Our People

Nigel is the owner and hands-on Managing Director of Heneghan.

Widely recognised as an expert in strategic communications, he is a trusted advisor to leading national and international organisations and provides counsel to individuals in senior corporate and leadership roles. Nigel particularly specialises in communications strategy, corporate and financial communications, and crisis management.

Supported by Heneghan’s dynamic team, he brings an enviable network of contacts in business, media, government and the wider community to his client engagements. A former Chairman of the Irish Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA), Nigel gained early career experience working in London and Dubai.

Nigel is a government-appointed member of Rethink Ireland, which supports innovative non-profit organisations nationwide. Previously, he was also a ministerial appointee to the Compliance Committee of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. Nigel holds a diploma in Corporate Governance from the Corporate Governance Institute.

Emma joined Heneghan in 2011 and was appointed to the board of directors in June 2023, recognising her contribution to the business.

Emma provides strategic communications consultancy services across our client portfolio and works closely with senior management teams to develop high-impact national and local campaigns across multiple media channels.

Emma’s significant strategic communications experience benefits clients across the public and private sphere, including the food, energy, financial and healthcare sectors. Alongside her day-to-day role of managing the communications and media relations requirements of clients, Emma has leading input into the strategic growth and development of Heneghan.

Emma is a graduate of Maynooth University, with a BA in Media Studies and History, and holds an MSc in Communications, Advertising and Public Relations from Ulster University, Jordanstown.

Eoghan Ó Neachtain, a three-time government Press Secretary, is Director of Public Affairs at Heneghan.

Eoghan has a proven ability in formulating and implementing strategic plans and a track record of operating at the highest levels of government, commercial semi-state and state organisations. He counsels clients on stakeholder engagement and advocacy.

Eoghan began his career in the Defence Forces, retiring in 2000 with the rank of Commandant, after spending six years as Defence Forces’ Head of Communication. From 2000 to 2007, he was Manager of Communications and Public Affairs at ESB.

From 2007 to 2012, uniquely, Eoghan served as Press Secretary to three Governments and Taoisigh. Immediately prior to joining Heneghan in 2015, Eoghan spent three years as Group Head of Public Affairs at ERVIA, formerly Bord Gáis Networks.

Eoghan holds a Master’s Degree in Communications from Dublin City University. Alongside his role as Director of Public Affairs, he heads Heneghan’s Media Training division.

Aoife O’Donnell has over 25 years’ experience in communications. She has worked in agency and in-house across the corporate and consumer sectors. Over the last 10 years, she has specialised as a communications consultant in the healthcare sector.  

In addition to her PR qualification, Aoife holds a Master’s in Training and Education. She has been teaching Public Relations at an undergraduate and postgraduate level since 2017 and helped to develop and deliver the PRII accredited public relations modules in Griffith College, Dublin.

Aoife is a published author. Her research on PR pedagogy has been published in the PR Journal of Education.  In 2023, her textbook on Public Relations and Communications: From Theory to Practice was published worldwide.

Holly joined Heneghan in 2022 and was promoted in early 2023 to become the agency’s first full-time Operations Manager.

With a wealth of business administration and project management experience in Ireland and overseas, Holly is instrumental in supporting Heneghan and the Managing Director in the continuous growth of the business.

Day-to-day, Holly is responsible for managing operational processes and business administration across the organisation, including HR Operations, Financial Operations support, Board administration and Compliance.

Holly has an Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Event Management from Dublin Business School, and is currently completing a Masters in Business Administration with Griffith College.

Rory joined Heneghan in June 2023 as a Senior Account Manager.

Rory provides a high level of support and guidance to Heneghan clients in the corporate and not-for-profit sectors, including in the food, finance, energy and transport industries.

Rory has over six years’ experience in public relations, with a demonstrated capability in communications, organisational and leadership skills. In addition to his prior agency experience, he previously worked as Parliamentary Assistant and Political Assistant to two senior government ministers.

A native of Co Donegal, Rory holds a BA in History and Politics from University College Dublin and a Master’s in Public Relations from Technological University Dublin (previously Dublin Institute of Technology).

Michael joined Heneghan in May 2021.

A core member of the Heneghan team, Michael works with clients across the corporate, technology, NGO and start-up sectors. He also supports public sector and non-profit clients and provides assistance to the wider team.

Before joining Heneghan, Michael worked as a Communications Officer with local authority, Fingal County Council, where he was involved in external and internal communications initiatives. He previously worked in research and training, including at the European Commission Joint Research Centre in Lombardy, Italy.

Michael holds a Diploma in Public Relations from the Public Relations Institute of Ireland, a Master’s in Political Communications from Dublin City University and a BA in History, Politics, Sociology and Social Studies from University of Limerick.

Sulagna began her career in the field of PR with Burson Cohn & Wolfe (BCW) India, followed by Adfactors PR in 2021. Over the years, she has worked with a range of Indian and global brands across various business sectors within the Corporate & Financial practice area.

