Tony O’Brien

Strategic Advisor
tony.obrien@finnpartners.com

Professional Experience

Tony is a veteran of Irish and international healthcare and one of the country’s most prominent organisational leaders. From 2012 to 2018, he served as director general of the HSE, Ireland’s national health service. Tony is also a lecturer in management and leadership at Trinity College Dublin; an associate and council member of the Irish Management Institute; a chartered director; a columnist for the Business Post; and an emergency first responder.

Intelligent communications

How'd you get here

I’m London Irish and have lived in Ireland full time since 1991, when I took up the reigns as CEO of the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA). I was active in campaigning for legal changes around sexual and reproductive rights and cut my teeth in media and campaigns by successfully fighting no fewer than four referenda on the subject in 10 years.

I then moved to the public sector, first taking BreastCheck nationwide, shaping the National Cancer Programme, National Clinical Programmes and eventually leading the HSE.

I have worked at the highest levels of public sector governance and public accountability and now work with a wide range of clients on strategy.