We have reached the halfway point in our listing of 30 Under 30 Young Leaders of Tomorrow for 2021, in association with our friends at PwC.
These are individuals making a mark within the Business of Sport in Ireland. They are drawn from sports administration, sports sponsorship, sports media and other areas.
Our ambition is the creation of a network of people making a real difference within our industry.
They will join the 100 who have been nominated over the past four years and there is still time to nominate someone you feel might be a good addition.
How to nominate someone you know for our list.
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EMILY KELLY
Social Media Manager at Aviva Ireland
Emily Kelly joined Aviva in September 2020 having spent two years previously in a similar role at Liberty Insurance.
While there she had travelled with the Camogie All-Stars to New York in 2019, playing a key role in telling the story of that first US trip for the best of the best in the sport.
She is involved across all of Aviva’s sponsorship properties from the Stadium to campaigns like the Soccer Sisters with the FAI.
Emily secured a BA in Economics and Music from Maynooth University before completing a Masters Degree in Digital Marketing from the University of the West of Scotland.
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COLIN ARMSTRONG
Communications and Marketing Executive at Paralympics Ireland
Colin Armstrong joined Paralympics Ireland in 2019 as a graduate of the UCD Sports Management degree course.
He has recently taken up the position of Communications and Marketing executive where he has taken over responsibility for the day to day operation of the Paralympics Ireland social media accounts.
Colin has proven to be an innovative thinker in the area as he has overseen the concept and delivery of the ‘Women in Sport’, ‘1 Year to Go’ and ‘Next Level’ campaigns.
He will be a vital member of the Paralympics Ireland media team in Tokyo in August this year and is also a major part of the Tokyo 2020 Operations Team.
Before doing the UCD Course, he had worked for four years at LifeStyle Sports. He spent three years on a soccer scholarship at Georgia Southwestern University.
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CAITRÍONA BREGAZZI
Consultant at Teneo Sport and Sponsorship
Caitríona is a consultant in Teneo’s sport and sponsorship division. Having joined the organisation on a graduate programme in 2017, she has risen through the ranks to become a trusted advisor to many of Ireland’s leading sponsors.
Having originally worked in Teneo’s digital division creating content and managing brand social platforms, she then transitioned to the sport and sponsorship team where she works with a diverse range of sponsors and rightsholders involved in sport and the arts
She has played basketball and Gaelic football from a very young age. She has a keen interest in women’s sport with a particular desire to see women’s sport continue to thrive and develop and works closely with numerous brands in this area.
Caitríona graduated from Dublin City University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies and is currently undertaking a diploma in Digital Marketing with the UCD Professional Academy.
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TOMMY DOYLE
Social Media Manager at Gaelic Players Association
Tommy Doyle is the Social Media Manager at the Gaelic Players Association and plays a key role in engagement with the association’s membership right across the country.
At the beginning of 2020, Tommy was tasked with overseeing the development and implementation of a new social media strategy for the GPA as part of a new overall communications strategy. Working with Connolly Partners he delivered a structured, cohesive and always-on approach that has been very popular and led to a dramatic increase in post performances and engagement with posts.
He also plays a key role in engaging with squads on a wide variety of matters. As a player for the Westmeath senior hurlers himself, he brings a unique perspective to this work.
He studied Business and Management at Technological University Dublin, graduating in 2018, and completed a Graphic Design Master Diploma at the International Academy of Computer Training in 2019.
He is currently participating in the Jim Madden GPA Leadership Programme, a bespoke Leadership programme for inter-county GAA Athletes.
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HARRY CONNELLY
Senior Account Executive at Ripple Marketing
Harry Connelly is a member of the Sponsorship and Events team in Ripple Marketing, and a key contributor to the marketing around SSE Airtricity’s extended partnership with domestic soccer.
He joined the company in 2017, on the back of a successful BSc in Sport & Exercise Management at UCD and having previously cut his teeth in work experience within the FAI.
His work with SSE Airtricity in the activation of their long term sponsorship with the FAI and League of Ireland has been at the highest level.
He has also been involved in the campaigns of Lucozade Sport with the Dublin Marathon and the IRFU, and with KBC on the Dublin Marathon.
In 2019 he completed a Professional Diploma in Social media Marketing with the Digital Marketing Institute.
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MALLORIE RONAN
Senior Sponsorship Executive at Navy Blue Sports
Mallorie Ronan joined Navy Blue Sports 2020 and has already made great strides working on the agency’s Sponsorship Division.
She gained valuable experience in previous roles working in two of Ireland’s leading sports Sponsorship and PR agencies, Teneo and Wilson Hartnell.
She has worked on activations for some of the biggest players in the Irish sponsorship market across rugby and GAA with brands such as Guinness, Vodafone, AIG, and Pinergy.
