💡Is the Global Financial System Running on Irish Talent?

Céad míle fáilte!

Have you ever discovered something so surprising that it stops you mid-sip? ☕️

There I was, Tuesday morning on a packed Sydney bus, surrounded by 52 fellow corporate warriors, when a single image on my screen nearly caused me to spit out my handcrafted ALDI brand coffee (IYKYK).

As someone who regularly tracks Irish business leaders abroad, I prided myself on knowing the landscape. But the graphic in my feed suggested something far more extensive than even I had realised about Irish influence in global banking.

So, I did a bit of digging, and, like most random pictures and stories on the internet, it can be traced back to a crazily unhinged Reddit thread:

Aside from an incredible amount of casual racism in the thread, it was somewhat misleading, as expected. The gentlemen listed were 2nd and 3rd generation Irish, not surprising with surnames like Concannon, Duffy, Flanagan and Moynihan.

But this raised a far more interesting question: what about the real Irish banking leaders? The genuine article - born, raised, and educated in Ireland before taking their talents global?

This deep dive analyses data of 172 authentic Irish professionals who have risen above director level in financial institutions worldwide, from startups to the biggest banks in the world. Beyond mere statistics, we examine:

• Who and where are these financial powerhouses? 🌍

• Their educational backgrounds and career trajectories 📚

• The institutions they've transformed 🏦l

• Common patterns, including some unexpected insights in their paths to success 🔎

We also profile 13 standout leaders - from influential bank CEOs to revolutionary fintech founders and Wall Street heavyweights - whose stories exemplify Irish impact on global finance.

Is Ireland's banking diaspora quietly reshaping the international financial landscape? The data suggests something remarkable is happening, and it's time to uncover the whole story.

The Irish University Effect 📚

Top alma maters are Irish universities: UCD (≈47 individuals) and Trinity College Dublin (≈36) are most common, followed by UCC, DCU, UL, Galway, Queen’s Belfast, etc. (Over 75% studied in Ireland at some point.)

Many later earned master’s degrees (MBA, MSc); roughly 30% have identifiable postgraduate qualifications. A quick tally shows about 50 profiles with “MBA” or “Master” in their degree. International degrees include Warwick, INSEAD, Kellogg, etc., but Irish degrees predominate.

Hidden Patterns: What the Irish Banking Data Reveals? 🔎

• A surprisingly high number are C-suite risk officers (Group CROs, Risk Directors), hinting that Irish professionals dominate this niche globally.

• Several are at Islamic/Islamic-affiliated banks (e.g. Alexis Neeson CRO at Al Rayan Bank, Qatar and Cian Bracken, COO at ila Bank (Bahrain), an unexpected frontier for Irish talent.

• Gender gap: Women are under-represented (~15–20% of names), but those who appear (e.g. Caroline Butler, Moyra O’Doherty and Aisling Kane profiled later) hold executive roles, suggesting Irish women in finance reach senior levels when opportunities arise.

• Like our last deep dive into the Global Irish VC diaspora, Many MDs and C-level execs in banks originated in financial services industries like audit or accountancy. The data shows a strong trend of Irish professionals using accountancy, compliance, or consulting as a springboard to senior banking roles, particularly via the Big Four.

• Irish-led digital banks are redefining financial inclusion, with Tiernan Kennedy’s Umba achieving 600% revenue growth in Kenya, while Ciaran McSharry’s Jamboo targets $1.4B in African diaspora remittances. In Europe, Mark Mullen tripled Atom Bank’s customer base through AI-driven personalisation, and Moyra O’Doherty implemented Kroo Bank’s ethical banking framework using blockchain-based governance.

London Calling: Irish Bankers’ Favourite Destination

The Irish financial diaspora is global, with heavy clustering in a few key hubs. Over half (≈52%) of the individuals are based in the United Kingdom, reflecting London’s status as a magnet for Irish finance talent.

The US is the next biggest destination (about 20%), with New York City in particular hosting many Irish on Wall Street. Other notable concentrations include Australia (around 8%, mainly Sydney/Melbourne), Canada (~4%, e.g. Toronto), and Singapore (~3%).

A handful operate in Continental Europe (e.g. Switzerland about 2%, France 1%) or emerging markets like the Middle East and Africa (including South Africa, Kenya, Mauritius, UAE – collectively a few per cent.

The English-speaking common law markets (UK, US, Canada, Australia) naturally attract the most significant numbers. Still, the presence in Asia and Africa is noteworthy, often tied to fintech or specific opportunities like Malachy McAllister in Mauritius (former CEO, AfrAsia Bank).

CFOs, COOs, CEOs — Who’s Flying the Flag?

The diaspora members occupy senior roles across the full spectrum of financial services. Within those roles, a mix of specialities is evident:

• Chief Executives (CEOs): We identified at least 19 CEOs in the cohort, including country CEOs of global banks and CEOs of independent firms. These also include CEOs of major banking units e.g. Kieran Fahy, CEO of BNP Paribas South Africa.

• CFOs: At least a dozen are CFOs of banks or financial companies, such as Declan Hourican, CFO of TSB Bank in the UK, and formerly CFO of Tesco Bank and even CFO of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA): Emma Costello.

