Fáilte Ireland appoints marketeer Paul Kelly to top job

New tourism chief has worked for Diageo, Aviva and UCD Smurfit Business School

State tourism body Fáilte Ireland has appointed UCD Smurfit Business School strategic marketing director Paul Kelly as chief executive.

Before working for UCD, he was marketing director at Guinness parent, Diageo Ireland and European marketing director for insurer Aviva. He is from Wexford and is a graduate of University College Dublin.

Fáilte Ireland chairman Michael Cawley welcomed the appointment, saying that Mr Kelly had demonstrated the management and marketing leadership that would be crucial to continuing to develop tourism. He thanked outgoing chief executive, Shaun Quinn.

Mr Kelly said that he was excited to be joining the organisation. “I hope to build on the great work done in recent years by Shaun Quinn and the strong team in Fáilte Ireland,” he said.