Michael founded Designer Group in 1992 following an extensive career with the ESB. His vision has been instrumental in the development and advancement of Designer Group to its current position as one of the globe’s leading engineering contractors. Michael is the former Head of the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) and is passionate about respecting our people, our environment, and our communities. He recognises and champions the growing awareness and demand for responsible business behaviour which is an essential part of his leadership.

Paul joined Designer Group in 2022 bringing over twenty years’ experience and a wealth of knowledge to our established business. Paul has worked on high-profile projects across a wide number of sectors including; data centre, pharmaceutical and industrial, both in Ireland and overseas. As Group Managing Director, Paul oversees Designer Group’s operations, driving growth initiatives, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality service to our clients, while also maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders. Paul holds a Building Services Degree together with a Diploma in Project Management and is a member of CIBSE and Engineers Ireland. He is also the President of the Mechanical Engineering & Building Services Contractors Association of Ireland.

Tim joined Designer Group in January 2020 to support our ambitious plans for future growth and development and brought with him a significant depth of financial, commercial and general management experience. Prior to joining the Group, Tim was Group Finance Director of Cairn Homes Plc and spent over a decade with Musgrave Group Plc as Group Finance Director and Group Business Development Director. Tim is a also fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland.

Paul joined Designer Group in September 2016 as Financial Controller of our FM business. Prior to joining the company, he had accumulated valuable experience working for various reputable companies in the FM industry, including Veolia and Noonan. Recognising his dedication and financial acumen, Paul was promoted to the position of Irish Financial Director in October 2019. In this capacity, he continued to steer the financial strategy, contributing to the company's growth and success. Paul now joins the Group Board of Directors as our newly appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This promotion not only reflects his exemplary achievements but also his strategic insights and prudent financial management, that have played a pivotal role in establishing Designer Group's solid financial foundation. In earlier years, Paul earned an Honours Degree in Business Studies (BSc) from the University of Limerick and is a fully qualified member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), demonstrating his commitment to maintaining the highest standards of financial excellence.

Shona joined Designer Group in 2019 with over 25 years’ experience in HR Management within the clinical healthcare, social care and pharma/medical devices sectors. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development, Shona holds a BA in Communication Studies and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management. Shona’s responsibilities are to devise HR strategies which support the achievement of business plans in the Irish business, alongside managing the employee lifecycle; developing the talent, diversity and engagement agenda for DG.

Paul is a mechanical engineer and brings over 25 years of international experience into the company encompassing process, utility, building and civil engineering projects. Paul worked on Diageo’s capital investment management team for many years delivering projects in locations across Europe, China, Africa and South America. In more recent times, Paul worked for the German engineering group GEA where he was Managing Director for one of their companies located in Slovenia. Having joined Designer Group in March of 2022 as Senior Operations Director, in his new role as UK Managing Director, Paul hopes to continue building long-term customer partnerships through excellence in project execution and aftercare.

Claire Leonard joins Designer Group as Non-Executive Director, and is our newest member appointed to the Board of Directors in Spring 2023. Claire brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our organisation, having set up her own consultancy business in 2019, and previously a Senior Executive in the Musgrave Group, leading the SuperValu owned stores division.

Dave is a Mechanical Engineer with more than 40 years’ experience in engineering and capital investment management, including 26 years with Diageo where he was Global Engineering Director. Dave brings a unique breadth of experience to the business having worked in China, the USA, Central America, Europe and Africa. Before joining Diageo Dave worked across a diverse range of industries including oil & gas, automotive, pharmaceutical and dairy.

Dympna joined Designer Group in 2018 with over 15 years’ experience in the construction industry. Her responsibilities include vetting contract and related documents at bid and contract award stages, in addition to the negotiation of contract terms upstream and downstream for our Irish, African and US projects. Dympna holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Construction Law and Contract Administration and provides contractual advice and training to our project teams, whilst supporting the business with legal and insurance matters pertaining to our contracts.

Before joining Designer Group in 2011 Gary had 10 years’ experience working as a Project Manager alongside Tier 1 main contractors. His experience embraces everything from delivering minor process projects in live plants to assembling multi-disciplinary teams to deliver large-scale, complex turn-key projects. Gary has been instrumental in the development of the company’s pre-fabricated solutions activities, delivering projects across the globe using this approach. As Irish Industrial Director his responsibility is to foster the growth of our industrial division into new sectors and emerging markets.

Catriona Gallagher is an Operations Director with over 25 years experience in M&E Contracting. Catriona is a qualified Building Services Engineer with a Post Graduate degree in Project Management and her portfolio includes complex mission critical projects and large-scale office developments in Ireland, UK and mainland Europe for leading technology companies. Catriona is passionate about delivering excellence and exceeding clients expectations and believes that effective communication, problem-solving skills and a hands on approach are essential in delivering successful projects.

