Geraldine Jones has been appointed as managing director of Publicis Dublin following Padraig Burns’s decision to retire after 33 years. Burns will step down at the end of July and Jones will take on her new role from the start of August. Jones joined the agency 20 years ago and has worked for the agency in various roles, including business director and COO.
She started her ad agency career at CDP Associates. She moved to Publicis in 2000, spent two years in Young Euro RSCG (now Havas Village), before returning to the French-owned agency in 2008. The agency’s client list currently includes VHI Healthcare, Virgin Media, Renault, Spar, Gas Networks Ireland, Davy, Heineken, Dalata, Irish Water and Axa Insurance.
She replaced former Chemistry boss Ray Sheerin on the board of the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland (IAPI) this time last year. She has a first class honours BSc from TCD in business management and marketing. Burns, a native of Sneem, Co Kerry, has extensive agency experience and before joining Publicis worked at McConnells and Arks.
Writing on his LinkedIn account, Burns said: “The news is out! After a wonderful 33 years in agency land, I’m very fortunate to be able to fulfill a long held ambition to leave the business a little early and start The Portfolio Life. Our very talented COO Ger Jones will be taking over in August. I was exceptionally lucky to find a job I loved at an early age. Thank you to all the staff and clients of Publicis, McConnells and Arks that made it so stimulating and so much fun.”
Above: Geraldine Jones pictured with Charley Stoney, IAPI chief executive
