Caroline Spillane CDir | Wednesday, 5 February 2025

Dear Anne,

The role of directors continues to evolve, presenting both exciting opportunities and critical responsibilities for business leaders. 

In this ezine, we bring you valuable insights, exclusive events, and essential resources to support your journey in governance and leadership. Explore our upcoming IoD Ireland events, including must-attend webinars on Company Law and dawn raids. As well as new content, including an IAF Factsheet courtesy of Addleshaw Goddard.

Our Member Spotlight shines on Catherine Doyle, General Manager of Microsoft Ireland, offering an inspiring perspective on leadership. Plus, stay ahead with updates on the Irish Foreign Investment Screening regime and our most recent CSRD/ESG webcast in conjunction with Fieldfisher.

We would also like to extend our congratulations to the members graduating from the Chartered Director Programme next week. 

As always, I encourage you to make the most of your IoD Ireland membership. If you need any assistance, please don’t hesitate to simply reply to this email.

Best wishes,

Caroline Spillane CDir

Chief Executive Officer

Institute of Directors Ireland 

EXCLUSIVE COMPLIMENTARY IoD EVENTS FOR MEMBERS

Dawn Raids: The Role of a Director

5 MARCH 2025 | 7:45AM - 9:45AM

Location: 2 Grand Canal Square, Dublin Docklands, Dublin 2

Learn practical guidance and insights on understanding both the process and implications of a Dawn Raid. The event will include a presentation by Cormac Little SC, Partner and Head of Competition and Regulation, Willian Fry. Cormac will outline recent developments regarding Dawn Raids in Ireland and the EU regarding. He will also explore the roles of the CCPC and European Commission in conducting such raids. This event is in partnership with William Fry.

Eligible for 1 hour of CPD.

Unlock the Full Potential of Your Membership

27 MARCH 2025 | 12:30PM - 1:00PM

Location: Online

Are you clear on all the benefits of your IoD membership? Maximise your membership by registering for this upcoming webinar with Darren Clarke, Business Development Manager, IoD Ireland.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Meet Our Member: Catherine Doyle, General Manager, Microsoft Ireland

In this month’s member spotlight, we are proud to feature Catherine Doyle, General Manager, Microsoft Ireland. Catherine's role is focused on driving digital transformation for both public and private sector organisations, leveraging innovative technologies such as AI and cloud computing to help them achieve greater efficiency and success. Her vision for Microsoft Ireland is centred around empowering organisations to embrace digital innovation and to harness the power of technology to realise their full potential. Catherine is also responsible for fostering key partnerships across Ireland and ensuring that Microsoft's innovative solutions align with the evolving needs of the Irish market.  

IoD LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT: DESIGNED FOR DIRECTORS

This Irish Times article explores how an external board evaluation strengthens accountability and fosters organisational success by enhancing board effectiveness and governance.

In this article, Board Evaluation clients and IoD members, Billy Doyle, CEO Dundalk Credit Union, Tara Glynn, Group Company secretary and General Counsel, Vhi and Mike Byrne CDir, Chief Executive Officer of GS1 Ireland and member of the GS1 Global Management Board, highlight their experience of the board evaluation process and the importance of active engagement and openness to feedback

Individual Accountability Framework

Director Factsheet

The Individual Accountability Framework (IAF) is designed to ensure that those exercising roles across regulated firms act in the best interest of customers the and integrity of the market, while meeting clearly laid-out standards of conduct. This Director Factsheet outlines the four key elements of the IAF. They include: the Senior Executive Accountability Regime (SEAR): Conduct Standards; Enhancements to the Fitness & Probity (F&P) Regime: and the enhancements to the Administrative Sanctions Procedure (ASP). Courtesy of Addleshaw Goddard.

Irish Foreign Investment Screening Regime Now Operational

Director Factsheet

This Director Factsheet explains Ireland’s new rules for screening foreign investments, which started in January 2025. It requires foreign buyers in certain sectors to notify the government before completing deals, with penalties for non-compliance. Key sectors, such as critical infrastructure and healthcare, are under closer scrutiny. Courtesy of McCann FitzGerald LLP.

The Director Development Toolkit

Member resource

The Director Development Toolkit is designed to help members shape their Non-Executive Director (NED) careers with confidence and purpose. The comprehensive toolkit offers step-by-step guides, skill mapping exercises, strategic planning templates, proven interview techniques, LinkedIn profile optimisation tips and much more. 

CSRD and ESG | Director and Board Responsibilities

Webcast

Watch this webcast of our recent ESG Webinar. This webinar covered ESG rules and directors' responsibilities, including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Speakers included Jonathan Moore, Partner, Planning and Environmental, Fieldfisher and Lars Raedschelders, Partner, Corporate M&A, Fieldfisher.

Steps to Becoming a Non-Executive Director

Podcast

Listen to Carol Bolger CDir, Faculty Member, IoD Ireland, interview on the pod-cast That Great Business Show with Conall Ó Móráin. In this interview Carol talks about her journey to becoming a Non-Executive Director (NED) and the benefit of continuous development for directors that sit on a board.

Diligent Announced as new IoD Ireland Event Series Sponsor

We are delighted to announce that Diligent will sponsor our Lunch Bites @ IoD Ireland Event series in 2025. The Lunch Bites event series will provide members with invaluable insights on governance, leadership, and strategy. It will feature a line-up of experts and thought leaders sharing their insights and perspectives.

We look forward to working with Diligent to bring this key event and series to our members. We would like to acknowledge the Diligent team for their support.

GNDI Pulse Survey - Your opinion matters

IoD Ireland's research, advocacy and policy work is conducted to assess and analyse the issues that matter to you as a director and your board. As a member of IoD Ireland you are also connected to the Global Network of Director Institutes (GNDI). 

GDNI are conducting two surveys to assess the issues that impact governance and organisations across the network. This research carries on from the GNDI Global online conference that took place in October 2024.  

Both surveys should take no more than 2-minutes to complete.

Welcome to new members who joined in recent weeks

Whether you’re here for inspiration, knowledge, or to belong to a valued network, we’re delighted to have you as part of our IoD Ireland community.

Congratulations to our newly Chartered Directors

Congratulations to those Chartered Directors who have passed their final professional review process, eligibility assessment and have become qualified CDirs.