Accenture picks Hilary O’Meara to lead Ireland wing

Hilary O’Meara will become Accenture’s Country Managing Director for Ireland from the start of 2023. She takes on the role in what will be her 30th year with the business.

Joining Accenture’s Dublin office in 1993, Hilary O’Meara has spent three decades with the professional services giant. During that time, the firm’s operations nationally and internationally have transformed drastically.

Accenture has been operating in Ireland for over 50 years, and in recent decades has become a major local employer, with over 5,500 people serving clients across multiple industries. Ireland has also become home to The Dock, Accenture’s flagship R&D and Global Innovation Centre, as well as Accenture’s Corporate Services Hub which services the firm’s internal operations globally. The country has also become a key hub for the company on an international basis, since it re-incorporated itself there in 2009.

During that period of rapid change, O’Meara has spent an extended period leading Accenture’s Strategy & Consulting, Resources and Technology practices. Meanwhile, in August 2021, she was appointed as Director of Operations for Accenture UK and Ireland. She will continue to serve on the UK & Ireland Executive Team in her new role as Country Managing Director.

Simon Eaves, Market Unit lead for Accenture UK & Ireland, said, "We are delighted to name Hilary as the new Country Managing Director for Ireland. Hilary brings an extraordinary breadth of skills from across our business with extensive leadership experience. She also has a deep passion for inclusion and diversity in the workplace. Hilary’s unwavering commitment to our clients, people and communities, makes her the right choice to continue driving momentum and growth for our clients and Accenture.”

O’Meara took to LinkedIn to announce her promotion. In a personal post that has since received more than 3,000 comments and reactions, she noted that she was “so proud to become the next Country Managing Director of Accenture in Ireland” and to get the opportunity to “take forward the incredible legacy of Alastair Blair” from January 1st 2023. Blair will retire from Accenture at that point, following 35 years of service with the firm – eight of which were as Country Managing Director in Ireland.

Speaking on Blair’s coming departure, Eaves added, “I would also like to thank Alastair for all he has done for our business in the UK and Ireland over his career. It is thanks to his exceptional leadership and commitment to our business, that we have grown as a business in Ireland and supported our clients through some very challenging times. I wish him all the best in his retirement."