Board Members

Fiona Ross is an exceptionally experienced public and private sector Chairman and Non-Executive Director, having served on 17 boards in Ireland and the UK over the past six years. She focuses on governance, ethics, digital transformation and digital governance. In 2018 she was appointed by the Irish Government to chair CIÉ. 

Frank Allen was appointed to the Board of CIÉ in September 2017. He is an independent financial consultant, advising on infrastructure investment and operations, mostly in developing and transition economies. He was Chief Executive of the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) from 2002 to 2012. In this period, the RPA had responsibility for building the Red and Green lines of the Luas light rail system and for extending them to the Docklands, Cherrywood and Citywest. Frank is a graduate of University College Cork and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He previously worked for the World Bank in Washington DC, arranging finance for infrastructure development in developing countries and in Eastern Europe and he was Head of Infrastructure Finance for KBC Bank in Ireland. He is Chairman of Depaul Ireland, which provides accommodation and other support to homeless people. 

Ultan Courtney was appointed to the Board of CIÉ and as Chairman of Bus Átha Cliath in September 2014. He has wide experience in the Human Resources and Industrial Relations field. He is Managing Director of his own consultancy business and previously held positions in C&C Group Plc, Superquinn, Waterford Foods and IBEC. He holds a Masters Degree in Economics from Trinity College Dublin and numerous qualifications in the areas of employment law, mediation, arbitration and legal governance.

 

Brian Fitzpatrick is an accountant and experienced financial professional. Prior to joining the CIÉ Board he was Finance Director and Company Secretary of BAM Contractors Ltd., the country’s largest civil engineering and construction company and he continues to be a Non‐Executive Director of that company. He spent the early part of his career in the financial services sector as Financial Controller of First National Building Society which then became First Active Plc. He is also currently a Director of the Housing Finance Agency which is the State Body charged with the financing of Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies in the provision of social and affordable housing and is permanent Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee.

Denise Guinan was appointed to the Board of CIÉ in July 2018 under the Worker Participation (State Enterprises) Acts, 1977 to 2001. She joined the clerical grade in Bus Átha Cliath in 1989 and works in Ringsend Bus Garage. She is a member of the Transport and Salaried Staff Association.

Stephen Hannan was appointed to the CIÉ Board in December 2017 under the Worker Participation (State Enterprises) Acts 1977 to 2001. He works as a bus driver based in Ringsend Garage. He is a member of SIPTU and has held a wide variety of positions within the trade union for almost 30 years: President of the Bus Drivers Committee; Vice-Chairman of the Transport Sector Committee; the Divisional Committee, Depot Representative to name but a few.
 

Aidan Murphy was first appointed to the Board of Bus Éireann in April 2013 and its Chairman in July 2014. He was also appointed to the Board of CIÉ in July 2014. Aidan has extensive experience as a supply chain professional having held positions as CEO Pulse Logistics, Managing Director Supply at C&C Group, General Manager Wincanton Ireland and Logistics Director at Allegro Ltd. He has been a keynote speaker to several European supply chain events, including Logicon and the European Supply Chain Summit and is a fellow and Past President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Ireland and is a Non-executive Director of M&M Walshe Group. 

Tom O’Connor was appointed to the Board of CIÉ in December 2013 under the Worker Participation (State Enterprises) Acts 1977 to 2001. He works as a bus driver based in Ringsend Garage. He is a member of the National Bus and Rail Union, sits on the National Executive and has served as Dublin Branch Secretary since 2010. He previously worked in the electrical and signage industry.

 
Niamh O’Regan is a Board member of Children’s Health Foundation and of the Property Registration Authority and she is an external member of the Audit Committee of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.     
Niamh’s experience includes roles in Barclays Bank in London as Head of Business Performance and also in Barclays Bank Ireland as Head of Business Management. She was previously CFO of The London Bridge Hospital and of The Harley St. Medical Clinic. 
Niamh holds a B.A. (Hons) degree in French and Spanish from Trinity College Dublin and a Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting from Dublin City University. She is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland having trained with PWC Dublin and has recently completed a specialist Diploma in Risk, Compliance and Internal Audit. 

Liam O’Rourke was appointed to the Board of CIÉ on 4 September 2018. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland (FCPA). He has held senior executive positions with US multinational manufacturing companies for over 30 years and has extensive experience in finance, HR and ICT. He was previously the Finance Director/Controller of Champion Spark Plug Company and is currently the Internal Auditor with the Irish Wheelchair Association. Liam is the Chair of the CIÉ Audit and Risk Committee.

Fiona is an investment professional with 30 years’ experience in the asset management industry. She has held executive and board roles in leading Irish investment firms including AIB Investment Managers, Prescient Ireland and Davy over the past 18 years. In these roles she has been responsible for the development, communication and implementation of effective business strategies. She has an in depth knowledge of pensions and investment markets and has significant experience in corporate governance and compliance. Fiona holds Undergraduate and Masters Degrees in Economics from University College Dublin and the Diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors.

Tommy Wynne was appointed to the CIÉ Board in December 2013 under the Worker Participation (State Enterprises) Acts, 1977 to 2001. He joined Iarnród Éireann as a depot man in 1991 and became a train driver in 1994. Tommy holds a Higher Diploma in International Railway Operations from Glasgow Caledonia University. He is currently President of the SIPTU TEAC Division and Chairman of the Transport Sector in SIPTU.