CEO Corner by Sarah McGrath

“If you don’t look after the engine, you can’t expect to perform.”
What happens when ambition, pressure, and performance come at the expense of your health?
In this episode of CEO Corner, Associate Professor Dr. Robert Kelly –Consultant Cardiologist, Lifestyle Medicine expert, and creator of the Heart Reset Method – joins Sarah McGrath for a powerful conversation on the hidden health risks facing CEOs, founders, and senior leaders.
From chronic stress and poor sleep to silent plaque build-up and missed warning signs, Dr. Kelly explains why so many high-performing individuals ignore the very risks that matter most, and why prevention is the real performance advantage.
This is a masterclass in executive health, longevity, and sustainable performance:
→ why heart disease often develops silently for decades→ the warning signs leaders consistently ignore→ how stress, sleep, diet, and alcohol impact heart health→ why high achievers struggle to turn knowledge into action→ the link between heart health, decision-making, and performance→ and how small behavioural changes can transform long-term outcomes
All without waiting for a crisis to force change.
Dr. Kelly shares insights from nearly 20 years in cardiology, working with patients at both acute and preventative stages—and how his approach has evolved to focus on helping people stay well, not just treating illness.
Listen Now!
An essential listen for CEOs, founders, and ambitious professionals who want to build success without sacrificing their health—and actually enjoy the results.
If this episode resonated with you, share it with a colleague or leader who needs to hear it.
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Connect With Us
Dr. Robert Kelly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/associate-professor-dr-robert-kelly-1111051a/Sarah McGrath: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-mcgrath/
 
Sponsored by 360 Search — Your career, our expertise.www.360search.ie

“You can be authentic and powerful at the same time.”
What does real leadership actually look like behind the title?
In this episode of CEO Corner, Marguerite Brosnan, CEO of AXA Insurance Ireland, joins Sarah McGrath for a deeply honest conversation about leadership, career pivots, and building high-trust teams that outperform.
From growing up between Tipperary and Kerry to becoming one of Ireland’s top CEOs, Marguerite shares the defining moments that shaped her leadership philosophy including leaving a secure teaching career, being championed by a sponsor early in her career, and learning why authenticity builds more trust than authority ever could.
Inside this episode:→ why ambition doesn’t need to be loud→ the difference between mentoring and sponsorship→ how to lead experts who know more than you→ why flexibility builds trust instead of weakness→ staying close to the frontline to stay grounded→ how insurance is evolving from protection to prevention
 
Key takeaways include
• Why steady self-improvement beats competitive ambition• How discomfort builds confidence and career momentum• The leadership habit that creates psychological safety• Why breadth of experience increases long-term career value• How great leaders share credit and take responsibility
 
Memorable moments
• “A leader casts a long shadow.”• “If you want to climb a mountain, you have to climb it.”• “When you do the right thing, you’re never wrong.”
 
An essential listen for leaders, founders, managers, and anyone building a meaningful career.
If this episode helped you, share it with someone who leads a team or wants to. Subscribe for more conversations with the people shaping modern leadership.
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Connect With Us
Marguerite Brosnan: linkedin.com/in/marguerite-brosnan-baabb865/Sarah McGrath: linkedin.com/in/sarah-mcgrath/
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Sponsored by 360 Search: Your career, our expertisewww.360search.ie

“If people knew how hard it was to set up your own business, they wouldn’t do it.” 
In this episode of CEO Corner, Stephen Felle—CEO at Fordel and former youngest director on the board of Davy—joins Sarah McGrath to talk ruthless ambition, the Celtic Tiger, and what “real wealth” looks like in Ireland today.
From starting in stockbroking as a teenager, to sitting at the centre of Ireland’s boom years, to walking away from a high-paying leadership role to launch a startup weeks before COVID, Stephen shares a rare, candid look inside wealth, risk, and reinvention.
Key takeaways include:
Ambition needs a channel – how not being good at sport pushed Stephen to find his edge in business and relationship-building.
The evolution from stock-picking to wealth management – why “boring” compounding beats flashy trading apps 60% of the time.
Celtic Tiger lessons – how visible excess (helicopters to the Galway Races, soaring bank shares) masked systemic risk.
The hidden cost of rapid career success – work–life imbalance, stress, and the danger of tying identity to title.
Entrepreneurship reality vs romance – why most people underestimate the financial and emotional strain of starting up.
Ireland’s new wealth story – business sales, pensions, and high earners replacing leveraged property as the main driver.
What good wealth management really is – holistic planning around pensions, gifting, college funds, tax, and family goals, not just “which fund”.
Transparency as a differentiator – the importance of clear fees, realistic returns, and saying “no” to opaque 8% schemes with hidden commissions.
Continuous mentorship matters – even at CEO level, having seasoned investors as sounding boards is a competitive advantage.
Perspective after illness – why Stephen frames leukemia and startup scars through the lens of luck, support, and privilege.
All while balancing a young family, big ambition, and the constant pressure of building something from scratch.
A must-listen for entrepreneurs, high-earning professionals, and anyone in Ireland wondering how to turn income into long-term, resilient wealth—without losing yourself in the process.