• Chief Operating/Technology/Risk Officers: Several people serve in crucial operational roles. For instance, Fergal Coburn is COO of Allianz Holdings (UK) after working as Group CTO at AIB in Dublin, where he revamped the bank’s digital platforms. Similarly, Kevin Corbally (Group Chief Risk Officer at ANZ Bank in Australia) exemplifies Irish risk management leadership at the highest levels of international banking.

• Managing Directors and Partners: The largest segment (over 80) consists of Managing Directors, such as Sinead Wilson at Morgan Stanley in London and Sinead Davis at Credit Suisse in New York. Many oversee trading desks, investment banking teams, or regional coverage, while others are partners in investment firms or private equity funds.

13 Notable Irish Figures in Global Banking

From London's fintech revolution to Wall Street's power corridors, these Irish standouts aren't just participating in global banking—they're redefining it. Their journeys from Dublin lecture halls to commanding billions showcase how Ireland's financial talent has silently conquered the world stage:

1. Tiernan Kennedy, Co-founder & CEO, Umba 🇰🇪

Tiernan Kennedy leads Africa’s fintech revolution. He held senior tech roles in New York (Canary) and founded KrunkSoft in Dublin. In 2018, he co-founded Umba, a digital bank for emerging markets. Under his leadership, Umba expanded from Nigeria to Kenya, providing full-service banking via mobile and raising over $20M in funding.

2. Caroline Butler, Global Head of Digital Assets, BNY Mellon 🇺🇸

Caroline Butler is shaping Wall Street’s future. A University of Galway alumna, she oversees BNY Mellon’s pioneering digital asset custody platform — the first of its kind at a major global bank. She sits on Access Fintech and ISSA boards and has spoken at IMF panels.

4. Rupert Kennedy-Alexander, CFO Digital & Head of Group Digital Finance, UniCredit 🇮🇹

With roots at HSBC Europe and RBS, Rupert Kennedy-Alexander now leads UniCredit’s (Italy’s largest bank) €2.4bn digital finance transformation strategy. An ACA-qualified chartered accountant and CFA Charterholder, Kennedy-Alexander is passionate about combining finance and technology to drive organisational agility.

5. Aisling Kane, MD, Retail & Business Banking, Metro Bank 🇬🇧

A DCU graduate and Chartered Accountant, Aisling Kane heads retail and SME lending at Metro Bank. Rising from a branch manager at Bank of Ireland to leading retail operations at a major challenger bank, Kane is a champion of inclusion and customer-centric innovation, a refreshing force in UK banking leadership.

6. Mark Mullen, CEO, Atom Bank 🇬🇧

Mark Mullen, a Trinity College Dublin graduate with an MBA from Warwick, pioneered UK challenger banking. As CEO of Atom Bank, he led the turnaround from losses to profitability, tripling the customer base while launching one of the first four-day workweek policies in finance. Formerly COO of AA Ireland and Head of Contact Centres at HSBC UK.

7. Denis Sheahan, CEO, Eastern Bank 🇺🇸

Leading the oldest mutual bank in the U.S., Denis Sheahan was appointed CEO of Eastern Bank in July 2024 after the merger with Cambridge Trust Company. After earning his degree at Munster Technological University and an MBA, he built his career through Rockland Trust and Liberty Bay Credit Union.

8. Mark Bourke, CEO, NOVO BANCO 🇵🇹

An MBA graduate of UCD, Mark Bourke now steers Portugal’s NOVO BANCO through complex restructuring and IPO planning. Formerly CFO of AIB, where he helped drive its post-crisis revival, Bourke brings cross-border finance expertise and strategic acumen to the Portuguese banking sector.

10. Kieran Fahy, CEO, BNP Paribas South Africa 🇿🇦

A University of Limerick graduate, Kieran Fahy has spent over 20 years rising through BNP Paribas ranks, from Paris to Stockholm to Johannesburg. He now leads BNP’s South African operations, driving growth in sustainable finance and multinational corporate banking.

11. Moyra O’Doherty, COO, Kroo Bank 🇬🇧

At Kroo Bank, Moyra O'Doherty runs operations and compliance for one of the UK’s fastest-growing digital challengers. A graduate of Dublin Business School and Munster Technological University, she previously held senior roles at Barclays and Brown Shipley.

13. Declan Hourican, CFO, TSB Bank 🇬🇧

Declan Hourican oversees the financial strategy of TSB Bank, one of the UK’s leading retail lenders. As a UCD graduate, he served as CFO at Tesco Bank and played a pivotal role in Ulster Bank’s digital transformation. Known for balancing operational discipline with innovation, Hourican has become a key figure in modernising legacy banking systems.

What Makes Global Irish Bankers Different?

These findings show versatile, highly educated Irish professionals flourishing in global finance.

Their collective trajectory – managing billions in assets, leading greenfield digital banks, or optimising risk in multi-national banking groups – suggests that Ireland’s “quiet revolution” in global finance will grow stronger, with these professionals laying the groundwork for future generations abroad.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this deep dive; if you know someone who would like to read this, you can share it below, or if we have missed anyone, reply and let us know!