Kildare woman appointed Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Ireland

A Kildare woman has been appointed the position of Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Ireland.

Jenny Melia, a Kildare native, has worked in the Agency for 29 years and is currently an Executive Director of Enterprise Ireland, which includes the role of Chief Client Officer.  

She will take up her new role as Chief Executive Officer in July. 

Ms Melia, who graduated from UCD with a BSc and PhD in Chemistry, has held a number of senior leadership roles across the organisation throughout her career. She has worked extensively with client companies of varying scales from all sectors, including food, industrial and technology, and has also worked with the High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) Division, and the Research and Innovation team.

Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, said: “I want to congratulate Jenny Melia on her appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Ireland.  Jenny is a dedicated public servant, who has spent much of her career supporting and fostering the development of the Irish enterprise base through her impressive tenure with Enterprise Ireland, which spans almost three decades.

“I am looking forward to working with Jenny and her leadership team, as this Government continues to focus on supporting Irish exporters and indigenous SMEs. Irish-owned enterprises are critical to our economy, and we are committed to supporting this sector to continue to be agile, and to grow and scale both domestically and in international markets.”

Michael Carey, Chairman of Enterprise Ireland, said: “On behalf of the Board, I am delighted to announce Jenny’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Ireland, after a highly competitive recruitment process.  She has an outstanding track record of providing clear vision and strategic leadership within the organisation, has established deep relationships working collaboratively with key stakeholders from across the ecosystem, and has worked extensively and directly with our client companies. 

“Enterprise Ireland has successfully helped Irish enterprise to scale and grow enormously in recent years, with our client base now employing and exporting at record levels, and Jenny has played a pivotal role in this success.  She was also centrally involved in the design and implementation of the organisation’s new client operating model, and Enterprise Ireland’s new strategy, ‘Delivering for Ireland, Leading Globally (2025-2029)’.

“She will bring this vast experience and leadership to her new role, and we look forward to working with her to achieve our long-term ambition, that exporting Irish companies will become the primary driver of the Irish economy.”

Mr Carey also thanked Kevin Sherry for his leadership as Interim CEO, adding: “Kevin, who will return to his position as Executive Director in July, demonstrated an exceptional level of commitment as he filled this role in recent months, and I would like to thank him for his dedication and leadership during this period.”

Employment at companies supported by Enterprise Ireland rose to a record 234,454 earlier this year, and the organisation’s new strategy sets out a number of ambitious targets for the Irish enterprise base, including plans to increase exports to €50bn by 2029.

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