Charities Institute Ireland Announces Appointment of New Chair, Board and Committee Members

Peter Cosgrove has been appointed Chair of the Board, succeeding Susan O’Dwyer, CEO of Make-A-Wish Ireland, who retires as Chair today. Peter is Managing Director of Futurewise, a foresight consultancy focused on the future of work and brings extensive experience across the corporate and not-for-profit sectors. He has held senior leadership roles with CPL Resources, Hudson, PwC and JP Morgan, and currently serves as Chair of Generation Ireland and as a board member of the St Patrick’s Festival and the 30% Club Ireland.

Áine Myler, CEO of Cii, welcomed the appointment, saying:

“Peter brings deep expertise in governance and stakeholder engagement. His leadership will be instrumental as we continue to support the sector to thrive and build public confidence.”

Cii also extends a warm welcome to the following new Board members:

• Lisa Cuthbert, CEO, Mental Health Ireland
• Becky Bristow, CEO, Dillon Quirke Foundation
• Ronan Gilmartin, Partner, RSM Chartered Accountants
• Justin Caffrey, Non-Executive Director and Executive Coach
• Pauline Williamson, Director of Finance, Rethink Ireland

In addition, several appointments have been made to Cii’s key Board committees:

Finance, Audit and Risk Committee (FARC)

• Chair: Ronan Gilmartin
• Sinéad Hickey, Group Sustainability Director, Sisk

Governance Committee:

• Grainne O’Rourke, Interim CEO, Spirasi
• Laura Farrell, Chief Executive Officer at Retirement Planning Council of Ireland

As these new leaders step forward, Cii extends its sincere gratitude to the following Board members who retire today:

• Susan O’Dwyer, CEO, Make-A-Wish Ireland (retiring as Chair of the Board)
• Mark Mellett, Director of Fundraising and Marketing, Oxfam Ireland
• Dermot Kavanagh, CEO, Cork Simon
• David Mulligan, Finance Director, Chartered Accountants Ireland

Cii would like to thank all retiring Board members for the time, energy and commitment they have given to the organisation and to the wider charity sector. Their leadership and support have had a lasting impact.

Reflecting on her tenure, outgoing Chair Susan O’Dwyer said:

“It’s been an honour to serve as Chair of Charities Institute Ireland. I’m immensely proud of what we’ve achieved together and of the strength, resilience and innovation that define Ireland’s charity sector. It has been a privilege to support Cii’s work in raising standards, advocating for the sector, and building a stronger community of charities. I’m genuinely delighted to see Peter Cosgrove take on the role. His insight, integrity and strategic thinking will be invaluable. I wish him every success and look forward to seeing where his leadership takes Cii next.”

These changes align with Cii’s current strategic priorities: representing and advocating for the sector, building public confidence, supporting member development and investing in organisational excellence. With our new Chair, Board and Committee leadership bringing a wealth of sector and corporate experience to the table, Cii is well positioned to continue its work strengthening Ireland’s charity sector in the years ahead.