Barden strengthens leadership team with four new appointments

Barden, the partner-led talent advisory, recruitment and executive search firm, has strengthened its leadership team with four senior appointments, including the promotion of three new partners. The appointments of Fellow Chartered Accountants (FCAs) Ornaith Giblin and Catherine Drysdale, and Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) Brian O’Connor bring the number of partners at Barden to 13.
 
Within Barden Leinster, Ornaith Giblin, formerly of KPMG and Ardagh Group, has been appointed Partner, responsible for leading Accounting & Finance Senior Qualified Appointments, while Brian O’Connor, formerly of Deloitte, has been promoted to Partner, leading Barden’s Accounting & Finance Recently Qualified Appointments practice. 
 
Catherine Drysdale, former Head of Finance & Transformation at ESW, has been promoted to Partner within Barden Ireland, heading the firm’s Projects, Transformation & Change practice. 
 
In a further senior appointment, Cole Carroll has been promoted to Head of Organisation Development, also in Barden Leinster.
 
Speaking on the appointments, Elaine Brady, Managing Partner of Barden Leinster, said: “These appointments reflect both the depth of leadership within Barden and the continued growth of our business. Ornaith, Brian and Catherine each bring exceptional experience, insight and values-led leadership to their respective practices, and we are delighted to see them become Partners. As we continue to evolve, Cole’s appointment further strengthens our focus on building a sustainable, future-ready organisation.
 
“We are proud to continue investing in our people as we partner with organisations to shape the leadership and talent strategies that will define their future.” 
 
The appointments follow a year of strong growth for Barden, including the continued expansion of its Executive Search offering, partnering with Boards and executive leadership teams to appoint senior leaders. Barden, which employs 44 and has offices in Dublin, Cork, Waterford and San Francisco, also recently achieved B Corp certification, reflecting its commitment to using business as a force for good.
 
Ornaith Giblin joined Barden in 2022 and has over 20 years’ experience, having trained with KPMG and held senior finance leadership roles with Ardagh Group plc and EY, including Finance Director for Ardagh’s Irish business. She is also Deputy Treasurer of Chartered Accountants Ireland’s Leinster Society. Her experience enables her to partner strategically with clients, guiding finance professionals through their career transitions and quickly identifying organisational needs and challenges for clients. 
 
Brian O’Connor brings a strong blend of professional services and industry experience, having trained with Deloitte and gained international exposure in Australia before joining Barden in 2020. His insight-led approach supports recently qualified accountants and clients through long-term, values-driven talent partnerships.
 
Catherine Drysdale brings over 20 years’ experience delivering complex finance and transformation programmes, including Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations, payroll optimisation, automation and data analytics initiatives. A member of the Chartered Accountants Ireland’s Technology Committee, Catherine’s hands-on transformation background allows her to support clients in building and delivering high-impact projects, transformation and change teams.
 
Cole Carroll brings a strong focus on organisational capability and long-term growth, shaped by experience partnering with clients on senior, business-critical appointments. She holds an Executive MBA (Master of Business Administration) from Trinity College Dublin. Cole’s new role supports both Barden’s internal development agenda while also partnering with clients across the Leinster region to hire senior talent during pivotal moments of organisational change.
 
Barden has practices across Accounting, Legal & Tax, Technology, Transformation & Change, and other strategic business appointments. For more see barden.ie.