In 2007 Barry O'Leary was appointed Chief Executive of IDA Ireland, the Irish Government sponsored body for attracting FDI to Ireland. The Irish FDI agency has been remarkably successful over the years and has responsibility for promoting the Irish IFSC and international financial services. They have also advised a number of other centres such as Botswana to help them develop their financial centre offerings.
O'Leary has worked in IDA for over 30 years including 15 years in Germany, latterly as Director of Europe where he was involved in winning projects from companies such as Bertelsmann, SAP, Deutsche Bank, Lufthansa, Allianz and a number of Italian bancassurance projects. His director in charge of financial centre promotion is Kieran Donoghue. In 2010, IDA became a major sponsor in a private-public initiative involving the main Irish financial centre representative groups, DIMA, IFIA, FIBI AND IBF, in appointing an 'IFSC Ambassador', former EU Ambassador to the US, 2005-2009, and former Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) John Bruton.
O'Leary has worked in IDA for over 30 years including 15 years in Germany, latterly as Director of Europe where he was involved in winning projects from companies such as Bertelsmann, SAP, Deutsche Bank, Lufthansa, Allianz and a number of Italian bancassurance projects. His director in charge of financial centre promotion is Kieran Donoghue. In 2010, IDA became a major sponsor in a private-public initiative involving the main Irish financial centre representative groups, DIMA, IFIA, FIBI AND IBF, in appointing an 'IFSC Ambassador', former EU Ambassador to the US, 2005-2009, and former Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) John Bruton.