Core Creative announces new Senior Management Team to support expanding client portfolio and deliver even bolder, more effective work

Core Creative, the creative practice of Core, Ireland’s largest marketing communications agency, has unveiled a new senior management team to enhance its creative ambition, maintain its focus on measurable commercial results through high-impact campaigns, and drive the next phase of business growth.

 

The announcement marks a significant milestone for Core Creative, which this year celebrates five years of delivering results driven campaigns for some of Ireland’s biggest brands. In that time, the agency has built a strong reputation for effectiveness, most recently topping the leaderboard at the 2025 Effie Awards Ireland with nine awards (three Gold, three Silver and three Bronze), ranking as Ireland’s most effective agency and tenth most effective in Europe.

 

Building on its track record of strong business performance, Core Creative is entering its next chapter with a renewed focus on elevating its creative output and strengthening its presence in Ireland and internationally.

 

Led by Caitriona Ní Laoire, Managing Director of Core Creative, the newly appointed senior management team brings together decades of top-tier agency experience across creative, operations and client leadership. Working in close collaboration with Core Strategy, led by Head of Strategy: Shane Doyle, and the wider Core Creative team, the strengthened leadership group will focus on delivering sharper strategic thinking, high-quality creative craft and efficient delivery – producing distinctive work designed to drive business growth.

 

Rob Murray and Shane O’Brien have been appointed as Creative Partners to elevate creative standards and output across the agency. In their roles, they will lead the development of distinctive brand strategies and creative platforms that will deliver cut through across multiple platforms, ensuring ideas are both expertly crafted and built to deliver measurable impact for clients.

 

Rob, formerly Creative Director at Core, has extensive experience in creative storytelling and brand building. Since joining the agency, he has led some of Core’s most memorable campaigns, including the launch of Sky Mobile in Ireland featuring Roy Keane, Sky’s sponsorship of the Irish Men’s and Women’s National Teams, and the award-winning Outbelieve campaign.

 

Rob has also created some of Ireland’s most iconic advertising work, including AIB’s The Toughest, Lidl’s Level the Playing Field, and Lyons’ Put the Talk into Tea.

 

Prior to joining Core, he held senior creative roles including Creative Director at BBDO Dublin and Rothco, and Art Director at Grey.

 

Shane is a multi-award-winning creative director, copywriter, and screenwriter, with a distinguished advertising career that includes roles such as Executive Creative Director at BBDO, Creative Director at Rothco, Creative Director at Guns or Knives, Senior Copywriter at Rothco, and Copywriter at Irish International BBDO. Shane also has a diverse creative background in comedy for stage, television, and film, with credits across RTÉ 2, BBC 3, Channel 4, and multiple feature films.

 

Together, their work has been celebrated globally, earning accolades at Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, Clio Awards, Eurobest, London International Awards, EPICA Awards, Kinsale Sharks, ICAD, Effies, Webbies, and the Lovies.

 

Ann Sheridan, Head of Creative Operations, has been promoted to drive operational excellence across Core Creative, utilising smarter workflows, leveraging Core’s tools and technology, and ensuring greater consistency and efficiency – supporting the team in producing high-quality work for clients.

 

Kate O’Callaghan has been promoted to Creative Business Partner, working closely with the senior team to further build and strengthen the business, while Gráinne Kehoe, as Head of Client Service, will lead the high standards of partnership and trust that Core Creative has become known for.

 

Speaking on the announcement, Caitriona Ni Laoire, Managing Director, said,

“Over the past five years, we’ve shown that creativity can be a real commercial advantage when paired with strong standards and effectiveness. Now we’re building on that foundation. With Rob and Shane joining as Creative Partners, and Ann, Kate and Gráinne strengthening how we deliver and partner with clients, we’re raising our ambition for the work. The team shares an incredible spirit and a commitment to getting great ideas made. Our goal is clear: produce bolder, more distinctive creative that drives results and growth.”

 

Creative Partners Shane O’Brien and Rob Murray said:
“Stepping into the role of Creative Partners gives us the opportunity to focus even more deliberately on the fundamentals of great creative work. Strong ideas, high standards, proper craft and an environment where creativity is genuinely valued. Core already has a proven effectiveness mindset, backed by one of the strongest strategy teams in Ireland, and that creates the right conditions for ideas to go further. Our role is to build a culture where the work is rigorously thought through, beautifully made and genuinely brave. Working together again and doing so alongside Caitriona and such an experienced senior team, feels like the right place to do the best work of our careers.”