The Board of Laois Chamber is pleased to announce that Laois-based Caroline Hofman has been appointed as its new CEO. The Board have been working hard over the past number of months to find a suitable candidate to fill this role.
Speaking about the appointment of a new CEO, President of Laois Chamber, Ciaran Finane, said:
“I am delighted on behalf of Laois Chamber Board and members to welcome Caroline to the Chamber CEO Role. The process of hiring Caroline was lengthy and very thorough and we are confident that Caroline will excel in this role. Laois Chamber is unique among Chambers in Ireland in that we have grown our membership throughout the pandemic. We know Caroline is the right person to build upon the excellent foundations put in place by our previous CEO Bernie Everard. Caroline will help to make Laois a great place to live, work and do business.”
Caroline is a graduate of University College Cork and Dublin City University, She previously worked in law firms in Dublin and was also on the Board of Directors for a Credit Union, prior to being appointed a Special Adviser to a Minister of State. In this role, Caroline worked as a Special Adviser to the Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Financial Services and Insurance in the Department of Finance. She was responsible for all media and policy matters on behalf of the Minister of State.
Commenting on her appointment, Caroline says:
“I am delighted to be appointed CEO of Laois Chamber at such a crucial time and I look forward to ensuring the Chamber continues to grow from strength to strength. I am acutely aware of the challenges Covid-19 has brought since March 2020, and I must commend the resilience of our local businesses throughout the county during the pandemic and the unprecedented national and regional lockdowns.”
“I want Laois to be recognised as an ideal location for business at a regional, national and international level, and to encourage sustainable growth within the county. Laois has huge potential and plenty of appeal with a strong range of businesses throughout the county. We have a dynamic, skilled and talented workforce, as well as being centrally located to Dublin, Limerick and Cork. Whether you’re travelling from Portarlington, Mountmellick, Portlaoise or Mountrath, our major airports and ports are all easily accessible.”
Laois Chamber was re-established in 2019 with strong support from John Mulholland, Chief Executive of Laois County Council, Evelyn Reddin of the Laois Enterprise Office, and Denise Rainey of the Business Support Unit in Laois County Council. Together with the hard work of the Board, the Chamber has continued to grow since it’s reestablishment.
“As CEO of Laois Chamber, I will have an open door policy. Every single business in Laois matters, whether you are a sole trader or a multinational company, and I want each and every business to have a voice. No matter how big or small you feel an issue may be, I would encourage members to contact me directly. I look forward to hitting the ground running and working with businesses throughout the county. I want to put Laois well and truly on the map as a top destination for business and as a place to work.”
