Board Committees
The Board is assisted by four committees that are authorised to make recommendations:
(Chair, Damian Kennedy)
The committee members are Damian Kennedy, Gemma Kavanagh, Michelle Ní Riordáin with external member Aoife Watters.
The purpose of the Finance, Audit, and Risk Committee is to:
- Oversee the efficient financial management of CVHA, including the collection, investment, and outlay of all monies utilised by the organisation
- Ensure that CVHA reports on its financial performance in line with appropriate financial reporting standards
- Ensure that CVHA operates a robust system of internal control and meets its compliance obligations
- Oversee the management and mitigation of risks facing the organisation.
Michelle Ní Riordáin
Board Member & FARC Member
Michelle Ní Riordáin is a tax consultant by profession, currently working with a Middle Eastern sovereign fund. She started her career at KPMG and is a member of Chartered Accountants Ireland and the Irish Tax Institute. Michelle holds a Degree and Masters in Accounting.
Damian Kennedy
Board Member & Chair of Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. Member of the Remuneration & Nominations Committee.
Damian Kennedy is an experienced Finance Director/CFO. His focus is on core finance operations, reporting, turnarounds, ERPs implementations etc., having led large teams in Mars Ireland, Applegreen and Primeline Logistics. He qualified as a chartered accountant, while working as a consultant in KPMG Management Consulting, and holds a B. Comm. and Masters in Management Science. He is the Membership Manager of CAIM, the Interim Managers group of Chartered Accountants Ireland and an active networker/ facilitator.
Aoife Watters
External member of FARC
Aoife Watters is an External member of FARC.
Gemma Kavanagh
Chair of Circle Board and Member of Finance Audit and Risk Committee (FARC)
Gemma is currently employed as a Senior Group Risk Analyst for Investments at Intrum, with previous experience in banking and credit servicing primarily working as a Relationship Manager, Compliance & Risk Manager and Finance Manager. She is a chartered accountant (ACCA) and tax advisor (IATI) and holds a degree in Business Studies & Finance and Masters in Financial Economics.
(Chair, Keith Gillmor)
The committee members are Keith Gillmor and Richard McDonagh with external members Fr. Pat Carolan, John Deegan and Jane Doyle.
The purpose of the Development Committee is to:
- Assess proposed approaches to development to increase the number of properties managed by CVHA and so fulfil its mission to provide housing for people in need
- Assess individual development opportunities to determine how well these fit with CVHA’s strategy
- Approve and/or make recommendations to the Board in relation to the above in accordance with the Delegated Authority levels in the Development Framework
- The Committee will review its terms of reference and its effectiveness annually and propose any necessary changes to its terms of reference to the Board.
John Deegan
Board member and member of the development committee
John has over 35 years’ experience in the commercial and residential construction industry. He is Founder and CEO of DC Engineering (Mechanical and Electrical Contractors 1988-2006). Currently, John is the managing director of construction and fit out company DC Contracts Ltd.
John holds a MBS in Business Practice from UCC as well as Diplomas in Leadership and International Business from the IMI. John is also a qualified executive coach.
Fr Pat Carolan
Circle's Patron and external member of DevCom.
Fr Pat Carolan is an Oblate Father in Dublin. He was formerly director of Conway House in London - a hostel and accommodation centre for Irish emigrants in London. He has established and developed the Oblate Basketball Club in Inchicore, which provides a range of sporting and community activities.
Keith Gillmor
Board of Directors & Chair of DevCom
Keith Gillmor is an experienced finance professional. Keith has worked in domestic and international corporate and asset-backed lending roles with KBC Bank and with Bank of Ireland.
Keith currently works at KBC Fund Management Ltd in Dublin where he is responsible for portfolio management of global fixed income and equity funds.
Richard McDonagh
Board Member & DevCom Member
Richard McDonagh is a Vice President with Bain Capital. His primary focus is on direct equity and debt investments in real estate or real estate backed opportunities. Prior to joining Bain Capital, he worked with Hines where he focused on large scale residential developments. Richard holds a B. Comm from University College Dublin.
Richard Boyle
Board Member and Member of The Development Committee (DEVCOM)
Richard Boyle – a Vice President with Bain Capital.
Primary responsibilities include implementing and executing asset management strategies by strategic oversight and direction to specialist operating partners, across multiple assets classes (Residential and Commercial) in Ireland, UK and Central Eastern Europe.
Prior to joining Bain Capital, I worked at Goldman Sachs and Grant Thorton and hold a BA (Honours) in Accounting from National College of Ireland.
(Chair, Chris White)
The committee members are Chris White and Damian Kennedy, with external members Eamonn McGee and Amanda Snee.
The purpose of the Remuneration and Nominations Committee is to:
- To develop clear and robust policies and practices in relation to remuneration generally in the organisation to ensure that CVHA can attract and retain the right people and, in relation to the CEO, to determine his/her conditions of employment.
- To renew and refresh the Board and Board Committees with suitably qualified and experienced people both as vacancies arise and where opportunities to strengthen the Board are presented.
Damian Kennedy
Board Member & Chair of Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. Member of the Remuneration & Nominations Committee.
Damian Kennedy is an experienced Finance Director/CFO. His focus is on core finance operations, reporting, turnarounds, ERPs implementations etc., having led large teams in Mars Ireland, Applegreen and Primeline Logistics. He qualified as a chartered accountant, while working as a consultant in KPMG Management Consulting, and holds a B. Comm. and Masters in Management Science. He is the Membership Manager of CAIM, the Interim Managers group of Chartered Accountants Ireland and an active networker/ facilitator.
Amanda Snee
External member of Remuneration & Nominations.
Eamonn McGee
External member of Remuneration & Nominations Committee.
(Chair, Garret Tynan)
The committee members are Garret Tynan, Chris Ellison, and Eileen Patterson
The purpose of the Strategic Purpose Group is to:
- To review and support management in the delivery of the strategic plan in particular, reviewing the progress against the annual targets.
Garret Tynan
Board Member & Chair of of the Strategic Purpose Group
Garret has been the European Head of Infrastructure and Project Finance at Kroll Bond Rating Agency since 2017. Prior to this, Garret spent five years with KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH in London, where he was responsible for originating and executing projects and leveraged finance transactions in the UK, Europe and North America. Before moving to London, Garret worked at DEPFA BANK in Dublin for nine years. Garret is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and holds a BA in Accounting & Finance and an MBS in Accounting from Dublin City University as well as graduate diplomas in International Financial Reporting Standards and Management & Applications of IT in Accounting.
Breege-Anne Murphy
Board Member and Member of The Strategic Purpose Group
Chair – Chris Ellison
Chris Ellison
Member of The Tenant First Link Committee.
Chris Ellison is Executive Director of Operations at B3 Living Limited in the UK. He was previously a consultant to housing associations and served on a number of boards and sub-committees as a non-executive director. He has extensive experience of managing and developing both general needs and supported housing schemes.