Breege O’Donoghue

Former Primark Executive Director

Breege O'Donoghue, former Executive Director of Primark, was pivotal in its global expansion. A renowned business leader, she has served on several boards, including C&C Group and Hibernia REIT. Breege is a sought-after speaker on leadership, retail innovation, and women's empowerment, drawing from her extensive experience in global retail.

Breege O’Donoghue is a distinguished business leader and former Executive Director of Primark, where she played a pivotal role in the company’s global expansion over her 37-year tenure. Known for her strategic vision and leadership, Breege has been instrumental in transforming Primark into one of the world’s leading fashion retailers, overseeing operations, expansion, and HR functions.

Breege has received numerous accolades for her contributions to business and retail, including being named a Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite by the French government. She has served on several boards, including the Non-Executive Director roles at C&C Group and Hibernia REIT, and is a member of the Outside Appointments Board of the Public Appointments Service in Ireland.

In addition to her corporate achievements, Breege is a passionate advocate for education and talent development, frequently speaking on leadership, retail innovation, and women’s empowerment in business. Her insights draw from a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the global retail landscape.

Breege O’Donoghue’s dynamic career and engaging speaking style make her a sought-after speaker for conferences and events, where she inspires and educates audiences on achieving excellence in business and leadership.

To book Former Primark Executive Director of Breege O’Donoghue for your event, contact Front Row Speakers on +353 1 485 3991 or email welcome@frontrowspeakers.com.

Leadership of major business projects, decision making and strategic thinking skills, strong negotiation skills
Corporate PR
Deep international multi-site retail experience
17 years in hospitality sector in Ireland and Internationally
Key achievements:
Managed, with others, a business through significant growth and expansion from 17 stores to over 300 in 11 markets.
International experience developing and operating in markets such as Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Italy and the U.S.
Spearheaded Primark’s entry into the US market after successfully capturing continental Europe, including the opening of our first store in Italy in April 2016.
Established and developed the Human Resources function at Board level and led the organisation people strategy, as well as large scale operational delivery for Primark across the markets.
Breege has considerable experience outside Primark in the private sector, public commercial sector and in education at university lev.

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