Renowned Clare businesswoman, Breege O’Donoghue has been announced as the new Chair of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI).
She will be responsible for promoting Ireland’s design and craft capability in international markets. Her appointment was confirmed by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, T.D.
Breege is currently a non-executive director of C&C and of Shaws and Sons Ltd. She has also previously served on the Boards of the Irish Post Office and the National Airports Authority and was Chairperson of the Labour Relations Commission for 7 years.
In September of this year, Ms O’Donoghue stepped down from her role Primark’s Group Director of New Markets and Business Development which brought an end to her thirty seven year involvement with the retail giant.
During her time with Primark, O’Donoghue helped the clothing chain expand into new international markets. The company now has over 300 outlets in 11 countries. In her most recent role as head of new markets at the company, she oversaw Primark’s expansion into the US market. She oversaw the establishment of its HR operations when the chain had just 24 stores and moved into new international markets.
From Boston which is in the North of Clare, Breege said of her new position “I have been impressed by the significant achievements of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland in strategically developing the design and craft industry as an innovative, dynamic and vibrant sector.
“I look forward to working with my fellow Board members and the talented team at DCCoI in ensuring that the contribution of the design and craft sector to Ireland’s economy and culture is recognised, valued and supported”.
Minister Mitchell O’Connor said: “Breege O’Donoghue joins DCCoI at a pivotal time for the organisation which led and delivered the government-backed Irish Design 2015 initiative and has since consulted across the design sector in Ireland on the development of a national strategy for design.
“Our design and craft sector plays a vital role in our economy, providing quality sustainable jobs right across the regions. I am confident that Breege’s experience of doing business internationally, across a number of sectors will be instrumental in strategically developing DCCoI and the sector it represents, boosting Ireland’s international creative brand for innovative design and craft”, the Dún Laoghaire TD concluded.