HORSE Sport Ireland’s finance committee chairman James Kennedy will take over as interim chief executive of HSI on Friday, December 23rd, when Damian McDonald will step down from the role as he prepares to take up the position of director general of the Irish Farmers Association.

Kennedy has served as chairman of HSI’s finance committee since March 2013 and chair of the show jumping high performance committee since April of this year. He is also the current chairman of the Federation of Polo in Ireland, a sport in which he is still an active participant.

The Limerick native also has an experienced business background, having been active in the facilities management and renewable energy industry sectors in Ireland, along with a distinguished career in the food, multinational healthcare and agri-services industries.

A science graduate of University College Cork, he is a former vice president of European Operations with Bausch & Lomb, the US eye-care giant and chief executive of Thomas McDonogh & Sons Ltd, the Galway-based investment, merchant and agri-services group. He also served as president of the Chambers of Commerce of Waterford; the south-east region and Ireland.

Professor Pat Wall, chairman of Horse Sport Ireland, said: “I wish to thank James Kennedy for stepping into the breach as interim chief executive of our organisation. We could have hired an interim CEO from an agency, but it would take a month or two to train them in. He brings a wealth of experience at the top levels in business, sport, agriculture and voluntary organisations and I look forward to continuing to work closely with him in this interim role.”

Wall added that they would begin the process to appoint a new CEO as soon as possible.

OTHER APPOINTMENTS

The board also appointed Anne Bannon as chair of the finance committee until his period as acting CEO concludes. Bannon, who was a member of the HSI breeding sub board from 2011 to 2015, and a director of HSI in 2014/2015, has extensive business experience across a wide industry spectrum.

In addition, Brian Mangan, who is chair of the FEI’s audit and compliance committee and a former HSI board member, will join the HSI finance committee. Mangan is the current chairperson of the HSI eventing high performance committee and was Irish eventing team manager at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong and a former CEO of Eventing Ireland.