Sinead Lonergan

Sinead Lonergan is the Women in Business Manager at Enterprise Ireland, a role she has held since early 2023.1 In this position, she is responsible for guiding the state agency's five-year strategy to increase the number of women who choose entrepreneurship and participate in leadership roles.1

Career Background

Prior to her current role, Sinead has had an extensive career with Enterprise Ireland:

• Director of Enterprise Ireland France
• Senior Development Advisor
• France Manager for Enterprise Ireland2

She also founded EMLY Consulting in 2020 and served as an Adjunct Professor there from 2021 to 2022.3

Key Responsibilities and Initiatives

As Women in Business Manager, Sinead focuses on several key areas:

1. Strategy Implementation: She oversees the execution of Enterprise Ireland's action plan, published in 2020, which aims to increase gender diversity in founding, leading, and growing enterprises.1

2. Stakeholder Engagement: Sinead collaborates with various partners such as Local Enterprise Offices, Network Ireland, and Business Innovation Centres to foster gender equality and address systemic barriers.1

3. Program Development: She has been involved in organizing workshops, webinars, and initiatives to support female entrepreneurs, including:

   • A workshop on International IP Day to help female entrepreneurs protect their intellectual property rights
   • Facilitating masterclasses and coaching sessions on venture capital fundraising1

4. Industry Focus: Sinead has worked on initiatives targeting specific industries, such as taking a group of women from the construction industry to Toyota's facility in Wales for leadership and lean management training.1

Vision and Goals

Sinead's primary focus is on:

• Increasing the representation of women-led companies trading internationally
• Embedding entrepreneurship into education at various levels
• Fostering a culture of inclusivity and respect in the business world
• Promoting work-life balance and support for caregiving responsibilities1

Her approach involves adapting strategies based on feedback from the business ecosystem and focusing on areas of greatest need.1