The Renatus Podcast

Donal Casey, actuary, former senior executive at Irish Life, and CEO of Rory McIlroy Inc. - returns to the Renatus Podcast to discuss his superb new book, Reflections on a Golden Ball. From small-town beginnings in Athy, Co. Kildare, to the corporate boardroom and the global stage of elite professional golf, Donal reflects on talent, leadership, self-confidence, wealth, sport, and the formative narratives that shape each of our journeys. Part memoir, part philosophical reflection, and part mentoring conversation, Reflections on a Golden Ball invites us not to chase perfection, but to better understand the forces already at work in our own lives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of the Renatus Podcast, Greg Dilger speaks with Sean O’Driscoll, former CEO and Chairman of Glen Dimplex and one of Ireland’s most respected business leaders. Now Chair of the ESRI and a member of the Government’s 2025 Accelerating Infrastructure Task Force, Sean discusses the structural challenges slowing Ireland’s infrastructure delivery — from planning and housing to energy and grid capacity — and what must change to unlock growth. A candid discussion on leadership, accountability and delivering at scale.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our latest Renatus Podcast, host Greg Dilger chats with Luke Mackey, the 31-year-old Co-founder and CEO of employee-benefits platform Kota. We dig into Luke’s early life and the entrepreneurial streak that drove him. He talks about the creation and scaling of Kota and how the backing of some top-end international VC firms (including Ireland’s Frontline Ventures) has made him think even bigger. Luke’s relentless focus on product quality and customer experience is obvious throughout. It’s a big part of what sets him apart.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the latest Renatus Podcast, host Greg Dilger speaks with Steve Tennant, Managing Partner of Grant Thornton Ireland and Head of Grant Thornton Advisors EMEA. Charismatic and highly engaging, 47-year-old Steve Tennant brings a fresh perspective and energy to the world of professional services. His natural ability to connect with people, communicate big ideas simply, and inspire confidence has made a significant impact within Grant Thornton Ireland. Following the recent private-equity-driven merger of Grant Thornton Ireland and Grant Thornton Advisors USA, Steve was appointed to lead their fast-growing EMEA business — a strong endorsement of both Steve and the Irish firm. In this podcast, he talks about his early days in Aberdeen and Leeds, and how he ultimately ended up working for Grant Thornton in Dublin. He discusses Grant Thornton’s phenomenal growth in recent years, the hows and whys behind the merger with the US business, and, of course, his exciting new role building out the EMEA organisation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Renatus Podcast, host Greg Dilger speaks with Julie Sinnamon, the hugely influential former CEO of Enterprise Ireland (EI). Julie shares her insights on starting and scaling companies, as well as the evolving role of EI. Drawing on decades of experience at both EI and the IDA, she offers her perspective on issues ranging from female entrepreneurship to the critical role of leadership in driving business success.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the latest episode of the Renatus Podcast, host Greg Dilger speaks with Aidan Corbett, co-founder and CEO of Wayflyer — the Dublin-based fintech helping global e-commerce businesses access fast, data-driven funding. Launched in 2019 by Aidan Corbett and Jack Pierse, Wayflyer has grown from a lean startup to a global player with offices in Dublin, London, New York, and Sydney, and a $1.6 billion valuation (2022) backed by top-tier international VCs. It’s an extraordinary story of Irish entrepreneurship and global ambition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Renatus Podcast, our host, Greg Dilger, talks to Michael Stanley, the Co-founder and CEO of Ireland's biggest house builder - Cairn Homes plc. Founded in 2014 by himself and Alan McIntosh, the company went public the following year and has thrived ever since. In 2024, it achieved nearly €1 billion in revenue, delivering 2,241 completed units. There is much to admire about Cairn Homes - not least its CEO’s entrepreneurial instincts but also its unwavering commitment to quality - with modern design, sustainability and energy efficiency right at the heart of everything they do.