Institute, UK & Ireland

09:20 - Keynote Address

Governance professionals are operating in one of the most complex and fast‑moving geopolitical landscapes in recent memory. Global uncertainty is no longer episodic; it is the norm. This session will provide governance leaders with a strategic, high‑level overview of the forces reshaping corporate risk, regulatory expectations, board dynamics, and organisational resilience.

Speaker: Derek Leatherdale, Senior Geopolitical Risk Adviser, Sibylline

09:50 - Ready to Move: Why Your Entity Data Is Your Most Valuable Asset in a Volatile World

Geopolitical volatility doesn't give organisations time to get organised. When a conflict escalates, a sanctions regime shifts, or a strategic divestiture becomes urgent, the speed at which your organisation can act is determined not by its intentions, but by the quality of its data.

In this hands-on workshop, governance professionals will work through a realistic rapid-response scenario: a group structure under pressure to exit a market and divest a division as a matter of priority. Can you identify every entity in scope? Can you scenario model new structures quickly? Are all entities compliant or will there be challenges or delays caused by non-compliance? Who are the shareholders, directors, and key third party relationships and are any of them creating complications?

Speakers:

Chelsea Chivers Solution Sales Director, Diligent
April Skipp Principal Product Compliance Advisor, Diligent Entities

Sponsored by Diligent

10.30 - BREAKOUT SESSIONS

1. What SORP 2026 Means for Your Directors’ Report
Get up to speed on the non-financial changes in SORP 2026 and how they'll impact your charity's Directors’ Report. This session will help governance professionals understand the key updates and prepare for the next reporting cycle with confidence.

Room: Robinson Suite

Speakers:

Jon McBride Governance & Compliance Manager, The Wheel
Fergal Moran Director of Finance & Operations, The Wheel

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2. Restructuring Mechanisms
An overview of common procedures used in group reorganisations including golden shares, domestic mergers and share for share / share for undertaking exchanges

Room: Higgins Suite

Speakers:

Sarah Colfer Director of Corporate Secretarial Services, Forvis Mazars

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3. Company Boards and Geopolitical Risk - an Emerging Governance Dimension
An exploration of how boards traditionally assess geopolitical risk, the benchmarks and metrics used, how these risks are embedded into board agendas, and what geopolitical uncertainty means for business strategy and resilience.

Room: Main Auditorium

Speakers:

Derek Leatherdale Senior Geopolitical Risk Adviser, Sibylline
John Breen Geopolitical Risk Advisor, Sibylline

11:10 Refreshment Break

Refreshments for all, taking place in the exhibition space

11:30 Companies Registration Office

An update from the CRO

Moderator: Jillian O'Sullivan Partner, Grant Thornton

Speakers:

David McFadden Legal Advisor, Companies Registration Office
Maureen O’Sullivan Registrar, Companies Registration Office

12:10 Cyber Crisis Management

Cyber incidents test governance at its strongest and weakest moments. This session focuses on how boards and governance professionals should oversee preparation, response, and recovery when a cyber crisis hits, including clear decision‑making, accountability, and regulatory expectations.

Moderator: Christine Quigley Managing Associate, Corporate Simmons & Simmons

Speakers:

Ian Brennan Chief Innovation Officer, ASL Aviation Holdings
Dan O’Neill Managing Director, Teneo
Paritosh Saxena Director, Cyber Security Consulting practice at KPMG Ireland

12:40 Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

Governance roles are intellectually demanding, high stakes, and often involve heavy workloads, complex decision-making, and the emotional labour of supporting boards, committees, and stakeholders.

This session offers a refreshing pause - a chance to explore how a healthy mind and body support better judgement, stronger resilience, clearer communication, and more sustainable performance. Wellbeing isn’t separate from governance excellence, it’s part of it.

Delegates will leave with simple, evidence informed tools they can use immediately, no matter how busy the schedules.

Speaker: Kellie Fennell, Leading Irish fitness entrepreneur, online coach & podcast host

13:10 Networking Lunch

Lunch and refreshments for all, taking place in the exhibition space

13:55 Afternoon welcome from CGIUKI's Chief Executive, Linda Ford

14:05 Shareholder Activism: The Boardroom Experience

This fireside Q&A will examine the role of the board in proactively anticipating and managing shareholder activism through understanding shareholder base. This session will also discuss tactics for management of contentious shareholder meetings in the face of activist campaigns. Experienced guest speakers will discuss the practical challenges that arise and the importance of careful and strategic responsiveness to protect a company's reputation, board composition and strategic direction to protect long-term value.

