Jim Gannon appointed SEAI CEO

Jim Gannon, newly-appointed CEO of SEAI.

Jim Gannon appointed SEAI CEO

Jim Gannon has been appointed Chief Executive Officer by the SEAI. The appointment took effect on 23 May 2016 and Jim will lead the development and delivery of the Authority’s new five-year strategy. Mr Gannon is an engineering graduate of NUI Galway, has a Masters in Environmental Assessment from the University of Wales Aberystwyth and an MBA from the UCD Smurfit School of Business.

He has worked within the energy sector throughout his career, delivering projects at a European, national and regional level for public and private sector organisations. This has included projects across conventional and renewable energy, transmission and distribution infrastructure, energy demand management and technology development. Most recently, he held the position of Director at RPS Group, leading the Energy, Environment and Health and Safety sector.

SEAI Chair, Ms Julie O’Neill said: “Jim Gannon is an energetic and widely respected energy professional with a wealth of experience across all aspects of energy policy implementation. Working with the executive team, he will build on the successes of recent years and lead the organisation into the next phase which demands a rapid decarbonisation of our entire energy system.”

Speaking on his appointment, Mr Gannon said: “The new White Paper and recent commitments made at COP21 in Paris provide Ireland with both challenges and significant opportunities over the coming period. As a result, Ireland is likely to experience change at an infrastructural scale in addition to a technology-led democratisation of the energy system across electricity, transport and heat. I look forward to leading SEAI as it plays a central role in our transition to a more economically, socially and environmentally sustainable energy future.”