Athlone resident appointed to pivotal Bord Bia role

Athlone resident Fiona O'Shaughnessy has been appointed as Bord Bia Regional Manager for Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

In her role as part of Bord Bia’s Global Business Development team, Fiona will implement Bord Bia's market diversification strategy in these regions, aiming to drive the commercial success of the Irish food and drink industry.

Based in Bord Bia’s Global Hub in Dublin, Fiona will oversee a regional team in Bord Bia offices across China, Japan, Nigeria, Singapore and UAE focusing on developing effective activity plans that enhance international customer engagement and create opportunities for business conversion.

Fiona has been with Bord Bia since 2018. Most recently, Fiona served as the Business Development Manager for consumer foods, which was worth €3.3 billion in 2024. Before joining Bord Bia, Fiona held various technical and commercial roles in consumer foods, meat and horticulture and graduated from Bord Bia’s Marketing Fellowship programme in 2011.

Speaking on her promotion, Fiona said: “I look forward to working with the Global Business Development team in Bord Bia, building on my experience with the prepared consumer foods team, to elevate the brand of food and drink from Ireland in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

"The upcoming government-led trade mission to South Korea and Japan in June serves as an opportunity for me to deepen relationships with clients in the region and to support the growth of Irish exports in these markets.”

Speaking on Fiona’s appointment, Shane Hamill, Global Business Development Director for Bord Bia said: “With over 15 years experience in the industry, Fiona brings extensive strategic and operational expertise to her new role. We are thrilled that she will be leading our international teams in the promotion of Ireland’s sustainably produced food and drink to customers globally.”