Deloitte Ireland names partners in AI & cyber push

Deloitte Ireland has appointed Noelle Doody and Malcolm Barske as partners, adding senior leadership in artificial intelligence, data and cybersecurity.

Doody joins the consulting business with more than 20 years of experience leading data, analytics and AI programmes for large organisations. She was previously Ireland Data and AI Lead at Accenture, where she worked across multiple sectors, and has also held industry leadership roles, including in utilities.

Barske brings more than 25 years of experience in technology consulting and cybersecurity. He has worked in Ireland, the UK and South Africa, advising organisations in financial services, healthcare and the public sector on large-scale security transformation programmes.

The appointments come as professional services firms strengthen advisory teams focused on generative AI, advanced analytics and cyber risk. Demand has grown as companies face pressure to modernise technology systems, meet regulatory requirements and respond to a wider range of digital threats.

Doody will work within Deloitte's AI and Data practice, focusing on growth and innovation. Her experience spans projects from pilot stage to wider implementation.

Barske will lead cybersecurity work for clients across strategy, architecture, deployment and ongoing operations, with a focus on complex programmes covering the full security transformation lifecycle.

EMEA context

The appointments were announced alongside comments from Harry Goddard, chief executive of Deloitte Ireland, who linked the hires to a broader reshaping of the business across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He pointed to the integration of Deloitte's EMEA operations into a single-firm structure.

"The timing is excellent too as Deloitte Ireland's move into a single Deloitte EMEA firm. Bringing our EMEA businesses together into one integrated firm gives us the scale, capital and cohesion to move faster across 80 countries," Goddard said.

That regional backdrop matters in the Irish market, where international consulting networks are under pressure to show they can provide both local advisory services and access to deeper pools of specialist expertise. AI and cybersecurity are among the clearest areas where clients expect that combination.

Goddard also linked the appointments to Deloitte's spending plans on generative AI, placing the hires within a wider investment programme across the organisation.

"Our €1.5 billion GenAI investment over the next four years means we can help organisations scale faster, navigate regulatory complexity and compete in a more fragmented global economy," Goddard said.

Experience base

Doody holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from University College Dublin, an MSc in Business Analytics from the Michael Smurfit School of Business, and a postgraduate certificate in sustainability in enterprise from University College Cork. She is also an industry board member at CeADAR, Ireland's Centre for Applied AI.

Her appointment adds a senior executive with both consulting and industry experience at a time when firms are helping clients move AI projects beyond experimentation. For many companies, that includes questions of data quality, governance, business case design and integration with existing operations.

Barske's background is rooted in cyber and technology delivery. He has helped organisations design, implement and run complex solutions through Deloitte's Operate model, with an emphasis on security programmes aligned with broader business objectives.

His experience across Ireland, the UK and South Africa reflects the increasingly international nature of cybersecurity work, where regulation, supply chains and threat patterns often cross borders. Senior advisers with that background are in demand as boards seek more direct guidance on resilience and operational continuity.

Consulting market

The Irish market for technology advisory services has become more competitive as established professional services groups and specialist firms invest in AI and cyber teams. Companies are seeking support not only on strategy but also on implementation, monitoring and the day-to-day operation of systems that have become more central to business.

Deloitte presented the appointments as part of a broader push to expand leadership in AI, cybersecurity and digital transformation. "The appointment of both Noelle Doody and Malcolm Barske form part of Deloitte Ireland's broader strategy to expand its leadership in AI, cybersecurity and digital transformation, ensuring clients have access to the expertise, technology and global reach required to compete in an increasingly complex and interconnected economy," Goddard said.