AIB CEO Colin Hunt appointed Ibec President

Ibec, the group that represents Irish business, has announced the appointment of Dr Colin Hunt, Chief Executive Officer of AIB, as its new President for 2025 to 2026. He succeeds Anne O’Leary, Head of Meta Ireland. Dr Hunt was elected by Ibec’s National Council to serve as President.

Speaking about his appointment, Dr Hunt said:

“It is a great honour to serve as Ibec President and to represent the business community in Ireland, both at home and abroad.

Despite the current global economic uncertainty, Ireland stands on the threshold of great opportunity. Yet we also face significant challenges that must be addressed head on. While the country is growing economically, demographically, technologically and globally, the infrastructure required to support our growth, potential and aspirations is not keeping pace.

This generation must consider how we can create a lasting impact in addressing these issues. The decisions we make today will reverberate for decades to come, shaping the Ireland that our children and grandchildren will inherit. It is time to deliver bold and sustainable solutions and to summon the same spirit of innovation, character and determination that has carried us through previous adversity.

My focus as President will be to work with government, industry, communities and our members to develop the ideas, policies and partnerships required to drive meaningful progress and realise Ireland’s ambition.”

Ibec CEO Danny McCoy said:

“We are delighted to announce Colin as our new Ibec President. Colin’s extensive experience and leadership across financial services, economics and public policy will be a tremendous asset to Ibec’s work this year.

Working with Ibec and our board, I know Colin will bring enormous leadership qualities to key priorities for business and wider society. These include addressing the growing deficit in national infrastructure, meeting the skills needs required to embrace current technological challenges, and ensuring progress remains firmly rooted in an unwavering commitment to sustainability. We wish him every success in the year ahead.”

Dr Colin Hunt was appointed Chief Executive Officer of AIB Group and Executive Director on the AIB Board in March 2019, having joined the Group in August 2016 as Managing Director of Wholesale, Institutional and Corporate Banking.

Prior to joining AIB, Colin was Managing Director at Macquarie Capital, where he led the development of its business in Ireland. He previously served as Special Policy Adviser at the Departments of Transport and Finance, Research Director and Chief Economist at Goodbody Stockbrokers, Head of Trading Research and Senior Economist at Bank of Ireland Group Treasury, and as a Country Risk Analyst at NatWest.

Colin holds a PhD in Economics from Trinity College Dublin and degrees in Commerce and Economics from University College Cork. He is also a Chartered Bank Director and a Fellow of the Institute of Bankers.