“Governance is something which affects and impacts each of us all the days of our lives.”
Siobhán Cahalan had lived and worked in Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Germany, USA and Denmark and had accumulated over 20 years’ experience in international management and leadership roles, in which she designed and managed global processes and led global teams, before deciding that she wished to return to live in Ireland.
Siobhán’s roles overseas included a period as Production Manager with The Wall Street Journal Europe in Brussels, as Compliance Manager with Deutsche Bank in Berlin, and as Vice President Global Change Management Lead, on 60 Wall Street, NYC, where she managed third-party risk.
“It was a logical step to return to Ireland after 20 years to be closer to my parents and family, and quite simply, to live in Ireland,” she says.
Siobhán’s initial foray into her international career came about in 1999 when she moved to the Netherlands as Production Manager, supporting the international division of Reed Elsevier, the Dutch publishing house. Up to that point, Siobhán had worked with a print packaging firm in Dublin, after obtaining a Bachelor of Technology degree from the University of Limerick.
On her return to Ireland, Siobhán completed a Diploma in Executive Coaching in March
2019 and founded Wisdom and Vision to provide her services as an accredited Executive Coach and qualified Coaching Supervisor with a particular interest in encouraging Best Practice Governance, supporting Boards, CEOs and senior leaders to implement good governance.
She defines Executive Governance as supporting senior leaders to lead and manage in a way that strengthens best practice governance, managing the day-to-day operations, in line with the vision, strategy and planning, with integrity and in the best interests of all stakeholders.
Siobhán says she is on a mission to demystify governance and to help people realise it is not a scary concept. “Governance is something which affects and impacts each of us all the days of our lives. There is good and bad governance. It means how something is led and managed,” she says.
Wisdom and Vision supports organisational governance, coaching governance, individual governance, volunteer governance and service governance. Siobhán, a native of Co Tipperary, runs the company from her home on the unspoilt coastline in Morriscastle, Co Wexford.
One of the highlights of her business so far has been setting up a coaching hub for a global coaching industry body, headquartered in Brussels. As Mentor Hub Team Leader, Accreditation Mentor, Trainer and Group Facilitator, she designed, built and managed a process to efficiently support EMCC Global Accreditation, thereby enhancing governance within the coaching industry. She has also been a speaker at the EMCC Global Conference 2022 presenting a Framework which she developed.
Siobhán says she would recommend the Back for Business programme for returning emigrants who wish to set up a business.
“Back for Business offers a heart-warming and meaningful welcome home and a support community that understands the challenges of such a major transition. The group I was with was admirable and I have even seen one of them on television speaking about the success of his business! The most important thing for me was the welcome home,” she says.
As well as Back for Business, Siobhán has availed of mentorship and training from LEO Tipperary, LEO Wexford and with Intertrade Ireland with regards to submitting proposals for public sector tender opportunities.
Siobhán’s future plans for the business include expanding the reach of demystifying governance in Ireland and abroad by continuing to support Boards, CEOs and senior leaders to build awareness of and implement good governance.
WHAT WE DO
We provide 1-1 Governance Coaching and Collaborative Group Workshops supporting CEOs and Boards to get clear on the vision, align the strategy and take the right actions in line with Best Practice Governance.