Core Appoints Aidan Greene as CEO

Core, Ireland’s largest marketing communications company, has announced the appointment of Aidan Greene as the new CEO of the business. His appointment will be effective from 4th April, 2022. Following a planned succession strategy, Alan Cox is departing Core to launch a software business specialising in the area of business transformation.

Since his appointment as Deputy CEO in 2014, Aidan has worked alongside Alan to lead a team who have transformed Core from a number of media agencies, to a growing business providing full-solution services to the marketing communications sector. This established integrated approach offers expertise across eight practices which provides unrivalled insights and allows for greater creativity for clients. Core has also been successful in retaining significant media accounts, while also growing brands through their work in Creative, Research, Sponsorship, Strategy and Data.

Aidan’s appointment as CEO marks a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation and development of Core as a multi-service agency with a commitment to deliver the highest standards of client service while driving tangible business results. Aidan will also continue his ongoing work with the Senior Management team to continue developing a culture of collaboration in the workplace which has led to Core consistently being awarded a ‘Great Place to Work’ accolade for over a decade.

Speaking on his departure, Alan Cox said: “I have enjoyed my time in Core immensely. It has been a great privilege to work with so many wonderful people within the organisation itself and across the clients, media owners and other partners that I have collaborated with over the last 15 years. I am delighted that the Board has chosen Aidan Greene to take over; he is an exceptional practitioner and will be a brilliant CEO. The company has a very exciting future ahead.”

Aidan Greene added: “Working with Alan has been an invaluable experience. He is an incredible leader whose expertise and friendship I have valued over the years. His understanding of the ever-changing media industry landscape and his passion for learning and development to meet the needs of our clients and team is something I will continue. I’m looking forward to this new role and am confident that alongside Core’s established and experienced leadership team, we are in a unique position to offer clients a truly collaborative, more powerful solution.”

Patrick Coveney, chair of Core’s board of directors, said: “On behalf of the Board of Core, we are delighted to appoint Aidan as our new CEO. In addition to his outstanding leadership skills, he has a wealth of media industry and agency experience as well as a significant track record in organisation building, strategy, talent development, fostering diversity, and change management.

“Working alongside Alan over the past decade, Aidan has been central to the extraordinary transformation of Core. We all look forward to working with him as CEO to lead Core into the next phase of growth and development. Aidan is also just a super person, with the values, drive, humility and followership to be a great CEO.

“Of course, I would also like to thank Alan for his extraordinary commitment, skill and contribution to building the Core of today over the past 15 years. It has been a privilege and pleasure to work with him and we wish him every success in his future endeavours.”

With nearly three decades of experience, Aidan was previously the Managing Director of media planning and buying agency, MediaVest (now called Spark Foundry). He launched the direct response media agency, Clear Blue Water, in 2005, before taking the reins of MediaVest in 2007. He has also worked in Ogilvy & Mather and Carat. Aidan spent two years as President of the Institute of Advertising Practitioners of Ireland (IAPI) and is currently Chairperson of the Board of the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival. He has lectured in the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Fitzwilliam Institute.

Core employs a team of 330 people and consists of eight practices - Creative, Data, Investment, Learning, Media (comprising of Mediaworks, Spark Foundry, Starcom, and Zenith), Research, Sponsorship, and Strategy.