The CIPD Thrive Conference 2026
15 October 2026 | Aviva Stadium, Dublin
15 October 2026 | Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Performance. Productivity. Trust. Wellbeing.
Join us at the CIPD Thrive Conference 2026 on 15 October at Aviva Stadium, Dublin.
The CIPD Thrive Conference brings together business leaders, HR professionals, academics and organisational experts to explore the relationship between performance, productivity and people.
Focusing on trust, leadership, organisational effectiveness and wellbeing, the conference will showcase the latest research, real-world case studies and practical frameworks that help organisations improve productivity, strengthen engagement, build trust, develop capability and achieve sustainable business results.
Delegates will leave with evidence-based insights, actionable tools and measurable examples they can apply within their own organisations.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Partner, John Sisk & Son Ltd
Amy Martin is the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Partner at Sisk, where she leads the
development, implementation, and oversight of the company’s EDI strategy and programmes.
She develops and leads award-winning initiatives that drive inclusive practice across the business and wider construction sector. With a background in employment, equality and human rights law, Amy brings deep expertise to advancing systemic change and embedding inclusive cultures.
Amy is Strategic Advisor to Women in Construction Ireland and serves as Vice Chair of its Board of Advisors, supporting the organisation’s work to improve the recruitment, retention and progression of women in the industry. She is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) EDI Advisory Panel and the Construction Industry Federation’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, where she champions equity and industry-wide collaboration.
Founder, Happier at Work
Aoife O’Brien is the founder of Happier at Work and host of the award-winning Happier at Work podcast, ranked in the top 2% globally with nearly 200,000 downloads.
A culture and leadership expert with 20 years’ corporate experience, she works with global organisations to create the conditions where people can perform, grow, and stay, aligning culture, drivers, and capabilities in practical, evidence-based ways. Her debut book, Thriving Talent, was published in March 2026, was featured by Forbes and is an Irish Times bestseller.
Psychologist, neuroscientist & speaker
Dr Brian Pennie is a psychologist, neuroscientist, author and business coach who combines lived experience with academic expertise to help people take control of their mental, emotional and external worlds.
After overcoming years of addiction, Brian earned a PhD in Psychology from Trinity College Dublin. Today, he develops evidence-based programmes focused on resilience, wellbeing and personal growth. Alongside his work as a published author and trained neuroscientist, Brian advises and coaches some of Ireland's leading CEOs and organisations.
Human & AI Transformation, Future of Work Thought Leader
Cleo McCormack is a thought leader in the future of work and human and AI transformation, helping organisations navigate how AI is reshaping work, roles and human capability. An organisational development leader and executive coach with 20 years of experience, she brings together behavioural psychology, workforce transformation, leadership and responsible AI adoption.
Cleo designs people-led AI adoption frameworks and leadership programmes recognised through multiple industry award nominations, and has led people, skills and communications strategies supporting enterprise AI transformation.
A Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and EMCC-accredited Senior Practitioner, she writes, speaks and lectures on the future of work in the age of AI: what leadership now asks of people, what AI does well and what remains irreducibly human.
Head of Graduate Business School, TU Dublin
Colin is Head of the Graduate Business School at TU Dublin, where he oversees a large portfolio of postgraduate business and executive education programmes.
Colin’s research focuses on trust, leadership and remote working. He has published numerous book chapters, blogs and articles and regularly delivers seminars and workshops for organisations and industry bodies.
He holds a PhD from the University of Birmingham (Trust and Leadership in Virtual teams) along with postgraduate and undergraduate degrees from DIT/TU Dublin in Learning and Teaching, Research and Marketing. Colin is an experienced non-executive director and currently sits on the board of LIA.
Founder & CEO, Welliba
David is a founder and CEO of Welliba. He started his career at SHL in 1997 and has worked in the area of psychometrics, behavioral science, talent management, people analytics, and employee experience across a wide range of roles over the last 25 years across North America, Europe and Asia. He is happiest being on the frontline of client centric technological and scientific transformation, and being able to participate in how the digital world has transformed the way in which we can create, use, and apply intelligent data for the good of people and organisations.
He holds a BA in Psychology from Trinity College Dublin Ireland and an MSc in Occupational Psychology from Queens University Belfast.
David Buggie, Senior Academic Practitioner, IMI
David Buggie is a Senior Academic Practitioner at IMI, specialising in organisational development, leadership transformation and team effectiveness. A former Director of Organisational Change at Siemens GB&I, where he reported to the CEO and supported leadership across a 12,000-person organisation, David brings extensive experience helping organisations navigate complex change, build leadership capability and create high-performing cultures.
As a contributor to The Team Coaching Casebook (McGraw Hill, 2022), David brings deep expertise in organisational change, leadership development and creating the conditions for sustained team and organisational performance.
Founder, Hireovate
Declan Fitzgerald has spent 25 years building recruitment teams and hiring at scale. He was part of the leadership team at Meta Ireland, where he led recruitment, and before that ran global recruitment at HubSpot.
He is the founder of Recruitovate, an executive search, talent advisory and people AI automation firm, and Hireovate, which applies AI-supported market intelligence to career transition. He is also an active angel investor across more than 40 companies, and sits on the CIPD Ireland AI Steering Committee.