Moderator: Claire Lord Partner & Head of Corporate Governance, Mason Hayes & Curran

Speakers:

Nick Metcalfe, Partner, Corporate Governance, Mason Hayes & Curran
Declan Moylan Corporate Adviser, Chairman, Non-Executive Director, Lawyer, Law Firm Strategist
Deirdre Somers Independent Non-Executive Director, Kenmare Resources plc, Blackrock iShares and Aquis Exchange

Sponsored by Mason Hayes & Curran

14:45 The Secret Sauce to People Management

We live in an everchanging technological age.
And yet one thing remains a constant.
People are still everything in a business.
Getting the most from your people is a critical art.
This session explores these three central factors to managing your people best.
Motivation. A Curated Role. Autonomy.
After this session, you leave with tools & techniques to maximise your people management skills.
The session will be energising.
It will positively challenge your mind.
You choose whether it will evolve your approach.

Speaker: John Slattery, CEO, Prosper With John

15:15 Refreshment Break

Refreshments for all, taking place in the exhibition space

15:35 - BREAKOUT SESSIONS

1. Defending Accounting Judgements Under Geopolitical Scrutiny
Geopolitical events are putting accounting judgments and estimates in the spotlight. Finance leaders are under increased scrutiny to defend these judgements and to calculate reasonable estimates. In this session, Francis will assist finance leaders on how to navigate geopolitical shocks: sanctions, disrupted supply chains, tariff exposure, cyber risk, inflation and liquidity pressure and what the knock on effects are for impairments, fair value measurements, revenue judgments, provisions, subsequent events, going concern and disclosures. He will also help with how disclosures can reduce uncertainty rather than amplify it.

Room: Robinson Suite

Speaker: Francis Farrell Partner - Assurance, PwC

Sponsored by PwC

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2. AI for the Modern day Governance Professional

Day to Day AI for the Modern Governance Professional - looking at the practical applications and ever changing world of AI. Hearing from industry experts in the banking, legal and professional services sectors about their interactions with AI on a day-to-day basis, the framework and guardrails they have in place along with delving into the challenges they have faced and looking to the what the future of AI holds for the governance professional.

ROOM: Main auditorium

Moderator: Phil Hayden Senior Manager, Entity Governance and Compliance Computershare

Speakers:

Fiona Mahon Head of Corporate Governance International, Citi
Christine Quigley Managing Associate - Corporate, Simmons & Simmons, Ireland
Maddie Scrafton Global Managing Director, Entity Governance and Compliance, Computershare

Sponsored by Computershare

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3. AI in the Boardroom: Conversations That Matter

Join our headline sponsors OnBoard and governance expert Justine Blakesley for a fireside chat on how boards should approach AI. This session explores how to prepare for meaningful, informed conversations with directors, covering risk, opportunity, accountability, and the right questions boards need to be asking now.

Room: Higgins Suite

Speakers:

Justine Blakesley CEO & Managing Director, Blakesley Consulting
Jamaal Duncan Account Executive OnBoard

Sponsored by OnBoard

16:10 Closing Keynote with Dermot Whelan

Good Busy - Tools for Calm, Clarity and Confidence

We all know what it feels like when we're at our best. Challenges seem exciting, our energy is high and things just seem to flow. But sometimes, even with the best of intentions, life can get overwhelming. Our to-do lists seem endless and our sleep, mood and energy can suffer. Join best selling author, comedian and mindfulness expert Dermot Whelan as he shares the secrets to escaping the busy trap and turning stress into your superpower. This talk is fun, relatable and will set you up for success!

Speaker: Dermot Whelan

Multi-award-winning Radio & TV broadcaster, comedian & bestselling author

16:50 Closing Remarks followed by a drinks reception

Drinks reception kindly sponsored by Simmons & Simmons

Speakers

Geopolitical Risk Advisor, Sibylline

John Breen

John Breen is a Geopolitical Risk Advisor at Sibylline. Based in Dublin, Ireland, John helps organisations strengthen their resilience, enabling them to manage geopolitical risks and opportunities with confidence and insight. He works with a diverse range of clients – including blue-chip companies, multilateral institutions, and European governments – leveraging his extensive cross-sector expertise to deliver practical solutions for navigating geopolitical uncertainty. John has over ten years of experience in geopolitical risk and policy advisory, having guided businesses, governments, and NGOs on political, socio-economic, and security challenges across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Career highlights include advising Ireland’s mission to the United Nations on peace and security affairs, consulting government officials and businesses in London and Southeast Asia on Indo-Pacific geopolitics, and collaborating with civil society and the UN on human rights and self-determination. John earned a master’s in international relations from Queen Mary University of London, graduating with distinction. He also completed a professional diploma in data analysis at University College Dublin (UCD) and participates in the Good Judgment Open.

