HUGG Board of Directors | Meet Our Leadership Team

The Board of Directors oversee the strategic direction and good corporate governance of HUGG. Our dedicated, expert Board Members ensure that HUGG, its practices and volunteers comply with all requirements under the relevant legislation, giving our members and funders the reassurance that the charity is being managed effectively and sustainably.

Each Board Member is voluntary and agrees to the Code of Conduct for Trustees. To learn more about our governance, please visit our Policies page. Board meetings take place 8 times a year with a number of subcommittees set up to address specific areas. All committees have written terms of reference.

Ronnie O’Toole

Chairperson

Ronnie is an economist with a strong interest in applied policy implementation. He is a specialist adviser on applied sectoral assignments for government departments and EU clients. He has a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Dublin, Trinity College, is a Partner of London Economics, and previously worked as Chief Economist of Danske Bank, ran the National Payments Plan in the Central Bank of Ireland, and worked in trade policy for the Irish Government. He is based in both London and Dublin.

Laura McDonnell

Vice Chairperson

Laura has over 15 years of marketing experience, encompassing digital marketing, brand building, PR and communications, international marketing and stakeholder relationship management. She has a strong track record of building brands, most notably Keelings, Bewley’s and as the head of a global marketing department for the Irish sports apparel business, Horseware Ireland. She holds a Masters in Marketing and is a Member of the Marketing Institute in Ireland. Currently, she is Head of Communication & Policy at Clúid, Ireland’s leading Approved Housing Body (AHB).

David Varian

David is a Business Studies graduate of Trinity College Dublin and a Chartered Accountant. He has over thirty years of financial experience in the industry. David sits on several Boards as a Non-Executive Director, typically heading up the Finance committee and/or the Remuneration Committee. After some full-time CFO roles in his early career, in 2002 he established his own Interim Financial Control and General Financial Consultancy business. He has a breadth of experience in dealing with the financial function of many companies. He typically works closely with owner managers & senior management and in the course of this business, he has spent much time implementing financial control, financial reporting, and financial systems while assessing the key business success factors that affect start-up and high-growth companies.

Victoria Groom

Joining the HUGG board in September 2023, Victoria has over two decades of experience across several industries and major Irish brands. Currently serving as a senior executive in the retail energy industry, working across multiple geographies to successfully drive strategy development and implementation, brand strength, and new growth opportunities, Victoria marries her commercial experience with the lived experience of suicide bereavement to bring a unique perspective to the HUGG Board.

Ian O’Brien

Ian joined the HUGG Board in Q1 of 2025. He holds a Masters degree in Economics from University College Dublin (UCD) and has spent 13 years driving operational excellence in Multinational companies, including Flutter Entertainment (Paddy Power Betfair) and Meta. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Ian is a keen sports coach, actively involved in mentoring local GAA and Football sports teams.

Michael Greaney

Michael joined the Board of HUGG in early 2025. He has over twenty-five years’ experience in the Financial Services industry and he is Managing Director of a Fund Management Company, while he also acts as Group Financial Controller of a Property Company. Before this, Michael spent several years with ABN AMRO Bank in various roles, including a secondment to the Dublin office in 2004 to act as Deputy CFO, having previously headed up the Shared Services operation in Manchester. He held various senior roles in London, having previously worked in West Landesbank and Lloyds TSB Plc. Michael is a Chartered Accountant (FCA), having qualified while working for an audit firm in 1996. He graduated from NUIG with a Bachelor of Commerce.