Our Executive Team

Chris first joined Compass Group over 9 years ago and has worked across a variety of roles including concept development, supply chain and business development.  As Managing Director for Compass Group Ireland, he brings 18 years industry experience to bear in driving the continued growth of the company.

At Compass Group, food is our business and the local community is our client base. Chris believes in putting customers first and shares our ethos of using fresh, locally sourced and sustainable produce to deliver bespoke packages carefully tailored to our customer’s needs.

Chris is a transformational business leader with a track record of implementing winning strategies for businesses. He has extensive experience in sustainable net growth, client relations, commercial turnaround and process management. Chris loves to work with people who share his passion and commitment to creating a best in class customer experience. That commitment is seen in his hands-on approach, as comfortable pulling pints behind the bar in the Aviva as he is agreeing food goals with a client.

A native of Worcester Chris & his family moved to Dublin to take up the role of Managing Director in January 2019. In Chris’ spare time he likes to golf, travel & spend time with his family.

Margaret joined Compass Group some 30 years ago, and has worked in nearly every aspect of our company – in the culinary field, as an Area Manager, Operations Director for Northern Ireland (a role she held for 10 years) – and now since January 2016, Business Director for the entire Irish Business.

As Business Director, Margaret is responsible for ensuring we never quit on delivering on our promises to clients – which through our high-performing teams is rarely a problem!

Margaret believes that understanding what is important to the customer and client is central to operational planning. And she works with this in mind to ensure our clients are always satisfied – if not delighted with the service we provide.

Margaret is passionate about delivering lasting solutions and developing long term partnerships with clients and her commitment always shines through.

In 2015, Dee joined Compass Group to head up the marketing division, tasked with innovating our digital and brand communications, but has most recently being promoted in the role of Future Food Offer Director. Deirdre has 15 years’ experience in both the Food & Retail industry delivering game-changing marketing campaigns for FMCG leading companies.

Dee is highly creative and well known for her project management skills, making her the perfect fit for the new expanded role of Future Food Offer Director. This role reflects the approach we have already started to adopt in our business with more focus being placed on Cloud Kitchen operations, and the changing nature of the market. 

Aisling joined Compass Group in 2014 as a Finance Business Partner before being promoted to the role of Head of Finance in 2018. She is responsible for managing all financial aspects of Compass Group’s Irish business ensuring robust financial information is the basis for all commercial decisions.

Aisling studied at UCC where she gained an honours degree in Nutritional Sciences before relocating to Edinburgh to pursue postgraduate studies in Dietetics. She then switched from the science of food to that of numbers, embarking ona career in finance. She has worked as a financial controller at a variety of sports venues, Murrayfield Stadium chief amongst them. This experience introduced her to the demands of high footfall, event-driven businesses with varied customer needs. After a decade in Scotland, Aisling returned to Ireland to work for Compass Group, where she combines an appreciation of quality food with her financial expertise.

Aisling loves the fast-paced, ever-changing nature of the food industry. Her focus on business excellence ensure that she is supporting our team with her expert financial analysis and always delivering value for clients.

With over 25 years of enviable gastronomic experience under his belt, Shay’s culinary skills are hard to beat. Inspired by the greats such as Marco Pierre White and local stalwart Kevin Thornton, Shay champions local, seasonal ingredients with a heavy emphasis on sustainability.

His experience in the kitchen has seen him work with the legendary Albert Roux, moving him to establish his very own Michelin Bib Gourmand rated restaurant before heading up the food revolution at Google. He’s an active member of Euro Toques, a former Chef Ireland competition winner and Chairperson for the EMEA Culinary Council.

The speed, pace and creativity of the kitchen is what drives him, along with a passion for developing the next generation of food obsessive superstars…

 “To maintain our position as the #1 caterer of choice for food at work programmes across the Island of Ireland is my biggest focus. I want to build a strong sense of community within our culinary brigade and develop winning teams through high levels of ongoing development” – Shay Kendrick

Shay’s expertise includes:

• Developing exciting new food concepts inspired by emerging trends
• Hands on training & development
• Creating & executing memorable food experiences

Ciara is a catering management graduate with a strong background in sales and retail catering. She has 30 years’ experience in the hospitality and food service industry, 20 years’ of which have been with Compass Group with roles ranging from retail General Manager to Operations Manager and Sales Director for our Northern Ireland business. Today she is our Strategic Partnership Director.

Starting her career on the high street with a well-known market leading retailer, Ciara helped develop their café concepts across their UK and Ireland portfolio.

Ciara is a people’s person, helping us to build lasting relationships and winning strategies with our clients that deliver value and performance and retain business through first-class service delivery.

Responsible for the People Strategy in Ireland, Correna is a hospitality management graduate and a long serving member of the local Compass Group UK & Ireland team.. Her role is to drive forward all people related initiatives that support the Ireland Business Strategy including our growth plans. The role covers the whole range of HR activities including talent attraction, development and retention, learning & development and engagement.

Correna is a real people person. Her goals is to support our management and frontline teams to have great days at work, and spends many an afternoon connecting with people over coffee and a macaroon.

With almost two decades of company experience under his belt, we couldn’t think of anyone more fitting to head up the new Strategy Director role. Meet Compass stalwart, Alan O Connor.

As a trained and talented Chef, Alan honed his extensive food service knowledge from the heat of the kitchen. His diverse experience includes a successful spell at Kildare’s opulent K-Club, during its eminent Michelin Star years. Following that, Alan joined Fáilte Ireland as one of its Chef trainers, charged with developing Ireland’s next generation of culinary superstars.

In 2002, Alan joined Compass Group as our General Manager for the Vodafone Account. Since then he has risen through the ranks to become our Head of Operations and most recently, Strategic Director.

Alan’s well-rounded experience means he brings with him a wide range of practical and managerial skills. Coupled with his excellent financial acumen, forward thinking outlook and strong interpersonal talents, Alan is well positioned to excel in his new role, leading and managing the critical strategic projects of the Ireland Executive team.