Chief Innovation Officer at ASL Aviation Holdings

Ian Brennan

Ian is Chief Innovation Officer at ASL Aviation Holdings and an award-winning C-suite leader with over two decades of experience translating corporate goals into deliverable IT visions. A regular keynote speaker at national and international CIO and cyber security events, he specialises in digital transformation, AI, cyber security, and data analytics. He holds an M.Sc. in Software Engineering from Maynooth University and a B.Sc. in IT from Dublin City University.

Sales Director, Diligent

Chelsea Chivers

As a Chartered Company Secretary and Entity Management specialist for Diligent, Chelsea brings deep expertise in managing UK subsidiaries of global corporates and driving best practice governance at scale. Over several years in practice, Chelsea has led teams of 20+ company secretaries overseeing more than 2,000 entities for a diverse portfolio of clients, and built a dedicated portal to help governance professionals seamlessly manage IDV for their directors. At Diligent, Chelsea partners with governance leaders to turn complex requirements into clear, AI powered and practical solutions, helping organisations modernise oversight, streamline regulatory workflows, and unlock better, data driven decisions across the boardroom and beyond.

Partner, Assurance, PwC

Francis Farrell

Francis is a partner in the firm's assurance practice, bringing years of valuable experience to his role. He specialises in working with domestic and multinational clients on compliance and managed services for statutory financial statements. Francis has developed specific expertise in providing compliance and accounting advisory services, particularly in relation to changes in business models or shifts in the European regulatory landscape. With a diverse industry portfolio, Francis services various sectors, including technology, manufacturing and pharma-tech.

Leading Irish fitness entrepreneur, online coach, and podcast host

Kellie Fennell

Kellie Fennell is a leading Irish fitness entrepreneur, online coach, and podcast host, widely recognised for her science-based, personalised approach to health and wellness. With degrees in Neuroscience (UCD) and Mathematics (UL), alongside qualifications in teaching, personal training, and nutrition, she brings a unique multidisciplinary perspective to her coaching. Her athletic journey is just as impressive - from competing at All-Ireland level rugby and amateur MMA to endurance challenges like Ironman triathlons and adventure racing. This rich sporting background shapes her holistic philosophy, which goes beyond physical fitness to focus on mindset, confidence, and long-term sustainability. With over 2 million social media followers worldwide, Kellie provides bespoke 1-to-1 coaching to clients across Ireland, the UK, Europe, America, and beyond. Her methodology centres on education, empowerment, and building lasting habits. Alongside coaching, she hosts The Kellie Fennell Podcast and creates engaging content across Instagram and TikTok, making fitness accessible, inspiring, and enjoyable for all.

Chief Executive

Linda Ford

Linda joins CGIUKI with a distinguished track record of leadership, membership growth and transformation across the professional and regulatory landscape. She was most recently Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX), where she spearheaded major programmes of modernisation, expanded access to legal qualifications, and secured wide-reaching policy, regulatory and legislative reform. Over a 15-year leadership career, Linda has demonstrated her commitment to professional excellence, public interest outcomes and creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds to succeed. She brings deep experience in governance, professional qualifications, stakeholder engagement, strategic partnerships and digital transformation.

Senior Geopolitical Risk Adviser, Sibylline

Derek Leatherdale

Derek's focus is on promoting and supporting new approaches to geopolitical risk management by firms and their boards, management teams and other key internal functions. Derek’s background is in geopolitical risk consultancy, with previous roles including his work at HSBC, where he set up the geopolitical risk function in the bank’s global HQ, the first of its kind among systemically important banks, and led public policy campaigns for the bank’s government affairs team. He has also spent time in roles for the UK government. Derek holds an MA with Distinction in International Politics from King’s College London (UK). He was appointed as Visiting Scholar to the London Institute of Banking & Finance’s Centre for Governance, Risk and Regulation in 2023. Derek also sits on the Risk Forum Committee of the UK’s Chartered Institute for Securities & Investments and provides geopolitical risk training and input to the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors and the Corporate Governance Institute. Derek is also Senior Adviser to the Risk Coalition, with whom he co-authors leading guidance for boards and risk functions on approaches to geopolitical risk management.

