Paul Reid

Paul Reid

Chairperson

Paul, is an experienced board chairman and non-executive director. He is currently the board chairman of:

• An Coimisiún Pleanála – the Irish National Planning Authority
• Ashdale Care, a sector leader in the provision of specialist residential care services for children and young people.

He was previously a Non-Executive Director of Uisce Éireann, the Irish national water authority. Between 2023 and 2024, Paul was the Independent Chairperson of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs. Prior to this he held CEO and senior executive roles in the private, not for profit, central government, local government and health sectors.  

Paul was CEO of the Irish Health Service, HSE, from May 2019 until January 2023.  In this period, he led the health service through the Covid-19 global pandemic and a potentially catastrophic criminal cyber-attack. He was key in communicating public health advice to government and the public in general and successfully led the implementation a vaccination programme that had the best take up in the world.  

From 2014 to 2019 he was Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, one of the largest Local Authorities in the state.  

Between 2011 and 2014, Paul worked as the Chief Operations Officer in the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform.  He was responsible for leading a whole set of reforms across the public service.  

From 2010 to 2011, Paul worked as Head of Corporate Affairs with Trócaire, the Irish International Aid Agency.
  
Paul’s previous career was as the Executive Director of Networks & Operations with eir. 

Paul holds a Masters in Business Administration from Trinity College and a BA in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the National College Ireland.  He has received honorary fellowships from the National College of Ireland and Griffith College.