Redmond O'Donoghue is one of Ireland's leading and most respected business men. He has contributed significantly to the development of the South East region, and to Ireland as a whole, through his innovative leadership at Waterford Crystal and his substantial involvement with the wider business community.
Educated at Waterpark College in Waterford and University College Dublin, Redmond also studied at Harvard Business School in the US. After 17 years with the Ford Motor company in Ireland, the UK and Spain, he joined Waterford Wedgwood plc as Sales and Marketing Director of Waterford Crystal. His vision, his abilities and his leadership qualities resulted in successive appointments to ever increasing levels of responsibility within the group. In September 2000, Waterford Wedgwood plc put Redmond in charge of the whole Group. In September 2005, he retired from his role of Chief Executive Officer of the Group. However, he remains on the Boards of both Waterford Crystal Ltd. and Waterford Wedgwood plc, and has a consulting arrangement with the Group.
Throughout this time he has been closely involved in the community. He has actively contributed to the work of the Waterford Chamber of Commerce and the Marketing Institute of Ireland and, demonstrating his qualities as a leader, served terms as president of the former and national chairman of the latter. His involvement with the Institute is reflected in the many guest lectures he has delivered, the multi-level partnership between SETU Waterford and Waterford Crystal that reflects the attitude towards learning and education that he fosters, and through Redmond’s involvement in developing the Waterford Crystal Centre for Marketing Studies at the Institute. Furthermore, he is a former president of IBEC in the South East and is a member of IBEC's national Executive Council.
At national level his responsibilities in Waterford Crystal have, on many occasions, made him an ambassador for Irish business in foreign markets, and this contribution was formally acknowledged when he served as Chairman of Bord Fáilte between 1999 and 2001. He is also a member of the Board of Greencore plc.
Redmond O'Donoghue's record of achievement, his tireless contribution to the wider community and his leadership skills that motivate those around him to achieve their potential distinguish him as a worthy recipient of the award of the Honorary Fellowship of Waterford Institute of Technology.