Richard Donnelly, interim CEO of Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Ireland's Seafood Development Agency.
Photo: BIM
Ireland's seafood development agency Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) has named Richard Donnelly as its interim chief executive officer. Donnelly currently serves as the agency’s Director of Development and Innovation Services and will take up his new role on 10 November, following the departure of Caroline Bocquel, who becomes CEO at Irish tourism authority Fáilte Ireland after nearly three years at the helm of BIM.
Announcing the appointment, Aidan Cotter, Chair of BIM, highlighted Donnelly’s “central role” in guiding the seafood sector through a period of significant change. He said Donnelly had contributed to the development of initiatives aimed at fostering innovation, increasing value-added processing, and promoting the uptake of new technologies across the industry.
“On behalf of the BIM board, I would like to congratulate Richard on his appointment as interim CEO and wish him every success in this important role,” Cotter said. “Richard has worked closely with a broad range of stakeholders, including industry representatives, government bodies, and research institutions, to drive BIM’s mission of enabling an innovative, competitive, and resilient seafood sector that contributes to Ireland’s coastal communities and national economy.”
A competitive process to appoint a permanent CEO is already under way, according to BIM.
“I am honoured to accept this interim appointment and look forward to collaborating with colleagues across the senior leadership team, the wider BIM organisation, and our partners in the seafood industry," Donnelly said in a statement following the announcement.
"Together, we will focus on supporting and advancing the sector through this important period of development and change," he added.
