Organisational culture plays a critical role in how public service organisations deliver on their purpose and create value for society. Culture shapes how people think, behave and work together, influencing everything from decision-making and innovation to performance, service delivery and integrity.
As public bodies respond to increasingly complex challenges, they must balance accountability and robust governance with adaptability, collaboration and new ways of working. Rapid technological change, including advances in artificial intelligence, digital transformation and data-driven decision-making, is also reshaping expectations of organisations and their workforces. Creating and sustaining a healthy organisational culture is therefore becoming a strategic priority for leaders, boards and senior management teams.
At the same time, organisations are competing for talent and critical capabilities in a rapidly evolving labour market. Success will depend not only on attracting and retaining skilled people, but also on fostering cultures that support continuous learning, innovation, collaboration and responsible use of emerging technologies.
This Governance Forum event will explore the relationship between organisational culture, leadership, future capabilities and public value. Through a panel discussion with leading practitioners and thought leaders, we will examine:
The foundations and indicators of a healthy and high-performing organisational culture
How leaders can balance stability, accountability and governance with agility and adaptation
Preparing organisations for future workforce capabilities, technological change and evolving citizen expectations
Practical lessons for boards and senior leadership teams seeking to shape and sustain culture over the long term
Panel Members
Helen Brophy, Director General, IPA
Professor Patrick Gibbons, Professor of Corporate Planning, School of Business, UCD
Helen was appointed Director General of the IPA in October 2022. She holds 30+ years’ senior leadership experience spanning a range of Chief Executive, Director and Non-Executive Director level roles in public, international, private, family-owned business, not-for-profit and NGO sectors. These include CEO, National Dairy Council; Non-Executive Director, Ornua; Head of Market and Business Development, BIM; and Non-Executive Director, Gorta/Self-Help Africa.
In the 10 years prior to joining the IPA, she held the role of Director of UCD Smurfit Executive Development, Ireland’s leading Financial Times-ranked provider of executive education.
In addition to her significant senior leadership experience, Helen is an experienced coach, mentor and a specialist in the design and delivery of executive leadership and change management programmes. Her qualifications include: a BA from DCU, an MBS from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, an Executive Masters in Consulting and Coaching for Change from INSEAD Business School, France, and further qualifications in coaching, psychometrics and leadership development.
Professor Patrick Gibbons
Professor Patrick Gibbons was appointed Jefferson Smurfit Professor of Strategic Management in 2003, with his current research interests revolving around the impact of strategic planning systems on organisational behaviour and performance, the application of social theory to strategic process research, and control practices of MNCs. Prof. Gibbons graduated with a PhD in Strategic Planning and Policy from the University of Pittsburgh.
Before entering academia, Prof. Gibbons worked in a number of financial and corporate strategy roles with KPMG, Jefferson Smurfit Group, The Investment Bank of Ireland and An Post (The Irish Post Office). He also held the position of Vice President of Staff and Administrative Systems at UCD. His previous academic positions were held at the University of Pittsburgh, Nanyang University, Singapore and the Pennsylvania State University.
