BRID HORAN

– ESB Executive Director

Words: Yvonne Kerr

It comes as a surprise to learn that ESB Executive Director Brid Horan took a four and a half year career break in her 30s to have children – with no plans to return to work.

In stately surroundings of her large office at ESB HQ on Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2, the discussion takes an early detour from business to look at Brid's other role as a mother of two sons, (Iain and Joe, 22 and 25) touchingly described as "the joy of my life." "I think that's one of the things about women... very few women (I know) have a detailed plan about their career and I don't think that's a bad thing. I wouldn't encourage people to over engineer their lives, I think life is an experience and it evolves."

"...It may represent the difference in how we think and respond to thing, that women are more adaptive and like flexibility in not planning too far ahead."

This explains why Brid herself is still shocked that she's been working at ESB for 13 years (since 1997). Starting work in the 1970s as an actuary for Irish Life, before moving into industrial relations, Brid was immediately faced with the marriage bar.

Read more about Brid Hroan in the Spring 2011 issue of WMB, on newsstands now.