The Summit: Governance at Altitude

Governance at Altitude: CII Summit 2025 Takes Flight
On Tuesday, 11 November 2025, Charities Institute Ireland will host its flagship leadership gathering — The Summit: Governance at Altitude — at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin.

This is not another conference. It’s an invitation-only summit bringing together CEOs, trustees, and senior corporate partners to take a higher view of what governance, investment, and accountability must look like in the decade ahead.

In a world where compliance can easily become a comfort zone, Governance at Altitude challenges leaders to rise above the checklist. It’s about long-term clarity, strategic confidence, and purposeful impact — turning governance from a reactive duty into a proactive driver of mission.

The morning will feature a stellar lineup of speakers and thinkers from across the charity, corporate, and advisory worlds.
From Mercer Ireland, Marieke de Roo and Rob Meaney will open the day with a view from “base camp,” exploring EU regulation, reserves, and the investment strategies shaping the next decade.
Michael O’Donovan, Independent Chair and Board Assessor, will take the conversation into the world of AI governance, examining how leadership and oversight must evolve in an age of intelligent systems.
Sinead Hickey, Group Sustainability Director at John Sisk & Son, brings the corporate perspective — exploring risk, sustainability, and what truly builds trust between businesses and charities.

The centrepiece of the day is a panel discussion — At Altitude: Governance in Full View — moderated by Eileen Dunne, one of Ireland’s most respected broadcasters. Joined by leaders from Mercer, PwC, Mason Hayes & Curran, and Kylemore Abbey, this conversation will put reserves, regulation, and reputation under the strategic microscope.

And finally, the Summit will close with a powerful “Shared Horizon” keynote from Justin Caffrey, Executive Coach and CII Board Member, who will help delegates look five years ahead — where purpose, progress, and possibility converge.

At its heart, this Summit is about leadership — the kind that shapes systems, not just responds to them. Every seat in the room represents a member organisation’s senior leadership, ensuring that Ireland’s charity sector is not only represented but driving the conversation about the future of governance and trust.

There are no badges, no livestreams, no recordings. Just open conversation, shared ambition, and the rare chance to pause, reflect, and rise above the noise.

Our thanks to Mercer Ireland, Event Partner for the 2025 Summit, for their continued collaboration in shaping conversations that elevate governance and leadership across our sector.

— Charities Institute Ireland