Edelman Ireland has appointed Darragh Rea as the PR agency’s chief executive and general manager. Rea, previously managing director of Edelman’s brand, digital and creative, will oversee the business based in Dublin after Joe Carmody took up the role as chief operating officer (COO) with Edelman UK last month. Rea assume his new position effective immediately and reports to Jon Hughes, Edelman’s EMEA chief operating officer.
Rea joined Edelman Ireland in 2013. In that time, he has built agency teams integrating strategy, creative, and digital, delivering award-winning campaigns for clients, including Xylem, SSE, Coca-Cola, Promise Gluten Free, Deep RiverRock, Jacobs, Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, Unilever and Mars. He has held multiple leadership roles to support the company’s growth, including serving as interim MD of brand in Amsterdam.
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He has been a long-standing judge of the All-Ireland Marketing (AIMs) awards, the Effies and IAPI Female Futures Fund. He also was an independent director of Triathlon Ireland for eight years and is a former council member of the Marketing Society. Edelman’s other executives include Piaras Kelly, managing director, corporate reputation; Niamh Garvey, executive director, international health and David Callaghan, executive director, B2B.
Emma Williams and Jennifer Hyland have been promoted to executive directors and co-leads of Edelman Ireland Earned, overseeing brand, digital and creative, while Deirdre Connolly has been made a senior director. Rea said it was an honour to lead Edelman Ireland into its next chapter. “We’ve built something exceptional here, strengthening our expertise in the market while expanding our global reach through the wider network.”