George has been with Designer Group for five years and is an influential, ambitious and charismatic member of the senior leadership team. He interacts comfortably with his project teams and leads from the front, putting the business first whilst protecting the interests of his team as well as the strength of the client relationship. George prides himself on making a good first impression, is highly motivated and able to deal with problems pro-actively. During a career spanning 13 years George has progressed from being an Electrical Apprentice through a series of Project Manager roles to the position of Operations Manager. He now has overall autonomy over his high-value projects, overseeing recruitment, planning, commercial reporting and delivery.

Adrian has over twenty years experience leading and successfully delivering major landmark commercial, healthcare, retail and residential projects in the Irish and Middle Eastern markets, for highly valued Tier One clients. Adrian is a qualified Mechanical Engineer, is a member of Engineers Ireland and is well recognised in industry circles as a leading Operations Director who works very closely with clients to ensure we deliver an exceptional service and end product. This is achieved via a hands on approach with particular emphasis being placed on the pre-construction stage of the project, which has resulted in regular repeat work with clients.

Graeme has over 40 years’ experience working with Tier 1 contractors in the MEP industry. He has worked on a wide spectrum of markets through his senior management roles. Graeme’s ethos is to promote a collaborative approach to working from pre-construction through to completion for the benefit of both the client and Designer Group. He has overall autonomy over his high-value projects, overseeing recruitment, planning, commercial reporting, and delivery.

Jonathan has been part of the Designer Group team since 2017, leading our aviation projects for the past 5 years. He has over 25 years’ experience working at Heathrow Airport for British Airways Customer Engineering Group, Crown House Technologies and Boon Building Services. A proven leader with great communication skills, Jonathan now has autonomy over all our aviation sector projects, overseeing them from tender stage through to a seamless handover.

Daniel joined Designer Group in August 2019 as Project Director to oversee and deliver our prestigious Cleveland Street project and is now running our Tottenham Court Road project for one of our key clients. Prior to joining, he has been involved in the successful delivery of several large projects across different sectors in both traditional and design & build contracts, including Pontoon Dock Royal Wells Office and Kidbrooke Village. Daniel is degree qualified and brings extensive knowledge of commercial and residential projects and provides a hands-on and client focused approach to project delivery. He completed our Leadership Academy training programme in May of this year, and is a reliable team director and motivator.

Noel joined Designer Group in 2018 with more than 30 years’ experience as a Tier 1 contractor in the electrical industry. In his position as Operations Director Noel works closely with the design team, the main contractor, suppliers and sub-contractors to forge and build the solid relationships so crucial to the success of the project. Noel’s experience includes delivering a range of major electrical projects spanning the healthcare, commercial and retail sectors. Noel motivates and guides his team through the design, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, health and safety and handover stages of each build.

With over 20 years of experience in the construction industry, Sean joined Designer Group in 2011. Previously, Sean was a Director of a leading construction firm for 9 years. He holds BSc in Quantity Surveying and a Diploma in Construction Economics. Sean has a great deal of expertise in both public and private projects including Public Private Partnerships (PPP) and design & build developments. He has responsibility for all commercial matters within the company.

Danny has been a part of the DG family since the London branch was established 12 years ago, where he joined as a trainee Quantity Surveyor. His breadth of experiencing covers a diverse range of sectors and he has helped to successfully deliver key projects such as The Adelphi and One Blackfriars Road, along with developing the commercial department. Danny is an excellent communicator and as a member of the Senior Leadership Team he now provides strategic support and guidance to his own team and throughout the business.

Daniello joined Designer Group in 2020 with 17 years’ experience of HSQE management in the construction, railway, mining, data centres and consultancy sectors. Daniello gained his experience as a client, principal contractor, contractor and as a consultant. Daniello holds an MSc in Occupational Health and Safety Management and his responsibilities are to create HSE strategies supporting the occupational health, safety and sustainability of the group and its workforce. Daniello is passionate about creating a culture that places current health and safety practices at its core, promoting wellbeing and influencing leadership.

Conrad, a strategic thinker with a results-orientated mindset dedicated to driving innovation and excellence, serves as our Head of Business Development and Marketing at Designer Group. With a proven track record of over 20 years, Conrad brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role. With his deep understanding of the business and marketing landscape's his responsibilities are to identify new business opportunities, and cultivate relationships with key stakeholders, securing partnerships and driving business development initiatives. While expanding the company's reach, market prescence and brand visibility.

John joined Designer Group in 2015 having previously worked in Australia for a number of years as a Senior Mechanical Engineer. John has worked on a wide variety of projects in sectors ranging from commercial, hospitality, pharmaceutical, data centre and food and beverage both nationally and internationally. Notably, John worked on a number of marquee projects in Kenya supporting the company’s African business. Since joining Designer Group John has obtained Chartered Engineered Status with Engineers Ireland with the support of the company’s CPD and training programme. John is currently Head of Estimation in the Irish office where he manages the estimating team in securing new work for the business.

