Led by an Executive Team that cares
As a company that proudly serves a broad spectrum of markets, we’re fortunate that our dedicated Executive Team harness valuable experience across an equally vast range of sectors, including retail, hospitality, finance, telecommunications, professional services, sports and leisure – and even as owners of their own businesses!
Combined, they bring the kind of experience that gives them a broader standpoint on the world of business and a customer-focused perspective that ensures a winning experience for each of our clients across Ireland.
We’re always looking for ways to transform the future of food services, and the diversity of our Executive Team’s backgrounds allows us to achieve just that, with disruptive and creative solutions that are revolutionising the world of catering.
Deirdre O’Neill, CEO
Deirdre O’Neill is CEO of Compass Ireland, with overall responsibility for leading and growing the business across the country.
With extensive experience in the Irish food and retail sector, Deirdre brings a strong commercial background and a track record of delivering successful FMCG campaigns prior to joining Compass in 2016.
Since then, she has been instrumental in transforming the Ireland business, driving its evolution into a forward-thinking, flexible food services provider. Starting as Head of Marketing, Deirdre strengthened brand and digital capability before leading the development of the company’s future food strategy, repositioning the offer to meet evolving client and consumer demands.
A highly respected leader in the Irish food services industry, Deirdre is known for her collaborative leadership style, strong client focus and commitment to building high-performing teams. She is focused on delivering sustainable growth and long-lasting partnerships.
She is also passionate about sustainability and championing local Irish produce and suppliers. Outside of work, Deirdre enjoys spending time with her young family and has a keen interest in interior design, as well as exploring new restaurants and independent food vendors.
Sanjay Patel, Chief Operating Officer
Mullingar-based Sanjay Patel is our Chief Operating Officer, bringing over 30 years of industry-relevant experience to the business. His expertise spans catering, facilities management, and technical services, with a career that has included leadership roles at prestigious UK venues such as The Royal Festival Hall and Wembley Stadium.
In Ireland, Sanjay has held senior positions with Aramark, ISS, and Alpha Airports at Dublin Airport. He first joined Compass Group in 2013 as Head of Operations, playing a key role in the business’s acquisition activities.
As COO, Sanjay leads business growth, client engagement, and service innovation, supporting Compass Ireland’s continued market expansion and commitment to operational excellence.
Shay Kendrick, Culinary Director
With a distinguished 30-year career in the culinary world, Shay Kendrick is at the forefront of shaping Compass Ireland’s food culture.
Committed to championing seasonal, local produce, he merges innovative thinking with a profound appreciation for Ireland’s rich food heritage to guide our menu development.
Shay’s career highlights include founding a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, spearheading a food revolution at tech company, and gaining the respect of legendary chefs such as Albert Roux and two-Michelin-starred chef Kevin Thornton.
As Culinary Director, Shay also oversees the development of Compass Ireland’s Chef brigade, ensuring the highest standards are maintained across the business’s client portfolio.
Correna McMullan, Head of People
A truly people-focused member of the Compass Ireland team, Correna is responsible for establishing and delivering our dedicated People Strategy. As our Head of People, she combines her valuable hospitality management expertise and in-depth understanding of the wider Compass Group to drive forward all people-related initiatives and support the growth of our business.
In her role as Head of People, Correna oversees a wide range of HR responsibilities. This includes attracting and retaining the incredible individuals who make up Compass Ireland, establishing learning and development opportunities, and identifying ways to keep our teams engaged in their roles.
She always goes above and beyond to brighten the days of our management and frontline teams, which includes connecting with colleagues one-on-one to ensure everyone’s supported and having a brilliant day at work.
Alan O’Connor, Finance & Strategy Director
Joining Compass Ireland journey in 2002 as the General Manager of our Vodafone food partnership, Alan later climbed the ranks to become our Head Of Operations. Alan was then promoted to Finance & Strategy Director, where he manages the many exciting critical strategic projects of our Executive Team.
With almost two decades of experience within the Compass Group and strong financial, interpersonal and managerial skills, Alan brings a high level of strategic expertise to Compass Ireland. He’s always looking ahead to find areas for us to deliver more to our clients and stay competitive in a fast-paced industry.
He’s a trained and talented chef with extensive knowledge of the food service sector. Combining his love for food with his ability to identify opportunities for improvement, Alan has proved to be the perfect fit for the role of finance strategy director.
Edward Fagan, Head of Commercial
As Head of Commercial, Ed is responsible for delivering procurement excellence across Compass Ireland’s extensive supply chain.
His approach focuses on fostering long-term supplier partnerships, championing Irish producers, and embedding sustainability at the core of our procurement strategies.
Ed’s career ascent through various internal roles and talent development schemes served as invaluable experience to hone his leadership and supply chain expertise.
With a Business Management degree from TUD and a Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), Edward has over a decade of experience in strategic sourcing.
Edward’s contributions have earned him three National Procurement Awards for excellence in sustainable procurement, innovation, and strategic relationship management.
Rachel Beirne, Head of HSE
With nearly 19 years of experience in the field of health and safety, we can’t think of anyone more qualified than Rachel to lead our dedicated HSEQ teams. Rachel is responsible for implementing the systems and processes that keep our people safe across every level of the Compass Ireland business, and plays a vital role in cultivating work environments that make individuals feel valued and appreciated.
Owing to her extensive experience as an HSEQ professional, Rachel has a thorough, up-to-date knowledge of all appropriate legislation, including Irish and EU-specific directives and codes of practice. Working alongside our fantastic HSEQ teams, Rachel is always looking for new ways to improve our health and safety strategies in line with changing regulations and expectation
Yvonne Mullally, Head of Customer Experience
Yvonne Mullally is the driving force behind our mission to elevate customer experiences. With a master’s degree and a career spanning global FMCG and food brands, including Unilever, Reckitt, and Aryzta, she brings extensive expertise in brand strategy, experiential marketing, and customer engagement.
Her career began with the Irish Tourist Board, where she developed a deep understanding of the customer journey, a foundation that later shaped her approach to brand campaigns. Known for her meticulous attention to detail and appetite for continuous improvement, Yvonne is committed to transforming the way customers interact with Compass Ireland’s venues, cafés and restaurants.
Outside of work, she is an avid traveller, drawing inspiration from cultures and cuisines worldwide to shape memorable customer experiences.
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