Anne hailed as a 'pioneer amongst business leaders'

The Cork woman who heads up Meta in Ireland, whose family of apps includes Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has been conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by UCC.

Anne O’Leary, who is also President of IBEC was conferred for her services to business and technology, her charitable works, and for advancing the position of women in the workplace.

Receiving her Doctorate, Ms O’Leary said: "I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition from University College Cork. This accolade is not just a personal milestone but a testament to the collective efforts of those who have supported and inspired me throughout my career.

“It reflects the importance of fostering innovation and inclusivity in the workplace. Together, we can shape a more inclusive, open and equitable future, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to contribute and succeed."

A native of Blackrock, Ms O’Leary is also a former chair of GOAL and a past president of Dublin Chamber. She rose through the ranks at ESAT, going on to work for British Telecom and Vodafone, where she became the company’s CEO for Ireland in 2013. In September 2022 she was appointed Head of Meta in Ireland and the company’s Vice President for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

In her citation for the Honorary Doctorate, Prof. Thia Hennessy, Head of the UCC College of Business and Law, paid tribute to Ms O’Leary’s focus on gender and family issues. “She was a pioneer amongst business leaders in accommodating fertility treatment, menopause, victims of domestic violence among others. Her relentless focus on developing female talent resulted in the leadership team of Vodafone being 56% female when she left the company in 2022.

“In recognition of her achievements, she was appointed by the State to advise Better Balance for Better Business, an initiative focussed on advancing the position of women in business.”

Ms O’Leary was presented with her Honorary Doctorate during UCC’s autumn conferrings, which will thousands of students graduate before the final ceremony on 11 November.

UCC President Prof. John O’Halloran paid tribute to Ms O’Leary: “Despite the demands of forging such a singularly successful career in business, Anne has demonstrated an immense capacity to shape the world around her throughout her rise in the business world. Her ability to ally individual achievement with a contribution to the greater good reflects exactly the kind of values we instil into our students here in UCC. For these reasons and more she is a worthy recipient of our university’s highest honour,” he said.