The EY Podcast

• EY CFO Outlook: From Stamps to E-Commerce with Peter Quinn, CFO, An Post

  In this episode of the EY CFO Outlook Podcast, Peter Quinn, CFO of An Post joins host Dearbhail McDonald to talk about his career, the challenges An Post has faced, and why he’s optimistic about the future.“When I started my career, it was before Microsoft Excel,” recalls Peter Quinn. “People thought technology would do away with jobs. Instead, it gave finance more firepower and made us more important.”That same ability to see challenge as opportunity has defined Peter’s two decades as Chief Financial Officer of An Post. Since joining the company in 2004, he has navigated three of the biggest shocks of modern business - the financial crash, Brexit, and COVID - each one reshaping the world An Post operates in.Today, Peter says An Post is no longer just the postman at the door. It’s a €1 billion business delivering state savings products, Amazon parcels, daily post, and rolling out electric vehicles. An Post, he says, is no longer just a postal service, it’s competing to be Ireland’s leader in home delivery.They also discuss:How ‘An Post’ has shifted into parcels, logistics and financial services.The financial crash, Brexit, and the €100m cost of COVID.National postal operators still deliver half of all parcels and why An Post wants to stay on top.Believing in Sustainability, Peter talks about electric vans, closing the gender pay gap, and backing UN goals.How delegation and finance shape business decisions.Peter talks about sea-swimming with Alastair Campbell, a rugby tour in Uganda, and the optimism that drives him.

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• EY CEO Outlook: Telecoms, Trust and Transition with Shay Walsh, Managing Director of BT Ireland

  In this episode of the EY CEO Outlook podcast, Shay Walsh, Manging Director of BT Ireland, joins host Richard Curran to reflect on a career at the cutting edge of telecoms and communications, the challenges of leading your people through major strategic change, and the future of data and connectivity. Shay Walsh’s journey began in Cabra, Dublin, with Irish-speaking roots and a childhood immersed in technology - his grandfather a radio operator, and his parents civil servants in Posts & Telegraphs. After studying electronic engineering at DCU, he entered the world of telecoms just as the industry was being transformed. Having joined Esat Telecom as a field engineer when the company was still in its very early days, Shay has spent almost 30 years helping to shape the evolution of communications in Ireland, rising to the highest ranks of the telecoms industry along the way. Today, as BT sells its Irish wholesale and enterprise business units, he reflects on a remarkable 29-year career with the company and looks ahead to his next chapter. They also discuss: BT’s decision to sell its Irish domestic and data centre businesses to focus more on the UK, and what will remain of its presence in Ireland. The power of honesty and clear communication when trying to build trust during a period of big changes. Shay’s view on Data Centres, their economic importance, and their energy requirements.  His pride about BT’s 20-year partnership with the Young Scientist Exhibition and its role in helping students grow in confidence.  What Shay plans to do next, after he wraps up his 29-year career with Esat / BT Ireland. 

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• EY CFO Outlook: Navigating Pharma Finance with Rob Morrissey, CFO, AstraZeneca Ireland Commercial

  In this episode of the EY CFO Outlook podcast, Rob Morrissey, CFO of AstraZeneca Ireland Commercial operations joins host Dearbhail McDonald to talk about his unconventional career journey, AstraZeneca’s growth plans, the role of AI in finance, and why empathy and compassion matter so much to him as a leader. Rob Morrissey’s path into finance was something of an accident. Having spent childhood summers helping on a farm in Wexford, and not being a natural ‘numbers person’, Rob was initially attracted to studying agricultural science at third level. However, without a farm to go to, he chose business studies. When the college Registrar accidentally placed Rob into the accounting module, he reluctantly decided to stick with it, and the rest is history. After qualifying as a chartered accountant, Rob entered the jobs market during the economic recession of the late 2000s and was unable to find work for a significant period of time, an experience that he found both humbling and made him more resilient. However, when he successfully applied for a maternity cover contract in AstraZeneca, Rob’s search was over and his journey to CFO began. Today, Rob leads financial strategy, governance, and long-term planning for the AstraZeneca Ireland Commercial operations which is a subsidiary of one of the world’s top science-led biopharma companies, with over 95,000 employees across 80 countries, selling products into 125 markets. They also discuss:How the CFO role has evolved into more of a strategic business partner. He talks about safeguarding the company’s assets but also driving the company’s performance and innovation.AI and Digital Transformation - embracing AI tools while upskilling to stay ahead in a changing finance landscape.Sustainability and Community Impact - AstraZeneca’s switch to electric vehicles and community initiatives including clean coasts, tree planting, and community gardens.Work-Life Balance and Leadership Philosophy - how becoming a parent helped Rob find better balance and explains why empathy and compassion matter in leadership.

