15 Learning and Development Leaders Across Ireland

Last updated: 8 August 2026

Learning and development work sits behind almost every major decision an organisation makes about its people. This list brings together 15 current learning, talent and organisation development leaders working across major employers and professional bodies in Ireland, from financial services and energy to universities, aviation and technology.

Why this matters

Ireland's employers face fast change: new technology, new skills gaps and new expectations from staff about growth and support. The people who lead learning and development sit at the centre of that work, even when their titles differ from one organisation to the next. Looking across sectors makes the shared challenge visible while keeping the focus on real people doing real work.

1. Wendy Walsh

Talent and Organisation Lead, Accenture Ireland

Wendy Walsh is the Talent and Organisation Lead at Accenture Ireland. A profile published by Silicon Republic in August 2025 identifies her in that role and describes her work advising organisations on training, sustainment planning and knowledge transfer as artificial intelligence reshapes roles. The same profile references findings from Accenture's own Talent Tracker research on rising demand for technology skills in Ireland.

The example is useful because talent and capability work increasingly means helping a whole organisation adapt, not just running a training calendar. For anyone thinking about workforce planning through a period of technological change, Wendy Walsh's public example is a useful place to begin.

2. Torunn Dahl

Head of Talent, Learning and Inclusion, Deloitte Ireland

Torunn Dahl is the Head of Talent, Learning and Inclusion at Deloitte Ireland. Deloitte's own people profile page identifies her in that role and describes her background as an organisational psychologist with an MBA from INSEAD and more than 15 years working in people development across Norway, France, Ireland and India.

The example is useful because it shows how a career in people development can span countries and sectors before landing in a single senior role. For anyone thinking about building a long-term career in learning and talent, her public example is a useful reference point.

3. Ciara Corby

Head of Talent Development, EirGrid

Ciara Corby is the Head of Talent Development at EirGrid. A special report published by The Irish Times in April 2025 names her in that role, describing her work on EirGrid's workforce strategy for Ireland's energy transition, including earn and learn programmes, graduate schemes and a research collaboration with the MaREI centre at University College Cork.

The example is useful because it connects learning and development directly to a national infrastructure goal. For anyone thinking about how talent strategy supports a long term industry shift, her public example is worth following.

4. Caitriona Brosnan

Head of Talent Development, AIB

Caitriona Brosnan is the Head of Talent Development at AIB. The Institute of Bankers in Ireland, a professional body on whose council she serves, publishes a biography confirming her current role and describing her path from building AIB's iLearn training service as Head of Learning in 2014 to leading development activity that now spans new starters through to board level.

The example is useful because it shows how a learning function can grow with an organisation over a decade. For anyone thinking about long-term capability building in financial services, her public example is a useful case to study.

5. Sarah Claxton

Head of People and Organisation Capability, ESB Networks

Sarah Claxton is the Head of People and Organisation Capability at ESB Networks. The company's own leadership team page names her in that role, describing responsibility for the HR, safety and technical training functions that support the network business.

The example is useful because it shows learning sitting alongside safety and technical capability in an essential services organisation. For anyone thinking about capability building in a regulated infrastructure business, her public example is a useful reference.

6. Michele Ryan

Head of Culture and Organisation Development, Trinity College Dublin

Michele Ryan is the Head of Culture and Organisation Development at Trinity College Dublin. The university's official staff directory lists her in that role within its Human Resources function, which has been recognised at industry awards for its Ussher development programme for university staff.

The example is useful because it shows how learning and development operates inside a large, complex university rather than a corporate setting. For anyone thinking about staff development in education or the public sector, her public example is worth a look.

7. Anne Rigney

Director of Talent, Learning and Development, Musgrave

Anne Rigney is the Director of Talent, Learning and Development at Musgrave. A company news article published on Musgrave's own website in March 2023 quotes her by name and title after Musgrave won Large Learning and Development Organisation of the Year at the CIPD Ireland HR Awards, crediting capability investment including a leadership pathway and dedicated data, bakery, driver and design academies.

The example is useful because it shows how a large retail and food group can build named academies around specific trades and skills. For anyone thinking about structured capability building at scale, her public example is a useful one to follow.

8. Alison O'Regan

Head of Talent Development, University of Limerick

Alison O'Regan is the Head of Talent Development at the University of Limerick. The university's own human resources webpage names her as the lead contact for talent development for university staff, and a university news article credits her, alongside colleagues in the HR Talent Development team, with developing UL's Leadership Programme for new Heads of Department and Assistant Deans, combining internal peer learning with external leadership input from Advance HE.

The example is useful because it shows a talent development leader building a specific, structured programme for a defined group of new leaders rather than a general offering. For anyone thinking about supporting first-time academic leaders, her public example is a useful reference point.