Leadership, Strategy, & Scaling From Startup to Unicorn
In this episode of CEO Corner, Sinead Fitzmaurice FCA – first female CEO of an Irish unicorn (TransferMate Global Payments), director of Fitzmaurice Finance and chairperson of Nazaré Point – joins host Sarah McGrath for a rare, candid conversation about private leadership and public success.
Sinead lifts the lid on what it took to scale a regulated global fintech to unicorn status while raising four children, including her daughter Sasha, who was given no hope at birth and went on to defy every prognosis.
Together they dive into:
→ Growing up in 1980s Ireland with “tighten the belt” economics and big ambitions
→ Being the only woman among 30 male managers at PwC and learning to speak up in the boardroom
→ Scaling TransferMate from startup to unicorn through years of regulation and licensing
→ The night the New York regulator called at 11pm and changed the company’s trajectory
→ Unicorn status, staff mortgages, and why valuation is a tool, not an identity
→ Stage 3 of her career: advisory roles, AI, fintech in emerging markets & Nazaré Point
Key takeaways include:
• How childhood scarcity can drive ambition and the question “what am I chasing?”
• The internal “10 conversations” women often have before speaking in the boardroom
• Why quiet belief from one mentor can completely alter a career path
• The reality of guilt for working mothers
• The importance of product-market fit, regulation and a real moat in fintech
• Why “overnight success” usually means a decade of invisible grind
• How to give honest feedback, avoid wasted talent, and build a high-standards culture
• Designing your career in stages: training ground → scale-up CEO → portfolio advisory

“If you don’t adapt, you’re dead.” – What does it actually take to build and keep a hospitality business alive?In this episode of CEO Corner, Noel Anderson—publican, industry advocate, and co-founder of Grand Slam Bars (The Bridge 1859, Lemon & Duke, and more)–joins Sarah McGrath with a masterclass in operator mindset:→ bouncing back from liquidation→ settling a TV3 defamation case→ bootstrapping Grafton Lounge, Lemon & Duke, The Bridge 1859→ and navigating policy shocks, energy costs, and shifting customer behaviourAll without losing sight of people, product, and profit.Noel shares his raw, unfiltered story of resilience: losing everything at 23, starting again with €60k, scaling iconic venues with rugby partners, battling insurers during COVID—and why cash flow and culture beat almost everything else.Key takeaways include: • Why cash flow is the lifeblood of any business • The power of resilience after failure and liquidation at 23 • Property strategy: owning vs leasing and how ownership compounds growth • Spotting & adapting to consumer trends • Building strong team culture: hiring fast, removing bad fits, and sharing equity • How Noel and his partners won a landmark COVID insurance case that benefited 1 in 7 Irish pubs • The pressures of rising government costs, energy prices, and city safety on the hospitality sector • The future of Irish pubs: fewer, smaller, more innovative, and more occasion-drivenMemorable moments: • “Cash flow is existential. Great ideas die without liquidity.” • “Rip the plaster off on bad hires—culture is too expensive to waste.” • “When things are good, don’t stir the hornet’s nest—pay down debt.” • “Adapt or decline: evolve menus, experiences, and service—constantly.”An unmissable conversation for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone building a business in a fast-changing world.If this episode helped you, please share it with a founder or operator who needs it, and leave a comment—it really helps the show grow!Subscribe for more leadership & operator playbooks.
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Connect With Us
Noel Anderson: /noel-anderson-a7a2bb42/ Sarah McGrath: /sarah-mcgrath/ _Sponsored by 360 Search — Your career, our expertise. www.360search.ie

