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From:Department of Culture, Communications and Sport

The Minister of Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, is today announcing the appointment of four new members to the Board of the National Museum of Ireland (NMI).

These appointments are each for five years and follow an open call for expressions of interest and subsequent assessment process operated by Publicjobs.

The details of the current Board members are available at this link:National Museum of Ireland

Commenting recently on the appointments, Minister Patrick O’Donovan said:

I am pleased to appoint four candidates of the calibre of Dipti Pandya, Mark Henry, John O’Connor and John Neary to serve on the Board of the National Museum of Ireland and I warmly congratulate them on their appointments. I am confident that collectively these appointees will share their knowledge and expertise and further enhance and strengthen the current board composition which will be of great benefit to the National Museum of Ireland as it continues to embark on major expansion and development.

Boards are central to the governance, oversight and strategic direction of all our National Cultural Institutions. I would like to express my gratitude to the four new appointees, and also to the existing members of the Board, for giving so generously of their time and bringing their strength and depth of experience to bear in guiding this important National Cultural Institution.

Commenting on the appointments, NMI Chairperson Prof. Cathal O’Donoghue said:

As Chair of the Board of the Museum, I am delighted to welcome our new Board members. Together, they bring a wealth of experience across a range of disciplines, along with fresh perspectives that will enrich the Board's work. Their contribution will be invaluable as we continue to advance the Museum's strategic priorities and deliver on our mission.

The Board of the Museum consists of a chairperson and not less than 13 or more than 15 ordinary members.

Details of the current Board members are available at this link:National Museum of Ireland

Dipti Pandya is Director of Research at University College Dublin, where she leads research strategy, policy, governance, and operations across Ireland’s largest university. She brings over 25 years of experience in research, innovation, EU affairs, diversity and public policy. A Ministerial appointee to the Board of Léargas and elected Chair of the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators (EARMA), she previously served as Director of the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Mark Henry has extensive experience in tourism, heritage, marketing and communications. Mark spent two decades as an executive director in Tourism Ireland – the all-island body promoting overseas tourism to the island of Ireland – and is currently the Chief Communications & Marketing Officer at Technological University Dublin. He completed a ten-year term as a board director of the Irish Heritage Trust which operates three historic properties, the National Famine Museum, and the Irish Agricultural Museum. Mark is the author of the best-selling book ‘In Fact: An Optimist’s Guide to Ireland at 100’ that tells the story of the country’s progress since independence, and he holds a PhD in history from the University of Westminster.

John O’Connor is an Executive Director with JP Morgan’s Corporate Banking team in Ireland. JP Morgan is a global financial institution with operations in Ireland since 1919. In Ireland, JP Morgan services Irelands multinational corporations, mid cap and large corporations and high growth scaling innovation companies. John is six years with JP Morgan. Formerly a Relationship Director for HSBC Ireland in its corporate banking business for 12 years.

In these roles, John sat on the executive branch committees for both organisations in Ireland. JP Morgan and HSBC have substantial operations and physical footprint in Ireland across fund services, merchant acquiring, technology and employee share management.

John graduated from University College Dublin with a Bachelor in Business and Legal Studies. He holds a Diploma in Corporate Finance with the Chartered Accountants of Ireland, completed the Chartered Director course with the Institute of Directors of Ireland, completed a Certificate in Sustainable Finance with the University of Cambridge and recently completed a Certificate in International Cash Management with the UK Association of Corporate Treasurers.

John Neary is a former diplomat who served as Ireland’s Ambassador to Japan and the Netherlands. A native of Co. Louth, he graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) before joining the Department of Foreign Affairs. Following his retirement in 2016, he was appointed Adjunct Professor in UCD. From 2018-2025, he was a Trustee of the Chester Beatty Library. He is the author of Public Diplomacy in Ireland and Japan.