Chief Executive Officer, Bus Éireann
Jean O’Sullivan joined Bus Éireann in 2022 as Chief People Officer, where she led the development of the organisation’s people and culture strategy.
She contributed to Horizon 28, the five-year plan for sustainable transport and growth, which targets a 20pc increase in passenger numbers by 2028 through integrated ticketing and rural connectivity improvements. Under her guidance, the company achieved certification as a great place to work, with employee retention rates above 85pc in the last financial year.
Head of HR Organisational Development, Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail
John has worked his way to a senior role within Iarnród Éireann over a 36-year career. John’s current role is Head of HR Organisational Development with responsibility for leading HR technology, digital adoption, role evaluation, people strategy development and other organisational development programmes to support and enhance the people functions of Iarnród Éireann.
John achieved Chartered Fellow of CIPD in 2022 and commenced a volunteer role on the CIPD Ireland National Committee in 2023, taking up the role of Vice Chair in 2025 and will assume the Chair of the National Committee in September 2026. John has always developed strategic relationships with trade unions and other key stakeholders both within the CIE group and wider through involvement with CIPD.
Honorary Chairperson of the Board of the CIPD in Ireland
Joyce is currently the Honorary Chairperson of the Board of CIPD Ireland Ltd., having previously been a Non-Executive Director. Joyce is the co-founder and previous Joint Managing Director of Voltedge Management - a leading Irish HR and Management Consultancy. Joyce has extensive experience in Human Resources management, strategy and organisational development.
Previous to Voltedge, Joyce held a number of senior HR positions in multinational corporates and European start-ups. Joyce is passionate about the alignment of HR with business strategy, addressing complex business issues, and providing HR advice to leaders.
Senior Employer Solutions Manager, CIPD
Linda is responsible for engaging with senior HR and L&D leaders to strengthen their people functions and develop future-fit workforce strategies that drive business success. She promotes the benefits of CIPD partnerships within organisations, supporting them in raising professional standards, addressing workforce challenges, and building thriving workplaces.
Previously, Linda was Head of Business Development at the Learnovate Centre, Trinity College Dublin, where she worked with HR and learning professionals to advance workplace learning through research and technology. With a background in commercial strategy and business growth, she has led high-performing teams across industries, driving partnerships and solutions that support organisational success.
Linda is passionate about helping employers harness impactful, future-focused solutions that empower their people and support organisational development, leveraging CIPD’s expertise to drive meaningful, long-term impact.
Data Storyteller, Welliba
Maeve Gaffney is a Data Storyteller at Welliba, where she works to translate complex data into actionable insights. Before joining Welliba, Maeve worked in computational life sciences, analysing quantum computing methodologies and glioma cell lines.
She holds a Master’s in finance from Trinity College Dublin and is now focused on leveraging her expertise to enhance employee experience through innovative analytics.
People Director, Tesco Ireland & Northern Ireland
Maurice Kelly is a seasoned HR executive with over 25 years of progressive leadership experience with multinational corporations across a range of industries.
Maurice is currently People Director for Tesco Ireland & Northern Ireland and is a member of the Ireland Executive Leadership team. Previously, Maurice held global HR leadership roles at Kerry Group (Food & Beverage), Integra Lifesciences (Medical Devices), Eaton Corporation (Automotive) and Essilor International (Healthcare). He also served as Chair of the Board of Directors for Sensational Kids CLG, a high-impact social enterprise supporting children with additional needs.
Maurice is a Chartered Director (CDir) and Chartered Fellow of the CIPD (FCIPD), with academic credentials including a Master’s in business and HRM and a Postgraduate Diploma in Executive Coaching.
Senior Lead for Stakeholder Engagement, CIPD
Meg Dunphy is Senior Lead for Stakeholder Engagement. She works with practitioners, employers, policymakers, academics and strategic partners to advance professional practice, strengthen workplace performance and shape discussions on the future of work and the people profession in Ireland.
A Chartered CIPD member with a background in strategic HR and business partnering in both public sector and global organisations before joining CIPD in 2022.
Head of Health & Wellbeing, Laya Healthcare
Sinéad leads Ireland’s largest corporate team of clinical experts who run over 1,800 Health and Wellbeing programmes across companies of various scales and in various sectors including technology, financial services, pharmaceutical and manufacturing.
Sinéad champions the need for an informed and proactive approach to health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Associate Director, Scientific & Capability Learning | IMACE, Novartis
Will Fitzgerald believes that organisations succeed when people have the skills, confidence, and opportunities to continually learn and grow. With over three decades of experience spanning healthcare, government, and defence, he has dedicated his career to helping individuals and organisations navigate change through capability development and learning innovation.
In his role within Novartis’ International Medical Affairs Centre of Excellence (IMACE), Will leads global initiatives focused on scientific and professional capability building, combining learning science, technology, and AI-enabled solutions to improve performance and strengthen organisational readiness.
A Fellow of both the CIPD and the Learning & Development Institute, Will is an advocate for lifelong learning, mentoring, and evidence-based practice. He is particularly interested in how organisations can harness emerging technologies while preserving the human qualities of curiosity, collaboration, and leadership that underpin sustainable success.
