Local farmer to become CEO of Ireland’s biggest dairy firm
When Seán Molloy was growing up on the family farm in Tubber on the Offaly border with Westmeath, he never dreamed that one day he might head up the biggest dairy and grain company in Ireland, with an annual turnover in the region of €3 billion.
But this week he was appointed as the CEO designate of Irish dairy co-operative, Tirlán (formerly Glanbia) and will formally take up his new appointment on August 1 next.
The son of Tubber dairy farmers, Michael and Mary Jane Molloy, and one of a family of six, Seán says his parents instilled the twin values of “hard work and a good education” into him and his siblings from an early age. After completing his secondary education in the Carmelite College in Moate, the CEO designate of Tirlán went to UCD and obtained an Agricultural Science degree.
His first job was with the Irish Dairy Board and then he went to PWC (Price Waterhouse Coopers) before joining the Irish dairy co-operative, Glanbia, in 2006.
“When I joined Glanbia I had the good sense to re-locate back to the Midlands and my native Tubber, and it was the best decision I ever made,” recalls Seán, who admits that he is “very proud” of his local roots. He runs a mixed farm, mainly drystock, with his wife, Fiona, and they have three children Katie (18), Jack (15) and eleven-year-old Andy. “We have two big exams in the house this year as Katie is studying for her Leaving Cert and Jack is doing his Junior Cert in Moate Community School so it's a busy house,” he says. The only non-exam student in the house, Andy, is in 5th class in Tubber national school.
“I always loved farming and I still do, it's a great distraction from the corporate world, but I have far less time than I'd like to get out on the farm these days,” he says.
As the head of a company which exports to over 100 countries and has 2,300 employees, Seán Molloy is well aware that he will have precious few chances of working on his own family farm any time soon.
Meanwhile, his Dad, Michael, who is 90 years old still works on the farm where Seán and his siblings grew up,, and his mother also takes an active interest in all things agricultural. The farm is now managed by one of Seán's brothers, Michéal. “I think when you grow up on a farm you appreciate the value of hard work,” he says, “and my parents were very conscious of keeping us grounded and teaching us to be kind and respectful.”
While Seán Molloy and his brother, Michéal both live in Tubber, the remaining members of the family live in various parts of the country and abroad, with Daniel in Germany, Margaret in New York, Lily in Dublin and Marie in Cavan.
Although the company he now heads up is known as Tirlán, it was known as Glanbia when Seán Molloy first joined it 18 years ago. It rebranded in August 2022 with the new name being an amalgamation of the Irish word for land (tir) and full (lán) and stands for land of abundance.
The company is now 100% owned by farmers and is headquartered in Kilkenny with a branch network of 52 stores around the country, including in Tullamore and Mullingar.
With such significant domestic dairy brands as Avonmore, Kilmeaden, Premier and Wexford as part of its portfolio, Tirlán is hugely-successful and has offices in the United States, the Middle East and China, so international travel is very much part and parcel of Seán Molloy's job.
Managing a huge team of employees both domestically and overseas is also part of the the job, and he says that growing up in the country has taught him the value of “staying grounded and treating everyone as an equal”.
The Tubber farmer says he is honoured and delighted to have been given the opportunity to represent the interests of the farmer shareholders in leading Tirlán through the next phase of its development. “I look forward to leading our superb team and I am grateful to the Board for placing its trust in me. I extend particular appreciation to Jim Bergin (outgoing CEO) for his mentorship and support over the past 18 years."
"As we navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead in partnership with my 2,300 colleagues, I will focus on what is important to our farm families and customers as we lead an ambitious business into the future,” he said.
The board of Tirlán described Seán Molloy as “an outstanding strategic leader within the business for the past 18 years.”