CEO Corner by Sarah McGrath

“I don’t think there’s one definition of success for people.”

What does it take to lead over 1,100 people - and stay grounded while you do it?

In this episode of CEO Corner, John Mercer, CEO of Marsh Ireland, joins Sarah McGrath for a candid conversation about stepping up, leading with trust and redefining what success looks like at the top.

From joining Mercer as a graduate, to leaving for Intel and Anglo Irish Bank and returning to eventually become CEO, John shares the lessons he has picked up across a career spent stepping into challenges before he felt fully ready.

In this conversation:
→ why a senior title doesn't automatically mean success
→ the days after becoming CEO, when excitement turned to "now it's on"
→ why he welcomes former employees back - and why how you leave matters
→ the real damage of toxic leadership
→ the trust dividend: why things happen quicker and cost less
→ why you're never fully ready for the next step - and shouldn't wait to be
→ the problem with 5 AM hustle culture, and the cold tub that keeps him balanced

An honest listen for leaders, future leaders and anyone building their career. Listen now, and share it with someone working towards their next step. Subscribe for more conversations with leaders and high performers on CEO Corner.

Connect With Us:
John Mercer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmercer1/
Marsh Ireland: https://www.marsh.com/en-gb/home.html
Sarah McGrath: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-mcgrath/

Sponsored by 360 Search. Your career, our expertise.
www.360search.ie
Guest: John Mercer | CEO, Marsh Ireland
Host: Sarah McGrath | CEO, 360 Search

0:00 Intro
0:11 What Marsh does: four brands under one name
2:43 The global innovation hub in Dublin
3:08 Growing up in Waterford: family, sport and competitiveness
5:10 Leading 1,100 people: what he wants colleagues to know
7:01 The trait that gets you to the CEO slot
9:10 Leaving Mercer: travelling, Intel and Anglo Irish Bank
11:18 Coming back to Mercer
12:19 Why he welcomes former employees back
13:14 The moment after becoming CEO: "now it's on"
16:11 Mentors and asking for help
17:23 Why people respond to vulnerability
19:46 You're never fully ready for the next step
21:53 Confidence, job specs and backing yourself
24:35 Pressure versus stress
26:14 Owning mistakes and bad judgment calls
27:29 The speed of trust: quicker and cheaper
29:34 How a business builds trust with its people
33:10 Look after your people and the business follows
35:07 The damage of toxic leadership
36:40 What he looks for when appointing leaders
38:47 The problem with 5 AM hustle culture
41:16 Cold tubs, GAA coaching and switching off
41:58 What success really means
43:30 Advice for future CEOs: don't do it for the title
44:35 Values, empathy and understanding yourself
45:25 The legacy he wants to leave
46:29 Quickfire: desert island, books and dinner guests
49:32 Close

“It's very easy to compete on price, and it's a race to the bottom. Or you could try and get a brand and a reputation.”

What does it take to build a premium supercar business from a rented yard, and to keep it growing when social media does most of the selling?

In this episode of CEO Corner, Nadia Adan, founder of Ashford Motors, joins Sarah McGrath for a candid conversation about risk, reputation and the hard work behind one of Ireland's best-known supercar dealerships.

From arriving in Ireland with nothing to selling everything from Lamborghinis to Range Rovers from a base in Wicklow and a second site, Nadia shares how she built Ashford Motors on cash flow discipline, big early bets and content people actually want to watch.

In this conversation:
→ why social media does the selling before a customer ever walks in, and how Nadia tracks it
→ the blue Lamborghini that went viral, and the 30 million views that came with it
→ what a finance background teaches you about cash flow, margins and risk
→ consignment and sale or return as a way to grow faster than your own capital allows
→ why she chose brand and reputation over a race to the bottom on price
→ handling trolls, being open about the hard days, and letting go of doing everything herself

An honest listen for founders, business owners and anyone building something from nothing. Listen now, and share it with someone building a brand. Subscribe for more conversations with leaders and high performers on CEO Corner.

Connect With Us:
Nadia Adan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-adan-1187a750/
Ashford Motors: https://www.ashfordmotors.ie/
Sarah McGrath: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-mcgrath/

 

0:00 Intro
0:31 Inside Ashford Motors: a week in the life
2:58 Arriving in Ireland with nothing
6:49 What a finance background brings to selling cars
8:46 From selling her own car to a side hustle
11:03 Leaving finance: a year's rent and a yard in Wicklow
12:48 Brand and reputation over a race to the bottom
16:40 Setting up as a dealer, and the blue Lamborghini gamble
21:58 Importing supercars: VRT, tax and pricing
25:51 Why most customers now buy on finance
27:37 Social media as a sales channel
29:22 Why a founder's online presence is a business asset
32:54 Growth since 2022 and managing costs
34:28 Consignment: selling on behalf of the customer
36:40 Fake it till you make it
39:06 Being open about the hard days
41:21 Free publicity and the Nadia calendar
42:32 Trolls, and the people who turned up to apologise
45:58 Women, confidence and showing up as yourself
47:11 Advice for leaders thinking of getting online
49:24 The next phase, and learning to let go
51:36 Quickfire to close

Sponsored by 360 Search. Your career, our expertise.
www.360search.ie
Guest: Nadia Adan | Founder, Ashford Motors
Host: Sarah McGrath | CEO, 360 Search

#CEOCorner #Entrepreneurship #Founders #SocialMedia #MotorIndustry #Supercars #WomenInBusiness #NadiaAdan #AshfordMotors #SarahMcGrath

“I might not have all the qualifications, and there might be gaps. But I will die trying.”

What does it take to lead one of Ireland's largest talent businesses, and to back yourself into the room before you feel ready?

In this episode of CEO Corner, Lorna Conn, CEO of CPL (the €800m talent solutions group employing 14,000 people) joins Sarah McGrath for a rare, honest conversation between two people who know recruitment from very different ends of the scale.

From CFO at 27 to CEO, Lorna shares how she has grown CPL through centralisation, culture, and a relentless focus on building a better business:
→ backing yourself into roles bigger than your experience
→ why psychological safety is the real foundation of performance
→ how private equity can be a growth partner, not a cost-cutter
→ the grit the recruitment industry actually demands
→ asking for what you are worth, and the homework to do first

An essential listen for founders, leaders, and anyone building a career with ambition.

Sponsored by 360 Search. Your career, our expertise. www.360search.ie

0:00 Intro
1:47 Inside CPL: the €800m talent group
5:35 Always wanted to be an accountant
9:36 Taking a CFO seat at 27
12:27 No shame in not knowing
13:00 “Don't make that decision for her”
15:33 Having it all, and what it costs
17:00 Succeeding Anne Heraty after 31 years
20:00 Delisting, Japan and Bain Capital
24:00 Private equity as a growth partner
26:00 40% profit growth: centralisation
30:00 Three principles of a business that succeeds
33:11 The grit recruitment demands
39:41 Leadership style and autonomy
45:00 The three foundations of psychological safety
48:20 Embracing AI
51:59 The 30% Club and the “broken rung”
58:50 Asking for what you're worth
1:03:40 Upbringing and drive
1:09:10 Legacy

“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.

Subscribe for more leadership, performance, and real-world insights from CEO Corner.

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 expertise
www.360search.ie