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• EY CEO Outlook: Business, Purpose and Healthcare with Brian Walsh, CEO of Vhi

  In this episode of the EY CEO Outlook Podcast, Brian Walsh, CEO of Vhi talks with host Richard Curran about leading Vhi, combining business with purpose, and the shift toward digital and community-based healthcare.The career path that Brian Walsh has travelled is testament to the early influence of his parents and childhood.  His mother worked in healthcare and his father in business, and Brian developed deep interest in both fields. These twin passions then converged in 2014 when Brian took a leadership role in Vhi, and today he is “really proud now to be in a role and with a business that marries both healthcare and business”. Being drawn to “travelling the path less travelled’, Brian’s career has spanned international roles across finance, telecommunications, and food industries, with experience in Hungary, Germany, and the United States. He became CEO of Vhi in 2021, having previously served as CFO. Keenly aware of the unique position that Vhi holds in Irish society, Brian is determined to keep the company purpose and values-led at its core, and to help its members to love longer and stronger and healthier lives. They also discuss:·       Brian’s Career Journey: His early life, influence of his parents and global experience that led him to combine business and healthcare.·       Leading with Purpose: Brian talks about the organisation being extremely purpose led and values led. How these clear values help guide decisions and manage different stakeholder needs. ·       Changing Healthcare: How Vhi is using technology and community care to improve healthcare.·       Reinvesting in Membership: How the company reinvests all income to benefit members and improve services·       Brian’s views on leadership and his advice for others in management. 

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• EY CFO Outlook: Building strong financial foundations for professional rugby with Thelma O’Driscoll, CFO, IRFU

  In this episode of the EY CFO Outlook podcast, Thelma O’Driscoll, CFO of the IRFU joins host Jonathan Healy to talk about her diverse career path, her passion for growing male and female rugby from the grassroots up, and how the role of CFO enables her to create a strong and sustainable financial foundation for the game.Thelma O’Driscoll’s journey into the rugby world was not a direct one. Starting out in the family business, Thelma went on to work in various finance functions across computer manufacturing (Dell), telecommunications, and professional services. This diverse financial background has proven to be a solid foundation for her current role as CFO of the IRFU. And diversity has been a strong theme during Thelma’s time in the male-dominated world of professional rugby. Having been the only female around the leadership table when she first joined in 2016, the organisation has since made huge strides, with 40% of the IRFU Union Committee now comprising female colleagues. Thelma is also very passionate about growing women’s rugby and increasing investment in it. They also discuss:Financial Strategy - The IRFU is a not-for-profit organisation, meaning all revenue is reinvested into the game. Over half of the IRFU’s €90m income is distributed to provinces, clubs and grassroots rugby.Challenges in Sports Finance - The IRFU's income varies in cycles, and careful management keeps national teams and grassroots rugby stable. Thelma explains why tough decisions are needed to invest wisely and control spending in order to maintain sustainability.Growing Women’s Rugby - Women’s rugby is experiencing rapid growth and the IRFU are committed to grow the game further and increase investment. This strategic plan includes decentralising the current model and moving to four contracted provincial women’s teams. New sponsors like Goodfella’s Pizza are investing in women’s rugby, with more to come.The Future of Irish Rugby - At the moment Ireland is at the pinnacle of world rugby, but sustaining its position requires careful financial planning. With a debt-free model, Thelma’s goal is to strengthen its finances with modern systems to support all levels of Irish rugby.

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