ORLAITH BLANEY

SOCIAL SCIENCE

After graduating from UCD with a degree in Social Science, Orlaith Blaney worked in the Irish advertising industry for many years, joining McCann Erickson in 1998 and becoming managing director of McCann in 2003. At 32, she was named Ireland’s Youngest Agency Boss. Orlaith was the youngest and only female MD of an international network agency in Ireland. The company soon merged with digital agency Blue Cube, becoming a major leader in delivering creative solutions to solve today’s business and brand challenges. Through the McCann group, Blaney has been awarded the global HK McCann Leadership Award for business development on two occasions. She is currently president of the Institute of Advertising Practitioners, among other roles.