The management team is responsible for the overall governance, management and strategic direction of the Company and sets the Company’s values and standards ensuring the principles of corporate governance of transparency, accountability, responsibility and independence are adhered to.
CEO
Ray O’Driscoll was appointed Chief Executive Officer of The Shannon Airport Group in April 2026, following his role as Interim CEO, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer. Ray has extensive experience in airport management, commercial property development, strategic leadership, and finance. He joined the Group in 2014 as Managing Director of Shannon Commercial Enterprises, the commercial property division of The Shannon Airport Group. He led the transformation of the Group’s property portfolio, into a key economic driver for the region and he has been responsible for driving the aviation development and commercial growth of Shannon Airport.
Prior to joining The Shannon Airport Group, Ray held senior finance positions at Barry Group, Eurologic Systems Ltd and Marathon Oil, and began his career with EY in Cork. Ray is a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland and holds an MBA from the University of Westminster, London. He also holds a Diploma in Strategy from Smurfit Business School and is a Chartered Director (CDir) with the Institute of Directors. He currently serves as a Director of Shannon Chamber of Commerce.
Company Secretary and Head of Legal
Rachael joined The Shannon Airport Group in 2014 as the Head of Legal and was appointed Company Secretary to the Group in 2019.
In her role as Shannon Group Company Secretary, Rachael is responsible for the effective governance and administration of the Group, ensuring compliance with all statutory, regulatory, and corporate governance obligations.
Rachael is a practising solicitor and prior to joining the Group, she trained and worked with a top five law firm and later became a partner with a firm of solicitors in the Mid-West. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, an LLB degree and a Professional Certificate in Governance.
Chief Financial Officer
Paul joined The Shannon Airport Group in 2014 and was appointed Chief Financial Officer in 2019. Paul has overall responsibility for the Group’s financial management, financial strategy, planning and reporting, risk management and fiscal activity. He also has responsibility for the Groups information technology function.
Prior to joining The Shannon Airport Group, Paul held credit and commercial roles with a property focused asset management firm. Prior to this, Paul worked with a Big Four accountancy firm in its transaction services practice. Paul holds a Bachelor of Business Studies from the University of Limerick, a Master of Accounting from University College Dublin and is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Airport Director
Niall Kearns was appointed Airport Director at Shannon Airport in 2022. He brings extensive international aviation and commercial experience to the role. Prior to joining The Shannon Airport Group, Niall served as Chief Commercial Officer with Eirtech Aviation Services, working closely with airlines and aircraft leasing companies worldwide, developing engineering, maintenance and asset management solutions for aircraft fleets across multiple jurisdictions.
In his role as Airport Director, Niall is responsible for all operational activity at Shannon Airport. He also holds the statutory role of Accountable Manager, with overall responsibility for airport safety, security, and regulatory compliance.
Niall holds a Degree in Information Technology and Communications, a Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship Management and a Masters Degree in International Management.
Group Property Director
Gerry Dillon joined The Shannon Airport Group in 2014 as Operations and Development Director for Commercial Property. In 2019, he was appointed Managing Director of Shannon Commercial Enterprises and was subsequently appointed Group Property Director. In his current role, Gerry is responsible for all commercial property investment and development activity across the Group.
Prior to joining The Shannon Airport Group, Gerry worked across a wide range of sectors, including local authority projects, civil engineering infrastructure and large mixed use residential and commercial developments. His experience spans healthcare, hotel, and major development projects in Ireland, Africa, Asia, and the United States. Gerry is a Chartered Civil Engineer.
HR Director
Chris joined The Shannon Airport Group in 2014 as Human Resources Director and has responsibility for all people and organisational matters across the Group.
A graduate of UCD and UCD’s Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, Chris is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Personnel and Development. Prior to joining the company Chris held a number of senior human resources roles with Ibec and in private sector manufacturing companies.
Commercial Director
Vanessa was appointed Commercial Director in June 2025. She joined the company in 2018 having held previous senior roles in Shannon Heritage and Shannon Commercial Enterprises. Vanessa has overall responsibility for all non-aeronautical Group revenue streams as well as Marketing and passenger experience activities. Prior to joining The Shannon Airport Group, Vanessa held the position of Financial Controller of a property development company in Galway as well as a senior finance role in a US multi-national globalisation company. Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Business Studies degree from the University of Limerick and is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland.