Siobhán Finn said: “NACEC has a key role to play in the recovery of our economy post Covid-19, most particularly across our rural regions. I very much look forward to making a significant contribution to the vision of NACEC and to supporting its members' network during these challenging times. I am confident that NACEC will emerge as an even stronger network on the back of the Enterprise Ireland funded Regional Transformation Programme.” 

 A native of Cork county, Siobhán is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin with an MSc in Management Practice as well as being a graduate of the Marketing Institute of Ireland and having a Diploma in Business Innovation Development from TU Dublin.

Siobhán has worked across the public and private sector for over 30 years with particular focus on leading, facilitating and managing multiple-stakeholder consortia. Siobhán also has extensive experience in managing EU projects and acts as external advisor on a number of additional projects.

Working alongside the NACEC Board, and other relevant stakeholders, Siobhán will be responsible for the delivery of NACEC’s Regional Transformation Programme which is a key deliverable of NACECs Strategic Plan for the period 2019-2021.

With the backing of Enterprise Ireland’s 2019 Regional Enterprise Development Fund, NACEC’s Regional Transformation Programme is a step change programme of tailored actions for the community enterprise sector to realise transformation, growth and future proofing of the enterprise centre business model in Ireland, enabling centres to continue to accelerate economic recovery in all regions of the country by delivering on the potential of local and regional enterprise strengths.

This Regional Transformation Programme has been specifically designed with capacity building and innovation in mind. The entire programme of initiatives and activities is geared towards enabling enterprise centres to maximise their resources, streamline their activities and so provide ultra-professional services to their clients to enable community and economic development. This has never been more critical than in this economic climate where startups and SMEs are challenged to survive and rebuild in the face of the current pandemic.

Gary O Meara, chair of the NACEC board, said: “This is the start of a very exciting chapter - albeit in very challenging times - for NACEC, and Ireland's Enterprise Hub sector in general, and I really look forward to working with and supporting Siobhán and the rest of the team in the weeks and months ahead.”

 NACEC was formed in 2008 building on the foundation of earlier regional enterprise centre networks. Its strategic plan for the enterprise hub sector in Ireland was launched by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in late 2019.