Sulagna relocated to Ireland from India to pursue a Masters in PR with New Media from Munster Technological University. She also holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Corporate Communications and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Mass Communication from India.

Sulagna joined Heneghan as a Senior Account Executive in December 2023 and is passionate about storytelling and curious about the impact of technology in the communications field.

Larry, one of Ireland’s most experienced communications professionals, is Senior Corporate Consultant to Heneghan.

Larry trained in the US with Ketchum Public Relations before being appointed Public Relations Manager with ESB in 1987. He held positions as ESB Head of Public Affairs (1992- 1997) and Company Secretary & Head of Corporate Affairs (1997-2003).

In 2003, Larry joined An Post, where he was Chief Operating Officer. In 2010, he joined Bord Gáis as Group Director of Corporate Affairs, leading the development and establishment of a new corporate communications function to meet its changing needs.

Since early 2013, Larry has been providing corporate communications services to leading companies. Born in Dublin, he is a graduate in Economics from University College Dublin.

Conor, an award-winning journalist and documentary maker, is Senior Consultant to Heneghan, based in Munster.

A former Business Editor of the Irish Examiner and Business Journalist of the Year, Conor is a seasoned communicator with hands-on crisis management and public affairs experience. He helps clients to develop clear messaging and tell their stories on the forums that count.

Conor’s radio documentaries In Shame, Love, In Shame and A Very Irish Coup - broadcast as part of RTÉ’s Documentary on One series - won Gold at the IMRO Radio Awards in 2019 and 2021 respectively. His work has been shortlisted for the Prix Europa and won accolades at the New York Festivals Radio Awards, the Association of International Broadcasters Awards, the Celtic Media Awards, and the Premios Ondas in Spain.

Mano, a highly-regarded sales and growth specialist, became non-executive Chairman of Heneghan in 2020.

After leading the sales and delivery operations at Digital Ireland, then Ireland’s largest IT company, Mano brought his expertise to the start-up software sector. He established the sales, marketing and product management function at ChangingWorlds, which was acquired by Amdocs in 2009 for over $80 million. Mano then led the Amdocs Global Digital Services sales and marketing team and was responsible for revenues in excess of $400 million.

More recently, Mano was a director and go-to-market advisor to Brite:Bill, which was acquired by Amdocs in 2016. He was also a strategic advisor to Blueface, the Irish unified communications group, which was acquired by Comcast in 2020.

Mano is a director of Quest Computing and also serves on the board of a number of scaling software companies including Idiro Analytics. He is a graduate of the Department of Genetics at Trinity College Dublin.

Enda, a two-time Taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland, joined the board of Heneghan as a non-executive director in August 2021.

Elected to Dáil Éireann, the Irish parliament, in thirteen consecutive general elections, Enda held a number of ministerial roles and led Fine Gael in opposition before becoming party leader in 2002. He went on to lead Fine Gael for fifteen years and also served as a Vice President of the European People’s Party for six years.

He became Taoiseach in March 2011, in the aftermath of the financial crisis, and again in May 2016. Under his leadership, Ireland became the fastest growing EU economy, unemployment fell to less than 5% and the country’s credit rating and access to financial markets were restored.

Enda is on the advisory board of VentureWave Capital, an investment-for-good private equity group, and the TMRW Foundation. He is chairman of Suas Aerospace and a director of Carbon Collect, Ardonagh International and Envetec Sustainable Technologies.

In addition, Enda is a Patron and Ambassador of ISPS Handa, an international sports sponsorship group, and WSD (Worldwide Support for Development). He holds an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws by National University of Ireland, Galway.

Nigel is the owner and hands-on Managing Director of Heneghan.

Widely recognised as an expert in strategic communications, he is a trusted advisor to leading national and international organisations and provides counsel to individuals in senior corporate and leadership roles. Nigel particularly specialises in communications strategy, corporate and financial communications, and crisis management.

Supported by Heneghan’s dynamic team, he brings an enviable network of contacts in business, media, government and the wider community to his client engagements. A former Chairman of the Irish Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA), Nigel gained early career experience working in London and Dubai.

Nigel is a government-appointed member of Rethink Ireland, which supports innovative non-profit organisations nationwide. Previously, he was also a ministerial appointee to the Compliance Committee of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. Nigel holds a diploma in Corporate Governance from the Corporate Governance Institute.

Emma joined Heneghan in 2011 and was appointed to the board of directors in June 2023, recognising her contribution to the business.

Emma provides strategic communications consultancy services across our client portfolio and works closely with senior management teams to develop high-impact national and local campaigns across multiple media channels.

Emma’s significant strategic communications experience benefits clients across the public and private sphere, including the food, energy, financial and healthcare sectors. Alongside her day-to-day role of managing the communications and media relations requirements of clients, Emma has leading input into the strategic growth and development of Heneghan.

Emma is a graduate of Maynooth University, with a BA in Media Studies and History, and holds an MSc in Communications, Advertising and Public Relations from Ulster University, Jordanstown.