Questum Leadership, Enterprise & Innovation Summit 2026

Friday, 6 March | Questum Acceleration Centre, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary

The Questum Leadership, Enterprise & Innovation Summit 2026 brings together founders, CEOs and senior business leaders for a focused morning learning from how leaders and founders approach growth, scale and decision-making.

The third Questum Entrepreneurs Day, led by Tom Brennan, is structured around two panel discussions examining leadership, growth and enterprise from both executive and entrepreneurial perspectives.

Designed for leaders and senior professionals shaping organisations, teams and investment decisions, the Summit takes place in Clonmel, which serves as the strategic enterprise centre linking the Mid-West and South-East, drawing leadership perspectives from across Ireland.

CEO Panel

A discussion on leadership, scale and decision-making.

• Fergal Leamy - former CEO, Glen Dimplex Group; leadership experience in international manufacturing-led organisations
• Gary McGann - former CEO, Smurfit Kappa Group; public-company leadership and board-level governance
• John Moloney - former Group Managing Director, Glanbia; Chairperson, Shorla Oncology

Collectively, the panel brings experience across executive leadership and non-executive board roles in Irish and international businesses.

Entrepreneur Panel

Founders reflecting on experience, resilience and the realities of building and scaling businesses.

• Hilary O’Shea - Co-Founder, Otonomee; international services and operations. EY Entrepreneur of the Year Ireland 2025 Emerging Finalist
• Declan Wynne - Founder, Skanstec Engineering; Managing Director Europe, H&MV Engineering; energy and engineering infrastructure. EY Entrepreneur of the Year Ireland 2023 Emerging Finalist
• Frank Madden - Founder, Crest Solutions; industrial automation and digital manufacturing. EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 International Finalist

The programme also includes contributions from Simon Coveney, former Former Tánaiste, EY Geopolitical Strategy Advisor and Jenny Melia, CEO Enterprise Ireland, reflecting national and regional perspectives on enterprise, innovation and competitiveness.

The Summit is led by Tom Brennan, Questum Entrepreneur in Residence and Co-Founder of EirGen Pharma and TriviumVet, with contributions from Pat McGrath, former CEO of PM Group and Chair of the Questum Advisory Board, Tipperary LEO and TUS.

Proceedings will be chaired and moderated by Conor Brophy, Managing Director at Teneo and former RTÉ journalist.

Networking is integrated throughout the morning, including on arrival, during the mid-morning break and over lunch.

Partners & Support

The Summit is hosted by Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), in partnership with Local Enterprise Office Tipperary and Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers, with support from Teneo.

It is also supported by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021–27, via the TU RISE scheme (#euinmyregion).

Registration

The Summit is free to attend. Attendance is by advance registration only, to allow for venue capacity planning, parking and catering. Entry on the day will be limited to registered attendees

Programme Highlights

8:30 - 9:15 | Arrival & Networking
Early conversations with attendees - founders, CEOs and senior leaders from across the region (tea/coffee/pastries served)

9:15 - 9:30 | Opening & Welcome
Setting the context for the day
Tom Brennan

9:30 - 10:15 | CEO Panel
CEOs sharing their experience of leadership and decision-making at scale.
Fergal Leamy, Gary McGann, John Moloney

10:15 – 10:45 | Leadership Perspective
Enterprise, competitiveness and Ireland’s outlook
Simon Coveney

10:45 – 11:15 | Networking Break (tea/coffee)

11:15 – 12:00 | Entrepreneur Panel
What it really takes to start, build and scale
Hilary O’Shea, Declan Wynne, Frank Madden

12:00 - 12:20 | Enterprise & Innovation Reflections
What strong leadership and ambition look like now
Jenny Melia, CEO of Enterprise Ireland with contributions from Tipperary LEO and TUS.

12:20 - 12:30 | Closing Reflections
Key takeaways from the morning
Pat McGrath

12:30 -13:00 | Lunch & Networking

Proceedings will be chaired and moderated by Conor Brophy, Managing Director at Teneo and former RTÉ journalist.