Changes at top for local firm Mannok

Liam McCaffrey to remain as non-Executive Director post retirement.

Current Chief Financial Officer Dara O'Reilly is to takeover as Chief Executive of local firm Mannok following the retirement of Liam McCaffrey later this year.

Mr O’Reilly (51) will succeed Liam McCaffrey (61) who will continue to be involved in the business as a non-executive director.

Brenda Rennick (47), Mannok’s Finance Director, has been elevated to the role of Chief Financial Officer.

Liam and Dara have served as CEO and CFO respectively since the establishment of Mannok (then named QIH) in December 2014.

Since that time, Mannok has invested over €100m in the region, turnover has doubled, profitability (EBITDA) has grown more than five-fold and the business has added over 150 jobs.

Commenting, Adrian Barden, Chairman of Mannok said: “Liam McCaffrey has been a formidable leader of Mannok over the past nine years, developing and growing the Company into a profitable and well invested business whose people, products and services are widely respected in the industry. We are very pleased to have continuing access to his knowledge and experience in his capacity as a non-executive director.”

He added that the Board has conducted a “succession process” for the positions of CEO and CFO and are “delighted to have the requisite talent and experience to promote from within. Dara and Brenda enjoy the respect and trust of their colleagues and of the Board. I wish them well in our next phase of growth as an increasingly sustainability focussed business.”

Thanking colleagues for their support, Liam McCaffrey said: “It has been my privilege to serve as CEO working alongside exceptional colleagues across the business and with a hugely supportive Board. What we have achieved for the business and the region, we have achieved together and I know that will continue under the leadership of Dara, Brenda, Chief Operations Officer Kevin Lunney and the broader senior management team.”

Mr O’Reilly, a qualified Chartered Accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers and also a Chartered Tax Consultant, is a former Finance Director of Quinn Group, having fulfilled a range of divisional finance roles since joining the Group from Aer Lingus in 2000.

He commented: “This is a resilient business with great people and a bright future. Over the coming years we will continue to source, produce and employ locally but we will also transform our manufacturing processes to become one of the cleanest producers in our industry. Managing that energy transition, whilst continuing to grow the business, will be our key priority for the business over the coming years.”

Ms Rennick meanwhile has served as Finance Director of Mannok since December 2014.

She was previously Head of Finance for Brakes Ireland from 2013-2014.

Ms Rennick is a former Financial Controller of Quinn Group’s Construction Products, Plastics and Packaging divisions, having progressed through a range of finance roles since joining the Group as a Graduate systems accountant in 1998.

She is a Chartered Accountant and holds a BSc (Hons) Accounting from University of Ulster.

A multi-year Awardee of the Deloitte Best Managed Company Award, Mannok currently employs over 800 staff and comprises two key divisions - Building Products and Packaging. Its operations straddle north and south of the border in Cavan and Fermanagh.

The businesses' key activities include the manufacture of cement, concrete, quarry and aggregate products, insulation materials, as well as the manufacturing of packaging products, mainly for the food industry, focussed on the Island of Ireland and GB markets.