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Cycling Ireland is pleased to announce that Louise Burke has joined the organisation, taking up the newly created position of Chief Commercial and Operations Officer.
Trained as an accountant with a background in sport development, Burke brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role which will focus on the operations of the organisation, developing participation in cycling and driving commercial revenue.
Having previously held the position of Director of Participation with Sport Ireland, Burke had an extensive and pivotal role in sport where she was responsible for the development of Sport Ireland's network of Local Sports Partnerships, co-led the delivery of the Government's National Outdoor Recreation Strategy and led the development of Get Ireland Active, the national database of sport and recreation amenities.
Burke has been responsible for the development of key strategies for the sport sector such as the Participation Strategy, Volunteering in Sport Policy and the templates for Local Sports Plans for every local authority in Ireland.
Her strategic experience of working with various government departments added critical funding to successfully expand the network of Local Sports Partnerhsips supporting their continuing work in the most disadvantaged communities across the country.
Leading Sport Ireland's outdoor recreation department, she was Ireland's main representative for the European Network of Outdoor Sports. She also worked closely with government departments such as Rural & Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Transport, with state agencies such as Failte Ireland, HSE and Coillte, and representative groups such as IFA and Leave no Trace Ireland, making her a great asset to the Cycling Ireland team.
She also has significant background in various National Governing Bodies in both Ireland and UK at grassroots and national levels. She has sat on a number of Boards and Committees to support organisation with governance, strategy and communications.
Speaking about her new role, Louise Burke said: "I am delighted to be joining the team at Cycling Ireland at this exciting time for the sport. Cycling is at a new stage of its development, from grassroots to international success, I am committed to harnessing the positive work done by all. My focus will be on optimising our commercial partnerships and operational efficiency to ensure we provide the best possible support for our members, clubs, and high-performance athletes. I look forward to working with the Board, staff and the cycling community to continue to recognise and value our current membership whilst introducing others to the joy of participating in this lifelong sport."