Central Bank announces appointment of new Director of Currency, Workplace & Regulatory Services

The Central Bank of Ireland has appointed Karen O’Leary to the role of Director of Currency, Workplace & Regulatory Services at the Central Bank of Ireland. Ms O’Leary will take up her role in March.

As Director of Currency, Workplace & Regulatory Services, Karen will be a member of the Central Bank’s senior leadership team and will be responsible for overseeing the provision of essential regulatory services as part of the Bank's broader regulatory mandate; ensuring the delivery of the Bank's currency services; and playing a crucial role in steering the Cash Centre Strategy, including the development and delivery of a new Cash Centre, a critical piece of State infrastructure.

Karen joined the Central Bank of Ireland in 2002 in the area of Consumer Information & Education, before being seconded to the National Consumer Agency, where she served as Chief Executive and subsequently as Commission Member for the Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). She returned to the Bank in 2017 as Head of Organisational Development in the People Directorate prior to taking up her current role as Head of Payments & Securities Settlements. She also serves as Chair of the Bank’s Social Responsibility Group.  

Karen holds a Masters in Business in the area of Leadership & Management Practice as well as degree and post graduate qualifications in marketing and EU Competition Law. 

Announcing the appointment, Governor Gabriel Makhlouf said: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Karen O’Leary to the role of Director of Currency, Workplace & Regulatory Services.  This appointment is testament to the strength of our existing leadership team in the Bank. I am delighted to have appointed Karen to take on this important position, contributing to the Bank’s Strategy, which aims to ensure that in delivering our mandate, our direction and ambitions are responsive and forward looking. I would also like to thank Bernard Sheridan, who Karen is replacing on his retirement, for his work over many years in the Bank, most recently in the role of Director of Currency, Workplace & Regulatory Services.”