From a Shy Bookish Kid to Leading Europe’s Insurance Powerhouse: Conor Brennan’s Leadership Journey
In this episode, we sit down with Conor Brennan, CEO of Ardonagh Europe, as he reflects on his personal journey and professional rise to leading one of Europe’s fastest-growing insurance groups. Conor shares his insights on scaling internationally, building purpose-driven cultures, and navigating the challenges of leadership across multiple markets.
Discover how Conor transitioned from a shy kid – "the forgotten Beatle" – to an ambitious CEO, why he believes mentorship and listening are game-changers, and how Ardonagh Europe became a powerhouse through strategic acquisitions and values-led leadership.
Episode Highlights:
Building Ardonagh Europe into a pan-European leader.
The role of purpose and culture in scaling successfully.
How to make smart acquisitions while protecting values.
Lessons on resilience, fear of failure, and staying competitive.
Why mentorship and coaching accelerate leadership growth.
Inspiring Leadership Lessons:
Conor offers candid advice on growing as a leader, setting ambitious goals, and surrounding yourself with great people. His story is a masterclass in balancing business performance with cultural integrity and personal growth.
Timestamps:
(00:00:01) Separating personal and professional identity
(00:03:21) Work-life balance and timely advice
(00:20:25) Joining at a senior level without experience
(00:28:00) The lifecycle of growth and the importance of change
(00:32:46) Purpose-Driven Business
(00:50:52) Advice for Ambitious Professionals
 
Thank you for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it, subscribe, and leave a review — your support helps us grow.
Sponsored by 360 Search — Your career, our expertise.

Embracing Uncertainty in Leadership and Industry Transformation
Join Sarah McGrath as she delves into a candid conversation with Robert Kennedy, CEO of Howden Ireland. Discover how Robert's competitive spirit and resilience have shaped his leadership style and guided him through the challenges of the insurance industry, from starting as a van driver to becoming CEO of Howden Ireland.
Please note: This episode was originally recorded in July 2024.
Since filming this interview, Robert has been appointed to succeed Carl Shuker as CEO of Howden UK and Ireland. We wish Robert all the best in his new role, which will commence in October 2025.
Episode Highlights:
From humble beginnings to CEO: Robert’s career trajectory.
Strategic leadership: Navigating Howden through times of crisis.
Personal insights: Balancing family commitments with professional demands.
The future of the insurance industry and the role of consolidation.
Building a resilient and culturally aligned workforce.
Leadership Insights:
Robert emphasises the significance of adaptability and strategic thinking in leadership. He offers advice on achieving a sustainable work-life balance and underscores the value of cultural alignment in mergers and acquisitions.
Time Stamps:
00:00 Introduction and Early Life
01:24 College Years and Early Career
02:29 Entering the Insurance Industry
04:02 Finding Focus and Motivation
05:01 Career Ambitions and Achievements
07:15 Leadership and Challenges
09:44 Balancing Work and Family
12:22 Overcoming Doubts and Fears
15:06 Leadership and Personal Responsibility
15:36 Evolving Work Environments and Learning Challenges
17:24 Balancing Work, Family, and Friendships
19:25 Work-Life Balance and Remote Work
21:54 The Competitive Landscape of the Insurance Industry
25:33 Advice for Aspiring Professionals
26:13 Future Plans for Howden
28:10 Fun Questions to Wrap Up
Connect with Us:
Robert Kennedy: /robert-kennedy-4541a518/Sarah McGrath: /sarah-mcgrath/
Thank you for listening!
If this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with friends or leaving a review. Your feedback is appreciated. Sponsored by 360 Search, your career, our expertise. www.360search.ie

Discover Emma's Journey: From CEO of Grafter to New Horizons
In this compelling episode, we sit down with Emma Kennedy, the co-founder and former CEO of Grafter, a pioneering flexible workspace company. Emma opens up about her decision to step down from her leadership role and reflects on the personal and professional growth she experienced during her tenure.
Key Discussion Points:
Leadership Transition: Emma shares the thought process behind her decision to step down as CEO and how self-awareness played a crucial role.
Grafter’s Expansion: Explore Grafter's journey of growth, including its successful expansion into the London market.
Company Culture: Learn about the importance of fostering an open and supportive workplace environment and how it impacts employee well-being.
Personal Challenges: Emma candidly discusses her personal fertility journey and its influence on her professional life.
Future Plans: Emma hints at her next steps and the opportunities she is exploring beyond Grafter.
Leadership Insights & Advice:
Emma offers invaluable advice on leadership, mentorship, personal branding, and achieving a work-life balance. Her story is a testament to resilience and the power of vulnerability in achieving personal and professional success. Join us for an episode filled with inspiring stories and actionable insights for aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs.
(00:00:01) Stepping down as CEO, why now?  (00:16:20) Emma’s Career - Mindset, and going straight in at the deep end.(00:34:40) Building a social brand in a digital age - what’s involved, advice, tips, and chatting. (00:41:15) Juggling fertility issues, IVF treatment, while working, employer support, and advice.
 
