Extern is pleased to announce the appointments of new chairs to Extern Group and Extern Ireland and pass on its gratitude to the outgoing chair.

Gerard Campbell has been a Trustee of Extern since 2007 and more recently the Chair of both Extern Group and Extern Ireland. He stepped down from his role prior to the recent Annual General Meetings; Extern Ireland AGM on 25^th November and Extern Group AGM on 2^nd December 2021.

CEO, Danny McQuillan said “Gerard Campbell has been a dedicated long serving Trustee and he steps down after 14 years of wholehearted commitment to the life changing work of Extern. His passion and vision for the services Extern could develop became the services Extern did develop to reach the most marginalised in our society. Throughout his voluntary service he has been supported by his family and on behalf of the Extern Leadership Team and staff we wish him and his family well for the future.”

On announcing his decision to step down Mr Campbell said “Extern will always have a special place in my life. For over 14 years I have had the privilege of witnessing the life changing work Extern undertakes to support those who live on the margins of society and to speak up for the voiceless.

Over the years Extern has pioneered ground-breaking projects that are making a real difference in our society. The organisation is well placed for the next stage of development and now is the opportune time to hand over to my successors to steer Extern through the next phase of its development.

“I would like to sincerely thank the boards and staff, past and present, for their continued support and friendship during my tenure and I extend my best wishes to you all.”

As Mr Campbell steps down, Extern welcomes Allen McCartney as Extern Group Chair and Jim Daly as Extern Ireland Chair. Both are existing Trustees and together with returning Chair of Extern Northern Ireland, Aideen D’Arcy MBE will lead the boards and staff on the future development of Extern’s strategy, governance, and services.

Mr McCartney steps into the role as Chair of Extern Group having served as a trustee for over seven years, previous Chair of Extern Ireland, and Vice Chair of Extern Group since December 2019. Mr McCartney is by profession a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, with degree qualifications in both electrical engineering and corporate leadership.

He had a distinguished career at Director level in Northern Ireland Electricity and Viridian Group and brings a wealth of experience from previous public sector board appointments in the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority, the Department for Regional Development, and the Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland.

He is a Lay Magistrate and an Assessor for the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency.

When asked about this new role as Chair of Extern Group Mr McCartney said, “I am honoured to accept the role as Extern Group Chair. I wish to acknowledge the dedication and commitment of my predecessor Gerard Campbell. He has been an exemplary leader and support to the trustees over the years. Over the course of the past seven years, I have experienced the remarkable work of the Extern team on the ground in both Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland."

"I look forward to leading the organisation as we continue with our mission to support the most vulnerable in our society and to spearhead the development of the new 5-year strategy which will underpin this mission.”

Mr Daly steps into the role of Chair of Extern Ireland having joined Extern as Trustee earlier in 2021. Jim spent 16 years working as a public representative and retired from politics in 2020 while serving as Minister for Health and Older People. A keen interest in Children’s welfare and education and studied Trauma Informed Care in UCC; he brings a wealth of experience, interest, and connections to support Extern’s mission and strategy.

When asked about the role as Chair of Extern Ireland Jim Daly said, “I feel hugely privileged to accept Extern Ireland Chair. This is an organisation that has gone from strength to strength in recent years and notwithstanding the huge impact the pandemic has had on all of society it has impacted deeply on the most vulnerable in our communities. I look forward to leveraging my experience and knowledge from my years as a public representative to support the life changing work of Extern and look forward to helping to develop the charity’s work.”

Several new trustees have been appointed to the boards

You can read more about the trustees on our website Our trustees | Extern: Transforming Lives Transforming Society

The trustee appointments have been made based on skills and experience to complement the existing boards.

Extern Ireland Board appointed the following trustees

• Marian Quinn
• Michael Holley
• Eavann Murphy

Extern Northern Ireland Board appointed the following trustees

• Stephen Leach
• Shane McLaughlin

Group Chair Allen McCartney welcomed the new trustees and commented “We have been focused on expanding the skills and experience across the Extern boards over the past 12 months and we look forward to the contribution by our new trustees to our governance.”