EY CEO Outlook: Leadership lessons from the world of sport, with Anne McCormack, Hockey Ireland

From the age of sixteen, Anne McCormack knew that she wanted to be a CEO. Having played golf at a high level throughout her childhood, Anne became concerned about the numbers of her peers that were leaving the sport, and realised that the only way to effect change was to hold a leadership position within the sport’s representative organisation. This realisation was the first step in Anne’s long and successful career in sports administration and leadership. 

After several years working at a high level in golf administration, including the role of COO of Golf Ireland, Anne was appointed CEO of Hockey Ireland in 2023. With a strong belief in the power of sport and the positive impact that she can have in this role, Anne’s vision for hockey includes raising its visibility and profile, increasing diversity and inclusion among the player base, and expanding the sport’s revenue streams. 

In this episode of The EY Podcast: CEO Outlook Series, Anne McCormack, CEO of Hockey Ireland, joins host Richard Curran to talk about her belief in the positive power of sport, her vision for the future of hockey, and why hard work trumps natural talent. 

They also discuss:

·       The importance of learning from and collaborating with other sports organisations, such as the GAA

·       The power of role models for increasing female participation in sport 

·       What hitting bad golf shots has taught Anne about being an effective leader 

·       Why understanding people’s fear is key to getting them to buy in to your vision

·       The entrepreneurs and leaders that Anne most admires