Emma's LinkedIn Sarah's LinkedIn
 
Listen on:
- YouTube
- Spotify
- Apple Music
Thank you for being a loyal listener, and we hope you find our interview with Emma useful. If you enjoy the episode, please consider sharing it with your network and leaving a review. Your support means the world to us.Sponsored by 360 Search, your career, our expertise.

In this episode, Sarah speaks with Dr Dylan Colbert is an intelligence researcher and performance and behavioural psychologist.
“To improve team performance, you must clearly show what performance looks like.”
An educational interview is not to be missed! We discuss the power of harnessing emotion when in the workplace. Dylan gives his insights on the recipe for success and how to avoid the pitfall of accepting mediocrity within your teams or for yourself.
We unpack the thought that when the “mind retires, the body follows” and how you can spend your whole life leveraging your intelligence even after retirement.
Dylan breaks down the science behind what constitutes an excellent leader and explains why those with charisma have an advantage.
Dylan’s research, which demonstrates that intellectual performance can be improved via intervention, has challenged the century-old notion that intelligence cannot be trained. Given his academic success, Dylan began applying his precise, meticulous, pragmatic approach to peak performance. Dylan's extensive research has allowed him to identify the psychological, emotional, and behavioural skills essential for elite achievement for any performer and activity.
 
01:07 What interested Dylan in the area of Psychology, personality, high performers, intelligence and how he ended up in the area of performance psychology
04:11 Dylan discusses a recipe to success and what it is. Understating objective and subjective success
06:11  Dylan explains how the different forms of motivation, mindset, action, emotion and their role in success
07:52  How discipline and commitment play a role in achieving success
09:40 Can we apply sports psychology principles to leaders in business – the miss conception of always being motivated
11:12  The ingredients of being great at what you do
12:52 Creating an environment to cater to those with little or much ambition
14:36 Optimise individual efforts for the company target
16:50 The benefit of empowering employees
18:21 Working into your 50s and 60s and how we perform cognitively at this age versus the youth entering into the market
22:28 Staying cognitively active in your later years, understanding brain health
24:15 How are we programmed to make decisions fast decision makers and slower decision makers? How are our decisions framed
30:20 Emotion is a tool. Learn how to harness it. How do we apply emotional regulations strategy during stress
35:33 – Inspiring action in teams, how great leaders inspire action. Understanding charisma.
 40:17 – Three fun questions to finish the interview
 
Dylan's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdylancolbert/
Sarah's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-mcgrath/
 
Listen on: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6Td60vAXI34DSc0pCo9VSD
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/ceo-corner-by-sarah-mcgrath/id169900355
 
Thank you for being a loyal listener, and we hope you find our interview with Dylan useful. If you enjoy the episode, please consider sharing it with your network and leaving a review. Your support means the world to us.

Danny McCoy, CEO of IBEC, named among Ireland’s 50 most influential people, has built a public and respected career with sheer determination. In this interview, we have the unique opportunity to listen to Danny’s advice on how to build a prolific career and his view on characteristics that form the best leaders in Ireland.
Danny shares insights and offers advice on how to lead a business through organisational and financial transformation, from his first-hand experience.
IBEC is Ireland’s largest Lobbying organisation, with a turnover of 45 million and 39 brands in 9 locations, including Europe.
Time Stamps:
01:15 Danny’s start in life, he discusses being from Galway and his upbringing
02: 37 Challenges for Danny joining the corporate ladder, what he experienced, and role models that influenced him
03:45 Danny turning down a role to be an adviser to a Taoiseach
05:02 Danny named Irish Times 50 influential people, what challenges he faces daily
07:45 How Danny led IBEC through organisational and financial transformation
10:08 Danny discusses thought leadership and how he handles the pressures from the government, the businesses he represents, and the economy.
13:05 Danny discusses leadership skills that really work from working with Irelands top CEOs
14:15 How does a person train resilience to be a strong leader and the problem with working from home, we can not learn from each other
16:09 The change in working society an how AI will play a role for the better, and human-to-human interaction will never be redundant
17:50 How Danny handles situations where he can not always be so analytical and prepared
19:34 Danny dealt with controversy from his role in FAS and during Covid, how the negative spotlight affected his career.
21:25 Danny sharing his outlook for Ireland over the next couple of years form a positive perspective
 
Danny's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-mccoy-0508239/
Sarah's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-mcgrath/