Our board

Frank Curran is Chief Executive of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. He was previously Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council and of Leitrim County Council.

He is a Civil Engineering graduate of University College Dublin and holds an MSc in Environmental Protection, an MA in Local Government Management and a Diploma in Company Direction.

Dr Gerry Wardell founded Codema in 1997, in association with Dublin City Council, under an innovative EU programme to establish local energy agencies across Europe. As Managing Director, he grew the company over the past 24 years and the present team has currently 16 sustainable energy professionals. Stepping back from the role of executive director in 2020 he has continued his interest in Codema, remaining on the Board of Directors, as Company Secretary. With a PhD in Applied Physics from TCD, Gerry has expertise and lengthy experience in working with innovation and sustainable energy. Prior to Codema, he set up and ran a SME that invented and developed a number of new scientific instruments for the construction and industrial sectors, which were manufactured in Ireland and patented and successfully marketed in Europe, USA and Japan. Gerry actively continues to pursue his professional interest in energy, climate change and sustainable development. He is a Chartered Physicist with the Institute of Physics, a Chartered Engineer with Engineers Ireland, a Eur Ing with FEANI, the European Federation of National Engineering Associations, and a member of the Institute of International and European Affairs.

Donna is Chief Executive Officer at Codema. Donna is responsible for driving Codema's strategy, providing direction, oversight and leadership. Donna is also a member of the Board of Codema directors. She is known for driving the development of District Heating in Ireland over the past 10 years, and is a Director at the IrDEA and HeatWorks. Since taking on the CEO role in 2020, Codema has more than doubled in staff numbers, she has introduced innovations such as a 4 day week and an equal paid family leave policy for all staff.
Donna holds a BSc in Energy & Environmental Engineering and MSc in Energy Systems Planning & Management.

Derek is currently an Executive Manager in the Environment & Transportation Department of Dublin City Council and has management responsibility for its Environment and Climate Change functions. Since joining the City Council in 1999, Derek has carried out various management roles across the areas of Housing, Finance, Planning and Area Management. He also has a BA in Public Management and a Professional Diploma in Project Management.

Paul Kennedy took up the position of Director of Service for Infrastructure and Climate Change at Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in March 2022, having joined the council as Head of Estates and Properties in March of 2019. He has an extensive background in the Facilities, Property and Energy Management, having worked in the private sector for over 20 years holding a number of contract management positions for blue chip companies across the country. He also has a strong Electrical Engineering background, having been a qualified electrician and completing a degree in Electrical Engineering at Cork Institute of Technology. He has recently completed at Level 8 Diploma in Public Management & Local Government with the National College of Ireland. His experience in both private and public sectors has provided him with a uniquely informed insight on the challenges faced by both sectors in tackling climate change targets, sustainability, delivering large capital infrastructure and introducing active travel schemes to the public realm. He also sits on the board of Directors for Dlr Properties and holds a number of positions on the CCMA’s committee on Climate Action, Transport, Circular Economy & Networks.

David Storey joined Fingal County Council in 2016 as Director of Services for Operations and in 2020 he was named Director of Services for the organisation’s newest department; Environment, Climate Change and Active Travel. The key focus of this department is the delivery of actions under the Fingal County Council climate action plan which includes delivery of key infrastructure and projects relating to cycling and walking in the county as part of the Active Travel programme. David has enjoyed a successful career in public service, having worked in several local authorities including Meath & Louth County Council prior to his move to Fingal.

Teresa is currently the Director of Environment, Water and Climate Change at South Dublin County Council.

PJ Rudden is Chairman of Innovation and Digital Adoption for the construction sector at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. He is also Founder/MD of Aengus Consulting, an infrastructure consultancy serving the public and private sectors. He was formerly Group Business Director for RPS in Ireland up to 2019 and Director of the EU Commission Secretariat for the European Green Capital and European Green Leaf cities across the Member States from 2010 to 2019. He was President of Engineers Ireland from 2011 to 2012 and President of the UCD Engineering Graduates Association from 2012 to 2016. PJ as RPS Director led the formulation of the first integrated regional waste management plans in Ireland including for the Dublin Region which reduced landfill from 95% to less than 20% nationally. In later years he encouraged the decarbonisation of the Irish economy using onshore and offshore renewables including leading the Irish Scottish Links Energy Study (ISLES) for the Irish, Scottish and Northern Irish governments to harness offshore wind, wave and tidal resources off our respective coasts. He has an active interest in respectful stakeholder engagement and has won many and international awards for difficult but successful major infrastructural projects in this respect. He is a Fellow of many national and international professional bodies and Member of the Institute of Directors.

Mark Varian leads the Project & Construction Group practice at Eversheds Sutherland and is an energy and construction law specialist. He has worked on renewable energy projects since 1999 and has advised on over 1,600MW of operational energy projects on the island of Ireland, both North and South of the border. He has acted for State bodies, Government departments, developers, employers, banks and contractors and regularly leads multi-disciplinary teams in development, M&A and financing projects. Mark is Chairman of the Energy Committee of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce, founder and former first Secretary of the Irish Solar Energy Association and on the Markets Committee of Wind Energy Ireland and the main committee of RenewableNI. He is also a non-executive director of Tallaght University Hospital and the British Irish Chamber of Commerce.

Barry Gavin is a qualified accountant and full-time Independent Non-Executive Director. He has over 30 years executive experience in a range of sectors including Energy, Property, Healthcare, Fintech, Pensions, Leisure and Automotive. Barry has held a number of senior management positions including CFO, COO and CEO in several entities and has a strong Finance and Corporate Governance background. He has served as an Executive and Non-Executive Director and has sat on several board sub-committees including Risk, Audit , Remuneration and Investment. Barry is also an adjunct lecturer in the UCD Smurfit Business School (Banking & Finance).