Corporate Partner and Head of the Corporate Governance team, Mason Hayes & Curran LLP.

Claire Lord

Claire is a Corporate Partner and the Head of the Corporate Governance team at Mason Hayes & Curran LLP. Claire is widely recognised in the market as an articulate and clear-sighted lawyer able to distil complex issues of company law into practical and actionable advice. Claire’s practice comprises both advisory and transactional work. In her advisory practice, Claire acts as trusted advisor to corporate clients, providing ongoing advice on technical company law and corporate governance matters, always with a solution driven focus. In her transactional work, Claire relies on her experience and expertise to design corporate structures that meet her clients’ needs. She specialises in creating and efficiently implementing complex and multi-jurisdictional reorganisation projects.

Governance & Compliance Manager, The Wheel

Jon McBride

Jon manages the governance and compliance function at The Wheel, Ireland’s national association of charities, community organisations and social enterprises. He is responsible for ensuring the organisation’s governance functions effectively and fulfils statutory requirements while striving for best practice. He also supports members of The Wheel in their own governance journeys, working to ensure an effective and transparent nonprofit sector.

Legal Advisor, Companies Registration Office

David McFadden

David is a solicitor with almost 30 years of professional practice. He trained and worked in private practice before joining the Chief State Solicitor’s Office in 1997, working in the Criminal Division of that office. David joined the Companies Registration Office in early 2015 in the run up to the commencement of the Companies Act 2014. David is a solicitor with 25 years of professional practice. He trained and worked in private practice before joining the Chief State Solicitor’s Office in 1997, working in the Criminal Division of that office. A short stint in the Revenue Solicitor’s Office specialising in prosecutorial work was followed by over 14 years as the solicitor and legal advisor to the Competition Authority. Whilst working at the Competition Authority, David personally lead the investigation into the Heating Oil Cartel. As lead investigator, David was responsible for planning the investigation, conducting searches of business premises, interviewing witnesses and suspects and gave evidence before two jury trials. This case resulted in the conviction on indictment of 18 companies and individuals for their part in a price fixing conspiracy. These were the first such convictions by jury trial in either Ireland or Europe. David has a Ph.D. in law from Trinity College and has published widely on legal subjects, including two books on Competition Law. David joined the Companies Registration Office in early 2015 in the run up to the commencement of the Companies Act 2014. Susanne was winner of Corporate Governance Lawyer of the Year at the IFLR EMEA Women in Business Law Awards 2024 and nominated as ESG Leader of the Year at Ireland's Climate Change Leadership Awards.

Partner, Corporate Governance Department, Mason Hayes & Curran LLP

Nick Metcalfe

Nick is a partner in the MHC Corporate Governance Department. He advises on complex group reorganisations, from planning to delivery as well as providing technical company law and corporate governance advice. Nick also provides advice on general and limited partnerships established under Irish law and drafts and advises on the form, content and effect of partnership agreements. Nick advises and trains boards of directors of a wide range of companies and other organisations, from multi-national household names to State and quasi-State bodies to charitable organisations and owner management companies on all aspects of corporate governance. This advice includes: directors’ duties; director-shareholder relationships; the need for and form of internal governance policies, such as board charters, conflicts of interest policies, committee terms of reference; the convening and holding of directors’ and general meetings; interpretation and implementation of constitutions and governing documents; and technical company law questions such as the making of distributions, statutory mergers and capital reductions and reorganisations. Nick also reviews, advises on and drafts shareholders agreements for joint ventures and multi member companies of all types.

Director of Finance & Operations, The Wheel

Fergal Moran FCG

Fergal is Director of Finance & Operations at The Wheel and a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, having trained with KPMG. He joined The Wheel in 2022 following a career spanning the multinational, hospitality and nonprofit sectors, with over a decade of experience in the latter. Prior to his current role, Fergal served as Finance Manager for an addiction support clinic in Dublin and as Finance Director for an all-Ireland youth charity. At The Wheel, he leads the Finance & Operations function, overseeing a broad portfolio of internal services including governance, HR, communications and IT.

Partner, Grant Thornton

Jillian O'Sullivan

Jillian is a partner in Grant Thornton, as part of her role she leads the Company Secretarial offering for Grant Thornton Ireland, one of the leading professional services firms in Ireland. Jillian is a fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland and also chairs the company secretarial practice committee and a member of the Governance and Nomination Committee. Jillian holds diplomas in Commercial law and Corporate Governance from the Law Society of Ireland together with a Diploma in Taxation from the Irish Institute of Tax.

