CEO Corner by Sarah McGrath

“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

“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 behaviour

All 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-driven

Memorable 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/
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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

 

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