She has been able to bring her expertise in creating ambassador roles and brand associations that really work to her new role as Senior Sponsorship Executive.
Mallorie graduated with a Commerce degree from UCDin 2014 and went on to complete a Masters of Arts in Journalism and Media Communications from Griffith College. She is an avid supporter of numerous sports with a particular love of rugby, both as a Munster and Ireland fan and hurling, as a proud Tipperary woman.
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KRISTINA MILLAR
Women in Sport Lead and Honorary Secretary at Vision Sport Ireland, Clinical Scientist at NCBI
Kristina Millar joined the Vision Sports Ireland team following its successful merger with the National Council for the Blind in March 2020.
She has a diverse role; by day working as a Clinical Scientist with NCBI working across Children’s Hospital Ireland Temple Street and Crumlin whilst then switching to act as the Women in Sport lead and honorary secretary for the Board at Vision Sports Ireland.
Kristina is passionate about inclusive sport, particularly in the field of disability. She has coached athletes with various abilities and disabilities, some to a national level, back in her native Australia.
A keen athlete, Kristina has competed at Australian Championships in track and field, hockey, and volleyball. She has recently taken up Camogie with great gusto and has just been appointed captain of her team at St Vincent’s for 2021.
She has led and supported Vision Sports blind and vision-impaired members through innovative pandemic initiatives including physical distance and buddy programme guide running as well as hosting a successful series of webinars and podcasts.
For relaxation, she clocks up the running kilometres along the Clontarf seashore and is currently busy co-developing a social enterprise aimed at addressing social inequity across Irish society.
Kristina graduated as a Bachelor of Advanced Science from the University of Adelaide in 2016.
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SAM CURTIS
Communications Executive at Canoeing Ireland
Sam Curtis joined Canoeing Ireland in Nov 2019 on completion of his college studies.
He is a Canoe Slalom high-performance athlete, competing Internationally and vying for Olympic qualification.
It was a classic case of doing something at first on a part-time basis and then proving yourself to become a full-time member of a management team.
During his first year, he managed the design and layout of a number of key publications, transformed the Canoeing Ireland website and created engaging, fun and informative content across its social media platforms.
He earned a Science degree in Industrial product and Design from TU Dublin and returned in 2018 for a Masters in Strategic Management.
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EOIN SHEAHAN
Presenter OTB Sports
Eoin Sheahan is a presenter at OTB Sports and one of the stars of the OTBAM programme that is a regular haunt for early rising sports fans.
According to his nomination for our list, “he has embraced the opportunity on OTB AM with open arms and has brought his stand-up chops to bear on the daily sports news agenda. All the while maintaining a keen journalistic wit to skewer difficult interviewees where required.”
Broadcasting from his bedroom through our various lockdowns has been a winner for him, having kicked off last March with an address to the nation that echoed Conor McGregors but was concerned itself with the removal of pink Snack wafers.
Having gone to St Brendan’s College in his native Killarney he earned a Degree in Communications Studies from DCU where he was active as a Student Ambassador and as Head of Sport and Deputy Station Manager at DCU FM.
Having first appeared on Newstalk in 2014 as a student he has gone on to secure a place in the early morning routine of listeners and is a major part of the OTB team and personality.
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RUTH STORAN
Partnerships Development Manager at Connacht Rugby
Ruth moved to work in Sports Sponsorship with Connacht Rugby in August 2019 after working in Music Sponsorship with Live Nation.
“Her love for brands and powerful activations led her to a role in sponsorship. Ruth’s true love, the West of Ireland, led her home.
Connacht Rugby perfectly married these two passions,” said one of those who nominated her.
Since starting with Connacht Rugby, she has made her mark on the club through her work on developing a catering partnership, kit partnerships and recently a health and wellbeing partnership.
As a club facing into Covid-19 and associated lockdowns, Connacht Rugby quickly pivoted and adapted plans to align with the “new normal”.
Ruth was a central and integral part of this team who created highly successful campaigns for fans and partners alike. Some of these examples include “For the Love of the Club Virtual Run with Bank of Ireland”, the Limited Edition Heroes Jersey, Lunchtime Learnings for Business Leaders and a Virtual Fan Zone.
She earned a Primary degree in Psychology and Geography from NUIG before going on to a Masters in Psychology from the University of Limerick. In 2019 she got a Diploma in Digital Marketing and Social Media from the Fitzwilliam Institute.
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JASON BLACK
Product Owner – Elite Products at Stat Sports
Jason Black is a key member of the team at STATSports and the Data Analyst working with the Republic of Ireland Senior Men’s team at the FAI.
During the past year, he played a pivotal role in the launch of the STATSports Sonra Product suite which has been nominated in two categories at the 2021 Sports Technology Awards.