Registrar, Companies Registration Office

Maureen O’Sullivan

Maureen was appointed as the new Register of Beneficial Ownership of Companies and Co-Operatives in July 2019 and oversaw the opening of Register for filing on 29th July 2019. Ms O’Sullivan holds a Bachelor of Business Studies degree, Certificates in Public Management and Public Sector Human Resources and a Professional Diploma in Corporate Governance. She has been a Board Member of the European Business Registers Association since June 2021.

Managing Associate, Simmons & Simmons

Christine Quigley

Christine Quigley is a Managing Associate in the Corporate group at Simmons & Simmons. She is qualified to practise law in both Ireland and England & Wales. Christine has extensive experience in corporate law and advises clients on a wide range of matters including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity transactions, joint ventures, and corporate reorganisations. Christine joined Simmons & Simmons in May 2020 from another international firm. She began her legal career in the corporate team of a US law firm in Toronto, Canada. Christine is one of the firm’s AI champions and chairs the Dublin chapter of the Simmons Gender Network.

Director, Cyber Security Consulting practice, KPMG Ireland

Paritosh Saxena

Paritosh Saxena is a Director in the Cyber Security Consulting practice at KPMG Ireland, where he focuses on cyber strategy, crisis preparedness, and organisational resilience. He brings over 20 years of experience advising leading global organisations on resilience led technology and cyber initiatives, national level programmes, critical infrastructure protection, and large scale transformation. Paritosh has led complex cyber security, business resilience, and technology transformation engagements across sectors including telecommunications, energy, natural resources, utilities, government, manufacturing, and financial services. His work includes supporting organisations through high impact cyber incidents, strengthening executive decision making, crisis command structures, and operational response under pressure, while enabling effective recovery and long term resilience. In addition to industry roles, Paritosh has worked closely with government agencies and regulatory bodies, including helping to establish a national cyber incident response capability for a cyber regulator. He has supported the development of national level and sector specific cyber security and resilience frameworks, bringing hands on insight into policy and regulatory design. He is known for bridging strategy and execution, and for a pragmatic, resilience first approach to managing cyber crises.

Global Managing Director, Entity Governance & Compliance, Computershare

Maddie Scrafton

Maddie leads Computershare’s teams of Company Secretaries and Governance professionals that support clients around the globe. She has a wealth of experience advising on and delivering practical corporate governance solutions. Previous roles include Head of Governance for the Board of HSBC Holdings plc, Company Secretary for an AIM listed group and Senior Manager within EY's Entity Compliance & Governance team. Maddie is a fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute.

Principal Product Compliance Advisor, Diligent Entities

April Skipp

April Skipp is the Principal Product Compliance Advisor and Corporate Secretarial Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Diligent Entities. With experience spanning both managed services and in-house roles, April brings deep expertise in corporate compliance and governance on a global basis. At Deloitte, April worked closely with clients to enhance operational efficiency through governance technologies while navigating international compliance frameworks and jurisdiction specific regulatory requirements. Today, April works within the Entities Product team, ensuring the solution evolves to meet the future-state needs of modern governance teams, bringing real-world experiences in to our Entities product.

CEO, Prosper With John

John Slattery

John worked in PwC for 12 years, holding people and business development roles with local and international responsibilities. John set up his business, Inspo, in 2016 and rebranded the business to Prosper with John in 2024. John has over 15 years of coaching in his roles in PwC and through Inspo. He has worked with business leaders, management and their teams across the Professional Services, Healthcare, Banking, Recruitment, Technology, Education and Food & Beverages industries

Broadcaster, comedian & bestselling author

Dermot Whelan

Dermot is a multi-award-winning Radio & TV broadcaster, comedian, bestselling author, podcast host and meditation expert. Known for co-presenting the hugely popular Dermot and Dave Show for over 20 years, he has won 12 IMRO Radio Awards and achieved double platinum success with his comedy creation The Toll Trolls. Dermot's Mind Full Podcast, launched in 2024, and quickly topped the Apple and Spotify charts. As a certified meditation teacher, his number one bestselling book Mind Full offers a humorous guide to meditation. Dermot's latest tour and new book of 2024, Busy and Wrecked, continues his mission to help others destress with his signature comedic flair.