Our Team

Paul Holden

Chairperson

Paul has been involved with development and implementation of science and technology policy since the 1980s, first with the National Board for Science & Technology, and subsequently with the Irish Council for Science, Technology & Innovation, the Discover Science & Engineering programme and ICS Skills, the not-for-profit company established by the Irish Computer Society to promote computer literacy. He has worked with major IT companies and indigenous startups, and, in Rédacteurs, the company he set up in 1989, provided consultancy services to Government, State agencies and private enterprise throughout Europe.

Fiach Mac Conghail

Board Member & CEO

Fiach is CEO of the Digital Hub Development Agency since October 2016.

He graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a degree in Politics and Sociology (1988). He was Director and CEO of the Abbey Theatre (2005-2016) and was an Independent Senator in the Irish Parliament (2011 -2016). He completed an M.A. in Public Policy in University College Dublin in 2018. In 2020 he was awarded a Professional Certificate in Corporate Governance at the Institute of Public Affairs. Fiach is board member of European Movement Ireland and Technology Ireland. He is a member of Foundation Irlandaise which manages the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris.

Stephen Casey

Board Member

Bio coming soon...

Austin Campbell

Board Member

Austin is Executive Director of the Robert Emmet Community Development Project (CDP) since 2019. There he holds responsibility for the management of community initiatives and programmes focussed on supporting the Dublin 8 community to reach its full potential. Prior to joining Robert Emmet CDP, he held a role as a resettlement officer in homeless services. During this time, he co-founded and served as a director of My Streets Ireland, an organisation that works towards creating educational and employment opportunities for the homeless community through walking tour guides throughout Dublin.

Austin holds a BA in Anthropology and History from Maynooth University and a Higher Diploma in Public Relations and Strategic Communication from DCU. He has won a number of awards for his atypical delivery of social enterprise programmes and dedication to charitable work. In 2019, his involvement with My Streets Ireland was recognised with the Irish Red Cross Humanitarian Award in the Innovation for Change category.

With an abundance of knowledge of innovation for the not-for-profit sector, Austin frequently speaks widely on improvement in the charitable and social economy sectors and has spoken in a TEDx talk focused on ‘Accessible Education for Sustainable Communities’.

Owen Keegan

Board Member (Chief Executive, Dublin City Council)

Owen was appointed as Dublin City Council Chief Executive, in September 2013 having served as County Manager of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council from February 2006. Before joining DLRCC he worked for Dublin City Council, where he was Assistant City Manager and then Director of Traffic. Prior to October 1993 he worked as an economist for DKM Economic Consultants/Davy Stockbrokers. He has also worked in the Department of Finance, the ESRI and for two periods in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. Mr Keegan is from Dublin. He holds degrees in public administration, economics, and civil engineering.

Brian Keogh

Board Member

Brian is a Chartered Civil Engineer, a European Engineer and a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers in Ireland. He retired from John Sisk & Son Ltd in 2012 after 40 years’ service in the Construction Industry. He served on the Main Board since 1990, where he held the position of Director of Civil Engineering and Director of Health & Safety, Quality & Environmental Management. He served on the board of several Sisk associated companies and joint ventures and has worked-on projects in Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Germany and Poland. Brian was a member of the Procurement Board for the National Broadband Plan from 2017 to 2019. He is a Board member of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and is Chair of the Digital Hub Development Agency Property Committee.

Darina Kneafsey

Board Member

Darina is an experienced non-executive director and currently serves on the boards of The Higher Education Authority and the Saolta (University Healthcare Group). She has 25 years’ experience in senior leadership positions within international companies including Digital Equipment and Intel. She held the position of Chief Operating Officer at Trinity College Dublin for several years. Darina also works with several companies — both start-ups and established organisations across several sectors and technologies. She is a Chartered Engineer with an Engineering degree from University College Dublin, a post graduate Diploma in System Analysis from NUI Galway. Darina holds an MBA from Trinity College Dublin.

Nora Nanayakkara

Board Member

Nora serves in a number of independent governance roles, including Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee and Non-Executive Director (NED) at the UK Statistics Authority. Nora’s executive career in the tech sector included several years of international experience before she developed a portfolio of cross-sectoral NED and governance roles.

In addition to corporate governance, Nora also offers valuable experience of professional regulation through her roles as a fitness to practice Chair at the General Dental Council (GDC), the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) and as Chair of ACCA’s Appointments Board. She is also a member of the UK Pay Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) and holds an MBA and a Diploma in Legal Medicine (DLM).