The new CEO will be commencing his duties nearly a year after Mark Foley stepped down.
Cathal Marley has been appointed as EirGrid’s new CEO, the state-owned electricity grid operator announced today (19 December).
Marley, who will take up the role in April 2025, holds more than 20 years of experiences in the utilities and infrastructure sector, and is coming into this position from Gas Networks Ireland, where he was CEO for nearly six years.
Mark Foley stepped down as EirGrid’s CEO earlier this April, following which, Martin Corrigan took over the position during the interim period that the organisation was in search for a successor to Foley.
Marley has also held key positions in other companies, including ESB, where he was the head of group treasury and investor relations, as well as holding the board chairperson position in Irish Water for nearly four years.
“I am delighted to be joining EirGrid at such a pivotal moment as we work together to deliver on the decarbonisation of Irish society in line with government policy and climate ambition,” said Marley.
“I am coming into this role at a transformational time for the organisation and the wider electricity sector.
“Together, we face a sizeable and exciting challenge. I look forward to working together to create impactful change that will enable social and economic growth for future generations, while delivering on a cleaner energy future,” he said.
EirGrid, which develops and manages Ireland’s electricity grid, has goals to carry 80pc of the country’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030, and according to recent data provided by the operator, a third of Ireland’s total electricity demand last month was generated using renewables – a majority of which came from wind farms.
While earlier this year, the operator announced a partnership with University College Cork to collaborate on research projects to help transition the country’s power system and electricity market toward a zero-emissions power system.
Under Foley’s leadership in 2021, EirGrid, in collaboration with RTE France, began developing a “historic subsea cable” that will link the south coast of Ireland to the north of France, set to be operational by 2026.
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