Cathriona Hallahan is an Irish business executive who was the Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland from 2013 until 2021. Her work has been recognised with several awards.
Cathriona Hallahan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964/1965 |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Education | Dublin Business School (ACCA) |
| Known for | Former Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland |
| Predecessor | Paul Rellis |
| Successor | Anne Sheehan |
Early life
editCathriona Hallahan grew up in Stillorgan, County Dublin.[1] Her father was a mechanic and her mother worked for a cleaning company.[2] After leaving school, Hallahan completed a secretarial course.[1]
Career
editIn 1986, Hallahan joined Microsoft's Ireland office in Sandyford as an accounts clerk, and became employee number 24.[1] With encouragement from her manager, she became a qualified accounting technician and went on to do her accounting exams.[3][1] Hallahan worked her way up through the cost accounting department to become finance manager,[1] and later took on roles in company operations, including a regional (Europe, Middle East and Africa) leadership position.[2]
In February 2013, Hallahan was appointed as managing director of Microsoft Ireland,[3] one of four operations centres for the technology company outside of the United States,[2] with, as of 2015, over 1,200 employees.[3][4] In this role, she represents the company on all strategic policy, corporate affairs and communications issues.[5] She is the longest-serving Microsoft Ireland employee.[3] She is due to resign as managing director, to be replaced by Anne Sheehan in October 2021.[6]
Hallahan was a member of the Board of Ibec, Ireland's principal employer representative body for a few years as well.[7]
In December 2020, she decided to step down from her position at Microsoft Ireland after nearly 8 years in the role.[8]
Public service roles
editHallahan is a member of the Advistory Board of the Business School of Trinity College Dublin.[9] She is also president of the Dancesport Federation of Ireland, the governing body for certain dance forms in the State.[10]
Honours and awards
editIn 2009, Hallahan won the O2 WMB Businesswoman of the Year award.[11][12] In 2014, she was named CEO Businesswoman of the Year by Image Magazine, an Irish publication,[5] and she was inducted into the Women's Executive Network's Hall of Fame in 2015, having won the Top 25 Award twice.[13] In 2018, Concern Worldwide presented her with its inaugural Women of Concern award,[14][15] an award set up to recognise leaders who promote gender equality.[16]
Personal life
editHallahan lives in County Wicklow, Ireland, with her husband, Tim and daughter, Molly.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Business Person of the Month January 2020: Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland". Business & Finance. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
- ^ a b c Lynch, Donal (5 December 2015). "Managing Microsoft: the accounts clerk who became the boss leading a change of culture". Irish Independent. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d e O'Brien, Ciara (6 March 2015). "Dancing to an ever-changing beat at Microsoft Ireland". Irish Times. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
- ^ McMahon, Aine (13 June 2016). "Microsoft: key facts". The Irish Times. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ a b IMAGE (24 November 2014). "The IMAGE Businesswomen of the Year 2014!". IMAGE.ie. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
- ^ "Microsoft announces Anne Sheehan as new general manager for Ireland".
- ^ "Board". IBEC. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ "Microsoft Ireland MD Cathriona Hallahan to step down from role". siliconrepunlic. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "Cathriona Hallahan - Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland". Trinity Business School. Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
also sits on the boards of Solas, the Children's Hospital Group Board, UCD Advisory Board to the President of the College, and the DanceSport Federation Board of Ireland. ... member of the International Women's Forum, Institute of Directors, Institute of Accounting Technicians (IATI) and is a fellow of ACCA. ... former board member of Vhi and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.
- ^ "About the Team: The DanceSport Federation of Ireland Board". DanceSport Federation of Ireland. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ "Microsoft's Hallahan wins key women's award". RTE News. RTE. 28 September 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ "Women Mean Business Awards". Irish Times. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ "Ireland's 25 most powerful women unveiled at WXN awards ceremony - The Engineers Journal". Engineers Journal. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
- ^ "Microsoft MD Cathriona Hallahan granted inaugural Women Of Concern Award". Independent. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ Aiken, Claire (24 December 2019). "Who were Ireland's best performing CEOs of 2019?". The Irish News. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ Kennedy, Jason (23 October 2018). "Ireland's Microsoft chief honoured with Women of Concern award". Concern Worldwide. Retrieved 13 February 2020.