Gary McGann is one of Ireland’s most accomplished business leaders, with a long-established track record as both an executive and non-executive director across a range of major organisations.
He is currently Chair of privately owned Sicon Ltd and Aon Investment Holdings Ireland Ltd, the Irish subsidiary of Aon plc, and serves as Senior Advisor and Chair of Teneo’s Ireland Advisory Board. He is also Chair of Allegro.eu S.A., a leading European e-commerce marketplace operator. From 2014 to 2023, Mr McGann served as Director and Chair of Flutter Entertainment Plc, during which the company’s enterprise value grew significantly from approximately €1 billion to €30 billion.
His previous executive appointments include Chief Executive Officer roles at Smurfit Kappa Group Plc and Aer Lingus. Earlier in his career, he served as CEO of Gilbeys of Ireland and held senior positions including Group Financial Controller at Ericsson Ireland.
Mr McGann is an FCCA and holds a BA from University College Dublin and a master’s degree from Trinity College Dublin.
New Stadium DAC is the corporate entity responsible for the ownership and operation of Aviva Stadium, the development of which was generously supported by the Irish Government. Through its joint ownership by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), the company provides governance and strategic oversight of Ireland national stadium, supported by commercial partnerships including the stadium’s naming rights partner, Aviva.
Commenting on the appointment, interim Chair Josephine Feehily said:
“We are delighted to welcome Gary as Chair of the Board. His breadth of leadership experience across large-scale organisations, governance roles and high-growth businesses will be of significant value as we continue to strengthen Aviva Stadium’s position as a world-class venue and a nationally significant asset for sport, entertainment, and major events.”
Gary McGann continued: "I look forward to working with the Board, management team, the FAI, the IRFU and our partners to support its continued success and ongoing development as a leading host of major international sporting and cultural events.”
Aviva Stadium is widely recognised as a national asset, hosting events that bring communities together, attract international visitors and showcase Ireland on the global stage. The venue calendar includes high-profile conferences and events, national and international rugby and football fixtures, American college football, major concerts from global touring acts along with elite international women’s rugby and football fixtures.
The IRFU welcomed a record attendance of over 31,000 to the stadium for the Women’s Six Nations Ireland v Scotland fixture last month, marking a new benchmark for women’s rugby in Ireland. The FAI has recently submitted a bid to host the UEFA Women's Champions League Final, while preparations are already well underway for Aviva Stadium's role as host venue for seven matches at UEFA Euro 2028, further reinforcing the stadium's position as one of Europe's leading venues for major international sporting events.
A recent independent report by Indecon confirmed Aviva Stadium as one of Ireland’s most significant economic and social assets, delivering record annual impact across sport, entertainment, tourism, and the wider economy. The study found that since opening in 2010, the stadium has welcomed more than 10 million attendees across over 300 major events, generating €4.5 billion in economy-wide expenditure and supporting approximately 10,000 jobs annually across Ireland.
The findings underline the stadium’s contribution not only to Irish sport, but also to tourism, employment, economic activity, and Ireland’s international reputation.
Aviva Stadium is currently hosting a highly successful concert series in partnership with MCD Productions, with concertgoers travelling from more than 60 countries to attend events at the venue. International sport will resume in August with a pre-season fixture between Arsenal and Real Betis, followed by the Aer Lingus College Football Classic featuring Texas Christian University and University of North Carolina.
The remainder of the year includes a strong programme of national and international rugby and football fixtures, including matches in the UEFA Nations League, the FAI Cup Final and the Autumn Nations Series.
Outside of sporting fixtures and concerts, the stadium operates year-round as one of the top conference, meeting, and event venues in the capital.
Current board members of Aviva Stadium: David Courell, Paul Cooke, Maeve McMahon, Padraig Power, Josephine Feehily and Declan Madden.