Consello, the global advisory and investing company founded by Tipperary businessman Declan Kelly, has appointed former Munster and Irish rugby player and La Rochelle coach Ronan O'Gara to its team as a senior advisor.
The announcement follows the official Irish launch of Consello last week in Dublin.
Consello, which Kelly started two and a half years ago with NFL legend Tom Brady, started operations in Ireland with three offices on day-one, in Dublin, Belfast and the Mid-West region.
Mr O'Gara joins a team at Consello that already includes Brady, tennis player great Serena Williams, NBA Basketball player Pau Gasol, former Manchester United and England captain Gary Neville and Irish golfer Paul McGinley as senior advisors and partners.
He will work in Consello's Leadership Development, Talent and Business Transformation team, which works with C-Suites, board directors, and senior leaders in Ireland and internationally to design and implement comprehensive strategies that attract, build, and sustain high performing teams.
"I'm delighted to join Declan and the team at Consello. The high-performance environment we create in sport is entirely applicable to business as it is fundamentally about bringing people together in a positive environment that enables them to be the best that they can be. The results quickly follow," Ronan O'Gara said.
"When I saw what Declan had established Consello in Ireland, there was no doubt in my mind that this was the perfect company for me. I've already met the team and am really looking forward to working with them and Consello clients here in Ireland and internationally," he said.
Ronan O'Gara's role will be in keeping with his coaching schedule and will see him work on devising and delivering bespoke leadership development in onsite and offsite programmes.
The Ireland-based Leadership Development, Talent and Business Transformation team is led by former Tipperary senior hurling manager Liam Sheedy and Jane Mitchell.
Founder, chairman, and CEO of Consello Declan Kelly said that Ronan O'Gara brings a unique perspective to its clients on what it takes to create a winning environment within an organisation.
The New York headquartered company last month announced its arrival in the Irish market with a 30-strong "day-one" Irish team that will be led by Executive Chairman John Herlihy, former Head of EMEA at both Google and LinkedIn.
Kelly - a former US Envoy to Northern Ireland - also announced the acquisition of leading Belfast strategic communications and public affairs company Lanyon Group, as well as specialist Mid-West based leadership development company Blue Lake.
The two companies are working with a senior-led Dublin headquartered team that will replicate the full suite of advisory services in Ireland delivered to the company's global client base.
This includes C-Suite Advisory, Management Consulting, Recruiting & Leadership Development, Communications & Public Affairs, Sports and Entertainment Advisory, Creative Services and Technology Advisory.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