Prior to his role as Product Owner, he was a Key Account Manager looking after the Brazilian FA, Leinster Rugby, Manchester United, Stoke City, Olympiacos, Queens Park Rangers, Bristol City, Derby County and many more.
He qualified with a Science Degree in Sports Science and Health from Dublin City University before going onto gain a Masters in Sports Performance Analysis from Cardiff University and a Higher National Diploma in Data Analytics from the National College of Ireland.
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CONOR NOLAN
Athlete and Sponsorship Manager at Sport Endorse
Conor Nolan is responsible for managing athlete sponsorship and acquisition for Sport Endorse, the sports management company making waves in the world of brand ambassadorship.
He has contributed strongly in acquiring sponsorship for a number of clients including Team Qhubeka Assos on the UCI World Tour and Donegal boxer Jason Quigley, generating international PR opportunities for athletes and acquiring new sports talent for commercial and representative services.
He has worked with sporting brands to develop their strategic partnerships, social media management, media purchasing, and launch strategies.
He started his career as an account manager with The Tenth Man agency in Dublin before joining Morgan McKinley and then Sport Endorse in October 2020.
He holds a Professional Diploma in Strategic Digital Marketing from TU Dublin and is undertaking an MSc in Sports Management at UCD.
Outside of the office, Conor is a member of the Kildare Senior Hurling team that won the Christy Ring Cup in 2020, Captain of the Maynooth GAA Senior Hurling team, and has completed the Dublin Marathon twice.
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ELLEN MCCONVILLE
Senior Associate Consultant, Teneo Sport & Sponsorship
Ellen is a Senior Associate Consultant on Teneo’s Sport and Sponsorship team where she works with a diverse range of brands across sponsorship consumer and digital campaigns.
She currently plays a central role in activating and managing sponsorship campaigns such as the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon and Bord Gáis Energy sponsorship of the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. In addition to this, she also provides communications and sponsorship consultancy to the Six Nations, SPAR, Kingspan, Toyota and UPMC.
Prior to joining Teneo, Ellen worked as part of the sponsorship team in Littlewoods Ireland. Her role as a content specialist there saw her develop and execute the content and social strategies for Littlewoods Irelands’ sponsorship properties including the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.
These successful campaigns won Best Use of Social Media at the 2020 ESA Awards and Best Digital PR and Content Creation at the 2020 PRCA & PRII Awards.
Ellen has a strong interest in sport, particularly GAA and is a fluent Irish language speaker. It is a skill that has stood to her in her working life, being able to incorporate and advise clients on the use of Gaeilge across various campaigns.
An area she is most passionate about is the development of women’s sport, having worked on campaigns like the National Camogie Leagues and the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon – the biggest mass female participation event in the world.
She qualified from Dublin City University with a BA (Hons) in Gaeilge agus Iriseoireacht (Irish and Journalism) and has gone on to study the ESA Sponsorship and Sports Marketing Diploma. She is currently studying for a diploma in Digital Marketing from the UCD Professional Academy.
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EIMHEAR BREEN
Brand and Sponsorship Manager at BoyleSports
Eimhear Breen was appointed as BoyleSports new Brand and Sponsorship Manager in October 2020.
This appointment has Breen managing BoyleSports’ expanding sponsorship portfolio, which includes the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse,
the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby at Shelbourne Park, partnership deals with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City, Coventry City and Larne FC in football and the PDC World Cup of Darts.
After graduating in 2016 from Dundalk Institute of Technology with a BA Degree in Public Relations, she began her career in PR with Edelman before joining Legacy Communications Sports Sponsorship Team in 2019.
During her time there, she worked across clients including Littlewoods Ireland on their GAA sponsorship, Indeed on their sponsorship of Team Ireland, Aviva and Corporate.ie.
Breen was an integral part of the team that won the PRCA 2020 for Best Use Of Digital PR Including Content Creation for Littlewoods Ireland Style of Play.
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GUS LEWIS
Partnership Accounts Manager at the FAI
Gus Lewis has played a significant role in the FAI Commercial Team since joining in 2018.
As a Partnerships Account Manager, he is responsible for working with the FAI’s partners to ensure a strong return on their investment in Irish Football, and in supporting their marketing objectives through pro-active planning, strong client engagement, and developing creative activations.
He has worked on some of the biggest sponsorships in the country, including Three’s primary partnership of the Republic of Ireland Senior International Teams up until 2020, and has and will play a key role on Senior International Matchdays in Aviva Stadium.
he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from UCC and has since completed the Masters in Sports Management from UCD.
Gus previously worked with Dublin agency Teneo before joining the FAI and has also volunteered on Matchdays with the Heineken Cup in rugby.
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