Hockey Ireland is pleased to announce the co-opting of two additional new members to its Board of Directors, to go with the four Directors appointed at the organisation’s AGM in May, strengthening the organisation’s governance and bringing a wealth of expertise from across sport, business and public life.
The appointments come at an exciting time for Hockey Ireland as the organisation continues to deliver on its strategic ambitions to grow participation, support high performance, strengthen clubs and deliver exceptional experiences for everyone involved in hockey.
The new Board members bring a diverse range of skills and experience in areas including governance, HR, financial, commercial development, performance and organisational leadership. Their collective expertise will play an important role in supporting Hockey Ireland as it continues to develop the sport across the island.
Niamh Byrne, Chair of Hockey Ireland, said:
“We are delighted to welcome our new Board members at such a pivotal moment for Hockey Ireland. This August, we will have three national teams competing at the FIH Hockey World Cup: our men’s and women’s teams, and our Hockey ID team, invited in recognition of the programme’s success in bringing talent from communities who might never otherwise have picked up a hockey stick. It is a remarkable moment for Irish hockey, and with the road to LA 2028 already underway, the experience our new Board members bring across governance, HR, finance, commercial development and high performance will be invaluable as we build for continued success on and off the pitch.
On behalf of the Board, I would also like to thank those directors who have recently completed their terms of office. Their commitment and contribution have helped position Hockey Ireland strongly for the future.”
Richard Fahey, CEO of Hockey Ireland, said:
“Strong governance is fundamental to achieving our ambitions. We are fortunate to welcome a group of highly experienced professionals who share our passion for the sport and our commitment to helping hockey thrive.
I look forward to working closely with our Board as we continue to grow participation, support our clubs and volunteers, and build on the success of our performance programmes.”
The appointments reflect Hockey Ireland’s ongoing commitment to ensuring the organisation benefits from a broad range of skills, perspectives and experiences, enabling it to respond to the opportunities and challenges facing sport in Ireland.
The new Board members are:
Alistair Tosh is Group HR Director at Kirby Group Engineering, leading people strategy across talent acquisition, learning and development, succession planning, performance, and engagement. With more than 20 years’ experience partnering with leadership teams, he previously spent nearly a decade with the Irish Management Institute and later served as Chief People Officer at ARYZTA AG.
Jane Joyce is an experienced sports governance professional with leadership roles across national, regional, and club level sport. As a Board Member and Regional Director with Golf Ireland, she has contributed to governance, strategy, and policy development since its formation. Jane has chaired national committees and led initiatives including the iGolf Independent Golfer Scheme and championship reviews. With a background in marketing and communications, she also mentors emerging leaders.
Holly Jenkinson is a senior strategy and operations leader at Google with more than 15 years’ experience leading global customer experience, product operations and regulatory programmes. Alongside her corporate career, Holly has represented Ireland in hockey, netball and tag rugby, and brings extensive experience as an athlete, coach and volunteer. She combines expertise in strategic planning, organisational leadership and business transformation with a passion for governance and community development.
Claire McMonagle has built a successful 20 year finance career across Ireland and Australia. She began at KPMG Dublin before spending a decade in Australia’s construction sector, working with Brookfield Multiplex and later serving as CFO of MPA Construction Group. After returning to Ireland, she joined CarTrawler, a global travel mobility provider, before becoming CFO of the British and Irish Lions in 2023.
Rob Pearson is Managing Director of Teneo Sports Advisory and one of Ireland’s leading experts in sports sponsorship and commercial partnerships. With over 17 years’ experience, he has advised organisations across sport, business and the public sector on partnership strategy, commercial growth and reputation management, working with leading brands including Aer Lingus, Allianz, Fáilte Ireland, the IRFU, Toyota and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Conor Harte works on the Wealth Sales Team at BlackRock, bringing expertise in financial services, strategic client engagement and relationship management. A former Irish international hockey player with more than 250 caps, Conor enjoyed a distinguished 18 year career representing Ireland and spent 15 years competing professionally in the Netherlands and Belgium. He also holds a PhD in Economic Geography, combining experience across elite sport, academia and business.
Hockey Ireland looks forward to working with the new Board as the organisation continues to deliver on its strategic priorities and support the growth and success of hockey across Ireland.
Hockey Ireland