9. Anne Gannon

Staff Wellbeing and Development Manager, University College Cork

Anne Gannon is the Staff Wellbeing and Development Manager at University College Cork. The university's People and Culture webpage names her as the lead of its staff wellbeing and development team, and a university HR notice names her as the contact for a new collaborative coaching partnership between UCC and Queen's University Belfast, open to all staff.

The example is useful because it shows wellbeing and development held together in one role, backed by a concrete cross-institution initiative rather than just a title. For anyone thinking about combining wellbeing and learning support for staff, her public example is worth noting.

10. Breda O'Toole

Head of Talent Development and Digitalisation, IDA Ireland

Breda O'Toole is the Head of Talent Development and Digitalisation at IDA Ireland. An official IDA Ireland press release names her in that role, describing her work on the Strategic Talent Development Programme, a TU Dublin accredited course delivered with Skillnet Ireland to help client companies build workforce development plans.

The example is useful because it shows talent development work aimed outward, at supporting other employers, rather than only inward at one organisation. For anyone thinking about national skills and workforce programmes, her public example is a useful one to follow.

11. John Kennedy

Head of HR Organisational Development, Irish Rail

John Kennedy is the Head of HR Organisational Development at Irish Rail. A customer case study published by technology partner Version 1 quotes him by name and title describing a project that unified talent management, learning, development and benefits under a single HR system. A further industry interview published in 2026 confirms he remains in the role and discusses modernising HR in a highly unionised environment.

The example is useful because it shows learning and development as part of a wider HR modernisation effort in a large state transport operator. For anyone thinking about HR transformation in a unionised workplace, his public example is worth following.

12. Mark Duffy

Deputy Director HR and Head of Talent, Ryanair

Mark Duffy is the Deputy Director HR and Head of Talent at Ryanair. An official speaker biography published for an aviation recruitment industry event names him in that role, describing his responsibility for talent teams across Dublin, Spain and Poland after more than 16 years of talent acquisition experience at large companies in London, Paris and Dublin.

The example is useful because it shows talent leadership operating across several countries from an Irish base. For anyone thinking about talent strategy in aviation, his public example is a useful one to study.

13. Niamh Flood

Head of Organisation Capability, daa

Niamh Flood is the Head of Organisation Capability at daa, the Dublin Airport Authority group. The company's own careers webpage names her in that role, describing responsibility for talent management, development, succession planning, performance management, learning and development, staff surveys and skills training across the group.

The example is useful because it shows how many people functions sit under one capability leadership role in a large state airport operator. For anyone thinking about organisation capability in aviation and airports, her public example is worth a look.

14. Sinead Heneghan

Chief Executive Officer, Learning and Development Institute

Sinead Heneghan is the Chief Executive Officer of the Learning and Development Institute, the professional body for the learning and development field in Ireland, formerly known as the Irish Institute of Training and Development. The institute's own website names her in that role and records her public comments on the growing role of artificial intelligence in learning and development.

The example is useful because it shows leadership of the profession itself, not just of one organisation's training function. For anyone wanting a wider view of the Irish learning and development community, her public example is a useful starting point.

15. Alison Hodgson

Market Director, CIPD Ireland

Alison Hodgson is the Market Director of CIPD Ireland, the Irish arm of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. CIPD's own website names her in that role, describing her work leading strategic growth, policy influence and member engagement across skills, wellbeing and flexible working, and notes she was named one of Ireland's Top 50 Most Influential CHROs in 2024.

The example is useful because it shows how the wider HR and people profession in Ireland is represented and supported. For anyone thinking about the policy and community side of learning and development, her public example is worth following.

Frequently asked questions

How were these leaders chosen?

This is an editorial directory of current learning, talent and organisation development leaders whose roles and organisations are publicly identified by their employer or a professional body. It is not a ranking.

Is this a complete list of learning and development leaders in Ireland?

No. Ireland has a large and active learning and development community across many sectors. This is a useful starting point, not a complete register.

Why do the job titles vary so much?

Organisations use different titles for similar work, including Head of Talent Development, Director of Learning and Organisation Development, and Head of People and Organisation Capability. This list keeps each leader's current public title rather than forcing every role into one label.

Conclusion

The leaders in this list work in different sectors and organisations, but the underlying work is shared: helping people grow, adapt and stay capable as their organisations change. If you are thinking about learning, talent or organisation development in your own workplace, these public examples are a useful place to start.

About the author

Jonno White is a Brisbane-based leadership consultant, keynote speaker and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, and the author of Step Up or Step Out. He works with organisations around the world. To enquire about a keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

Next read

If you are exploring how leadership and team dynamics shape learning outcomes, Jonno's work as a Certified Working Genius Facilitator looks at how understanding a team's natural working styles supports the kind of capability building the leaders above lead every day. You can also read more about Jonno's background working with executive teams and schools around the world if you are considering bringing a keynote, workshop or facilitated session to your own organisation.

Work with Jonno

I help leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at. If you want practical support for leadership development, organisation capability or a Working Genius workshop, email jonno@consultclarity.org.