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Renatus podcast, host Greg Dilger talks to Bill Emmott - a highly respected writer and consultant best known for his 13 years as Editor in Chief of 'The Economist’ - serving in Brussels, Tokyo and London. Under his leadership, The Economist’s circulation more than doubled, from 500,000 weekly copies to 1.1 million. Bill is known for his expertise in international affairs, economics and geopolitics, and he shares his thoughts on some of the big global issues we currently face. In 2016, he and his wife decided to become “Brexiles” after the fateful referendum by moving to Ireland. In June 2024, they became naturalised Irish citizens. This episode was recorded on 21st February 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2013, when Rory McIlroy, one of the best golfers of all time, parted company with his agent Horizon Sports, there would have been no shortage of high-calibre candidates for the CEO role in his new Dublin-based management company - Rory McIlroy Inc. The fact that Rory turned to a low-profile but well-respected Athy-born actuary called Donal Casey says it all. Donal, who was a decent amateur golfer and a self-confessed golf nerd, was an inspired choice, and he thrived in the role. He always believed that longer-term thinking, which was a fundamental pillar of his actuarial background, was a big advantage in the world of corporate sponsorship, image rights, and endorsements. Donal (now 56) stepped down from RMI last year after 11 enjoyable years in the role. In this podcast, Donal talks about his early life in Co. Kildare, his career as an actuary in Irish Life, and his time working with Rory McIlroy. He talks about his interest in and passion for women’s sports - particularly golf and athletics. Hosted by Greg Dilger of Renatus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In October 2024, John Saunders became Chairman of St. Louis-based public relations firm FleishmanHillard, having served as CEO for the previous nine years. Not many Irish people get to head global businesses based out of the U.S., but John Saunders did just that. From humble beginnings as a sports presenter with RTE, he has carved out a stellar career in the public relations industry. In this latest episode of The Renatus Podcast, John talks to host Greg Dilger about the PR business generally, as well as his own firm, FleishmanHillard, and its multibillion-dollar parent company, Omnicom. He offers fascinating insights into the evolving role of PR in a digital world, including the phenomenal growth of the influencer space, the use of AI, and the future of work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter Jackson, CEO of Flutter Entertainment In this episode of the Renatus podcast, host Greg Dilger speaks to Peter Jackson, the CEO of Flutter Entertainment, the world’s largest sports betting and iGaming operator. Peter has been CEO since 2018, having originally joined as a Non-Exec Director of what was then called Paddy Power Betfair in 2013. The acquisition of FanDuel has opened up huge opportunities for Flutter in the US and the recent decision to move their primary listing to New York makes total sense in light of this. Peter talks about the strategic logic of the FanDuel deal and how its culture fits so well with Flutter’s ‘challenger mindset’. He also talks about what they call the 'Flutter Edge' which is leveraging their collective strengths - i.e., people, technology and capital - to compete better across their portfolio of businesses. At the end of the conversation, Mark Flood the co-founder of Renatus gives his key takeaways from the podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richie Boucher, Chairman of CRH plc In this episode of the Renatus Podcast, Greg Dilger talks to Richie Boucher, Chairman of CRH, a global leader in the provision of building materials solutions that build, connect and improve our world. Employing nearly 80,000 people at over 3000 locations in 29 countries, CRH’s scale is nothing less than staggering.  Richie shares his insights into why CRH continues to thrive on a global stage while also revealing what makes him tick personally.  He talks frankly and passionately about culture, people, strategy and more. Richie also tells us about his other very complementary board roles with renewable energy firm ClonBio Group and global real estate investor Kennedy Wilson, as well as reflecting on his career in banking and in particular his time as CEO of Bank of Ireland.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stan McCarthy, CEO of Kerry Group  In this latest Renatus podcast, host Greg Dilger talks to former Kerry Group CEO Stan McCarthy about the rise and globalisation of the Kerry Group. Underneath the calm and modest demeanour is a very accomplished operator with a great temperament for business. It is not at all difficult to see why the Kerry Group thrived under his leadership. Nowadays, following his retirement from Kerry, Stan uses all of those attributes on a completely different stage as Non-Exec Chairman of Ryanair - Europe’s largest airline (by passenger numbers). His smooth transition from food to aviation is no surprise to those who know him well. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paddy Blaney, former CEO of GPA (Guinness Peat Aviation) In this latest Renatus podcast host, Greg Dilger talks to former GPA (Guinness Peat Aviation) Chief Executive, Paddy Blaney about all things GPA  - the ambition, the rise, the fall, the restructuring and of course, its legendary founder the late Tony Ryan. Several former GPA staff subsequently founded and worked for other Irish-based aircraft lessors, such as Avolon, Pembroke, SMBC and Aergo. Indeed the world’s largest aircraft leasing company Aercap is currently led by another GPA alumnus - Aengus Kelly. The availability of this calibre of highly trained executives is one of the core reasons, along with a favourable corporate tax environment, Ireland has become the global hub of the commercial aircraft financing and leasing industry as we know it today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mickey O’Rourke, joint CEO & Founder of Setanta Sports Renatus’ latest podcast features Mickey O’Rourke, the joint CEO & Founder of Setanta Sports. In this episode, Mickey reveals the story behind the birth of Setanta Sports, which originated as a mere excuse for a party with his friend Leonard Ryan during Italia '90. Listen in as Mickey, a seasoned entrepreneur with a track record of founding and exiting multiple businesses, shares his valuable insights into the ups and downs of his illustrious career. From great successes to eventual failures, Mickey discusses his journey in detail, providing a rare and exclusive peek into his experiences that are not commonly known.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dermot Crowley, CEO of Dalata Hotel Group Host Greg Dilger of Renatus chats with Dalata Hotel Group CEO Dermot Crowley about the hospitality sector generally and Dalata Hotel Group. He discusses covid, refugees, energy prices, the value of culture, and Dalata's ambitious strategy and growth plans. Dermot is passionate about empowering employees and how Dalata's decentralised model and management style facilitate this.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fergus Clancy - former chairman of the Mater Private Network In our latest Renatus podcast, host Greg Dilger chats with Fergus Clancy, one of Ireland’s most accomplished healthcare executives. He is the former Chairman of the Mater Private Network, previously having operated as CEO for ten years. Fergus is no stranger to private equity, having worked/co-invested with three PE firms in recent years. He also has his own company - FC Advisory, a boutique advisory firm operating exclusively in the Irish health and social care sector. In this discussion, Fergus speaks about his career, private & public hospitals, and nursing homes, and shares his thoughts on several topical Irish healthcare issues.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donal Murphy, CEO of DCC plc Host Greg Dilger of Renatus chats with Donal Murphy, CEO of DCC plc. Donal discussed how DCC grew the business across 21 countries with over 15400 employees, DCC’s scaling strategy, how to deal with the ongoing energy market transition, and the importance of people development within the DCC organisation's culture.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rosheen McGuckian, CEO of NTR plc Host Greg Dilger of Renatus chats with Rosheen McGuckian, CEO of NTR plc. Rosheen discussed how NTR manages its numerous assets, her professional path to date, overseeing the company's international expansion, and the prognosis for the Irish renewable energy market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian O’Sullivan, Zeus Packaging Group Greg Dilger of Renatus chats with Brian O’Sullivan, founder of the Zeus Packaging Group. Under Brian’s resilient leadership, Zeus has become a global packaging force with a turnover of €350 million and a staff of nearly 700 people in 26 countries. Brian and Zeus have flown under the radar the past couple of years, until recently with Brian deservedly winning the EY Entrepreneur of the year in 2021.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paddy Finn of VIOTAS Greg Dilger of Renatus chats with Paddy Finn, the joint founder and CEO of Limerick-based VIOTAS about his business as well as a range of topical sustainable energy issues. An academic entrepreneur if ever there was one, Paddy developed an interest in demand response and smart grid technology during his time, as both undergraduate and postgraduate, at the University of Limerick, and led to him co-founding VIOTAS (formerly Electricity Exchange) with Duncan O’Toole in 2013.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Prendergast of Frontline Ventures Greg Dilger of Renatus chats with Will Prendergast, a founding partner in Dublin-based venture firm Frontline Ventures. Will, who is also qualified as a chef and a chemical engineer, speaks about his career and the evolution of Frontline to date.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jimmy Martin of AMCS Group In this episode, Renatus advisor and investor Greg Dilger sits down with Jimmy Martin, co-founder and CEO of Limerick-based AMCS Group. Jimmy discusses the past, present and future of the waste recycling software industry. He also provides an insight as to how he helped scale the business from a small start-up in 2004 to the 650+ global workforce that it is today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barry Maloney, Chairman of WorkHuman In this inaugural podcast, Renatus advisor Greg Dilger sits down and speaks with world-class venture capitalist Barry Maloney, who is currently chairman of the HR technology firm WorkHuman. Barry, who has strong Mayo links, also discusses his Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Minella Indo.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.