Sean O’Driscoll becomes Chair of the ESRI

The Economic and Social Research Institute is announcing the election of Sean O’Driscoll as the Chair of the Institute’s Council. Mr. O’Driscoll succeeds Padraig McManus who served as Chair from 2016 to 2020.

The Council is the Institute’s overall governing body and acts as its board of directors. The Council supports the work of the ESRI by setting and overseeing the Institute’s strategic objectives, establishing the required quality standards and ensuring that the independent analysis provided by the Institute remains relevant to the economic and social issues facing policymakers in Ireland.

Sean O’Driscoll joined the Council of the ESRI in February 2017. He is a former Chair and Chief Executive of the Glen Dimplex Group and a former Partner in KPMG. 

He is a Member of the Trilateral Commission and of the Ireland 2040 Delivery Board. He is a former Director of Allied Irish Banks, former member of the National Competitiveness Council of Ireland and a former member of a number of other Government appointed Advisory Groups. Mr O’Driscoll is the recipient of an OBE and a Légion d’Honneur Award. 

Commenting on his appointment, Mr O’Driscoll said: “I am honoured to have been elected Chair of the ESRI Council. Since its establishment 60 years ago, the ESRI has been at the forefront of delivering high quality, independent, economic and social research on the Irish Economy.  In these times of great challenges, the continued delivery of high-quality independent research by the ESRI, will be of enormous importance in assisting with developing policies for Ireland’s economic and social recovery”.