Longford resident and well known GAA figure named as new chief executive of IDA Ireland

IDA Ireland has appointed Longford resident and well known Grattans GAA and ladies club stalwart, Michael Lohan as its new chief executive.

Mr Lohan, who is a native of Cloone, Co Leitrim, is currently IDA Global Head of Life Sciences and Talent Transformation and Innovation Departments and is a member of its Executive Leadership team.

He will take up his new role on April 17 and succeeds Martin Shanahan who stepped down last year.

During his playing days, Michael lined out with Grattans and he has coached several successful Grattans ladies football teams.

His daughters Caoimhe and Clodagh are members of the Longford county squad, lining out against Wexford in the Lidl Ladies Football National League at Chadwicks Wexford Park last Sunday.

Caption: Grattans ladies football panel with management Enda Duncan and Michael Lohan at celebration dinner dance in February 2020

The holder of a master’s degree in Technology Management from the University of Galway and a graduate of the Berkley Executive Programme, Michael joined IDA Ireland in 2003 from the private sector where he held a number of different management positions including responsibility for New Business Solutions with Nortel’s European Operations in Galway and a management role with IEC Electronics European Operations.

He was formerly a design engineer at Longford Architectural Metalwork.

Michael represents IDA in several fora including Board member on Digital Manufacturing Ireland, governance member on the SSPC research centre for pharmaceuticals and previously with the Irish Medical Association which is the business association within IBEC representing the medical devices and diagnostics sector. In addition, he is Advisory Board member for the Disruptive Technology Innovation Fund.

He has been IDA Global Head of Life Sciences and Talent Transformation and Innovation Departments since 2017.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney TD congratulated Michael on his appointment as CEO of IDA Ireland.

Minister Coveney said, “I congratulate Michael on his appointment as CEO of IDA Ireland. I look forward to working with him to sustain Ireland’s success in winning and retaining investment and jobs in an increasingly competitive international environment. We must ensure that Ireland continues to attract and retain overseas investments and the jobs they provide and that our value proposition continues to be amongst the best in the world.

“IDA Ireland is recognised as a leading investment promotion agency, responsible for supporting over 300,000 jobs in multinational companies across the country. The performance of our FDI sector has reached record levels, notwithstanding the current resetting by the tech sector, and I am looking forward to working with Michael and the IDA in maintaining Ireland’s strong performance in attracting and retaining high-quality FDI.

“Our FDI sector is a central element of our economic model. IDA will play a leading role in implementing Government’s policy on enterprise as set out in the recently published Government White Paper on Enterprise. Government is committed to ensuring that Ireland remains at the frontier of new technologies and sectoral development and realising the potential of our regions. IDA is working closely with the FDI sector on digital transformation, achieving our net-zero carbon commitments and developing our offshore wind industry.

“My Department and IDA will work hand-in-glove to maintain Ireland’s strong performance in attracting high-quality mobile FDI to Ireland in such key sectors as ICT, Lifesciences, Financial Services and frontier manufacturing, as well as further embedding the many FDI companies already located here, built up over the seven decades of IDA’s existence.”

Commenting on the appointment, IDA Chairman Frank Ryan said, “Michael Lohan was selected from a strong field of candidates, both internal and external, following a rigorous recruitment process. The Board is confident that Michael has the required experience to lead IDA in the ongoing implementation of our current strategy and on the future development of the organisation. He will continue to lead IDA in the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland and the winning of investments for regional locations.

“Michael will also work in close cooperation with the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment to drive the transformation agenda with client companies in the areas of advance manufacturing, sustainability, digitisation, and increasing the level of research and development undertaken by overseas companies in Ireland. I wish Michael all the best in his new role and have every confidence the organisation will prosper under his leadership”.

IDA Ireland has enjoyed strong results over the last number of years, despite the challenges brought by the difficult global economic environment, and there are now over 300,000 people working for circa 1,800 foreign companies based in Ireland, the highest level ever recorded.

Concluding Frank Ryan said, “On behalf of the Board I want to thank Mary Buckley, who stepped into the role of Interim CEO last October, for her excellent leadership and strong contribution to the IDA during this transition period’.

Mary Buckley will continue as Interim CEO until 16th April 2023, at which time she will revert to her role as Executive Director, IDA Ireland.