The B!G Idea > Governance

Purpose
Promise
Practice

“The process to come up with this idea and the way we went about it, I feel it can be taken and used in a lot of different situations in life. The skills you learn in The B!G Idea I feel like can really help you in the rest of your life. 100%.”

Brandon, Student, Portlaoise College

We do things the right way. Clear, transparent, and independently audited every year, so your support goes exactly where it should.

Joe Hogan
Chairman, The B!G Idea

Founder Openet, 5G telecom. Chairman Rentalmatics, Customer Minds, Kianda, Astronomical Society of Ireland CLG. Board member HRduo, Openet, Nurtitics, Foodcloud CLG. EoY 2011 overall winner. Corp leadership award DCU 2018, Irish tech person of the year 2017

Our Board

Our Board provides strategic oversight, governance, and guidance to ensure The B!G Idea delivers maximum impact with integrity and ambition.

Mary Clare Byrne
Global Operations Leader

A dynamic and results-driven operations leader with a proven track record of driving business success. Equipped with a strategic mindset and an innate ability to navigate complex challenges, Mary Clare excels in optimizing processes, enhancing operational efficiency, and delivering exceptional outcomes.

Paul Sweetman
Chief Executive Officer

CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland, leading AmCham to ensure Ireland is a location where US FDI thrives, alongside supporting the growth of Irish companies as they expand in the US. Chartered Engineer with a bachelors in engineering from UCD and a masters in environmental engineering from Virginia Tech, USA.

Cyril Treacy
Chief Growth Officer

25 years experience in enterprise technology across support, pre-sales, and executive strategy roles,as founding member of Salesforce EMEA. Experienced NGO board member and Angel investor ,Chief growth officer ,UCD alumni and Big IDEA mentor.

Derek Hardiman
Chief Technology Officer

Derek is CTO at Abbey Capital where he is also a member of the Leadership Team, Risk Committee, Operational Due Diligence team and is Co-Chair of the AIMA Technology and Cyber Working Group. He previously held senior roles in the eLearning industry. He holds an MBA from the Smurfit School at UCD and is currently taking the Institue of Directors Chartered Director programme.

Gavin O’Doherty
Head of Brand

Gavin has 30 years of Brand Marketing expertise with companies such as Nestle, Coca-Cola and Jameson Irish Whiskey. He completed his MBS with the IMI / UCC in 2020 and is passionate keeping things simple and ensuring business leaves a bigger positive impact in the communities they serve.

Enda Murtagh
Head of Business Transformation

A leader in business transformation and data-driven strategy with a track record of driving innovation across multiple industries. Currently Head of Business Transformation at PTSB, leading digital and operational change initiatives to enhance efficiency and customer experience. Background in business intelligence, analytics, and IT across financial services and healthcare. Previously lectured in Information Systems at UCD. Board director of The Big Idea.

Sinead Cuthbert
Head of Business Risk Enablement

20+ years experience in financial services across retail, corporate, business, and investments specialising in strategy, change, governance, assurance, and risk management. Former international athlete and national coach in the sport of Olympic style archery.

Dominic Higgins
Former C Suite

A former C-Suite executive with over 25 years’ experience in FinTech, RegTech & Payments. Known for his strategic vision and leadership, Dominic excels in high-growth, startup, and transformational environments. His expertise includes spearheading innovative payment solutions and driving strategic growth and now a strong advocate of tech for good.

Caroline Hynes
VP of Product at LearnUpon

An experienced product and delivery leader who has lead teams and initiatives in the US and Europe with companies such as Disney, British Telecom, Paddy Power, Zendesk and Dunnes Stores. With a focus on people and process, Caroline holds a MA in Design in Digital media, MA in Management and is a qualified and certified Coach.

Eugene Gibney
Former Chief Investment Officer

Eugene is currently a Chief Investment Officer for a leading financial services company in Ireland. Eugene brings a deep expertise in finance, governance and ESG investing. A non-executive director, and Chair of a Trustee board, Eugene brings strategic leadership and a commitment to leave things in a better place