Brendan oversees our off-site prefabrication activities and takes a leading role in the training and development of our apprentices. He joined the company in 1996 and has witnessed substantial changes in how construction projects are delivered. Brendan works with our BIM Team to ensure that the latest advances in technology are reflected in our Lean workflows.

Ewelina, is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (MCIPD) and joined Designer Group in 2017, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise in the field of HR. With a master's degree in Human Resource Management, Ewelina possesses a solid academic foundation to complement her practical knowledge. Before joining Designer Group, Ewelina honed her skills working for Facilities Management Companies. Her primary responsibilities included establishing and developing the People function, showcasing her ability to create and implement effective HR strategies. Over the past six years, Ewelina has played a pivotal role in supporting the UK business, demonstrating her invaluable contributions. She has been instrumental in introducing and promoting several significant people initiatives, contributing to the overall success of our organisation. As a trusted member of the Senior Leadership Team, Ewelina serves as the People Lead for our UK business and ensures we remain at the forefront of people-centric initiatives and culture.

Alan began working with Designer Group in 2012 as a Junior Electrical Engineer. Since then, he has developed his career further and has moved into a Head of Engineering role and is responsible for managing a team of mechanical, electrical and BIM engineers. Alan is a highly competent electrical engineer with experience in engineering management, engineering design and project engineering. During his career, Alan has obtained comprehensive knowledge of the design phase, tender phase, construction phase and the validation phase of projects from multiple disciplines. Alan holds multiple engineering degrees, including an MSc in Applied Building Information Modelling, a BSc in Electrical Services and Energy Management and a BEng Tech in Electrical Energy Systems.

Gary is an accomplished Talent Acquisition professional with a proven track record in driving recruitment success in competitive global talent markets. Since March 2022, Gary has been leading the Talent Acquisition (TA) team in Ireland, overseeing the strategic hiring initiatives for the organisation. With a diverse background in both agency and in-house Talent Acquisition, Gary brings extensive experience from the retail pharmacy and domestic utilities sectors and his expertise in identifying and attracting top talent has been instrumental in meeting the growing demands of Designer Group. In his new role as Group Talent Acquisition Manager, Gary is responsible for providing a centralised and comprehensive talent search service across our business, for which his leadership has been pivotal in establishing a robust framework that supports global recruitment efforts and helps secure the best talent.

With a career spanning 27 years in the industry, Paul brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role as Engineering Director. He began his journey in the sector as a site operative, diligently furthering his formal qualifications along the way. Throughout his career, Paul has collected a broad range of experience across various sectors, including commercial, residential, healthcare, education, and data centres. He has successfully delivered projects in both the private and public sectors, showcasing his versatility and adaptability to different project requirements. Paul joined Designer Group in 2019, initially taking on the role of Project Director. Recognising his exceptional leadership and project management skills, he quickly assumed the position of Operations Director for our flagship One Nine Elms project. Now, as Engineering Director, Paul is ready to take on a new challenge, overseeing all pre-construction, construction, and commissioning activities across our UK projects. One of Paul's key focuses is fostering effective team communication and collaboration. He understands that successful project delivery relies on a cohesive and well-coordinated effort. Additionally, Paul is known for his rigorous and robust reporting practices, providing transparent and accurate updates on project progress to stakeholders. Having delivered some of the UK's most complex mechanical installations, Paul possesses extensive knowledge of the entire project life cycle. This comprehensive understanding gives him a practical and realistic insight into the role of Engineering Director. He is deeply passionate about delivering engineered, high-quality products to our clients while aligning them with cost-effective and efficient strategies.

Derek joined Designer Group in 2019 with over 18 years’ experience in HSQE management within the life science, microelectronic, data centre, healthcare, commercial and public sectors. A Chartered Member of IOSH, Derek holds a National Craft Certificate (Welder/Fitter), NEBOSH International Qualification in Occupational, Health & Safety and CSWIP3.1 Diploma for Welding Inspection. Derek leads the Irish HSE operations and supports the business, and our supply chain, to identity best practice and maintain world class HSQE standards for our clients.

Philip began working with Designer Group in January 2019 as Procurement Manager. He has over 20 years’ experience in the construction industry and has an excellent record in delivering procurement solutions across a range of sectors and high-profile projects within Healthcare, Manufacturing and Data Centres both in Europe and the Middle East. As part of his role, Philip has overall responsibility for the procurement function for Designer Group Ireland. He is committed to developing an organisational culture, concentrated on core value procurement principles and added-value initiatives across the Group.

Darren joined Designer Group in 2023 with over 20 years’ experience in the mechanical and electrical services installation industry. Having trained initially as an electrical trade apprentice and building services engineer, he has since held a number of senior operations positions within large national MEP contractors before moving to specialise in business development, pipeline management, lead generation and customer relationship management. Darren has a background in commercial office, research laboratories, and large public sector contracts, working predominantly in London and the UK.