Meet Our People

Gavin Hydes
Chief Executive Officer

Gavin Hydes
Chief Executive Officer
Gavin joined the Joe Duffy Group and was appointed to the board in June 2005, as Group Chief Executive. Gavin held various senior management roles in the hotel & motor industry and enjoyed considerable success in the UK Dealer Network. Following on from Gavin’s appointment, Joe Duffy Motor Group has undergone a period of continued expansion, diversification and restructuring under his leadership. With 17 Brands, 21 franchises, and 24 Nationwide locations based in Dublin, Navan, Drogheda, Athlone, Cork and Limerick the Group currently has over 720 team members.

Mary Nolan
Executive Assistant/Group Communications Manager

Mary joined us in 2014 from the financial services/health sector where she held various senior roles, including Head of Group Marketing & Communications and Strategic Planning. Mary reports directly to the Group Chief Executive as his Executive Assistant as well as being the Group's Communications Manager.

Tara Cooney
Group HR Manager

Tara Cooney is the Human Resources Manager for the Joe Duffy Group, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the team. With a passion for fostering a positive workplace culture, Tara is dedicated to supporting the Group’s mission of excellence by attracting, developing, and retaining top talent across all departments.
As Group HR Manager, Tara and her team are responsible for the entire HR function across the group.

Allyson McCarthy
Group Marketing Manager

Allyson joined the Joe Duffy Group as a Marketing Executive in 2017. Utilising a broad range of marketing disciplines, executing sponsorship partnerships, and overseeing the development of the Group’s Management Information Systems. Promoted to Group Marketing Manager in 2023, Allyson and her team are responsible for the entire Marketing function across the group.

Liam Murphy
Group Financial Controller

Liam joined the Group in 2021 as Group Financial Controller. He has 17 years Corporate Banking and Finance experience and is a qualified accountant (ACCA). He has international finance experience having worked with AIB, the NTMA and Westpac NZ across various locations. As Group Financial Controller he is responsible for the Group finance function.

Conor Kilduff
Operations Director

Conor began working for the company as a Trainee Accountant before progressing to a Financial Controller. Conor transitioned to General Manager in 2010 and represented majority of the group's brands. Conor was appointed Brand Director for a number of our franchises in February 2022.

Geoff Walsh
Operations Director

Geoff joined the company in 2005 as a sales executive in our BMW Dealership, he then was involved in the opening of JDM Specialist Cars in 2007 and made the move to Audi North Dublin in 2009 as General Sales Manager. Geoff was promoted to Brand Director in 2018 and now looks after a number of locations for the Group.

Steve Rayner
Operations Director

Steve joined the Group in 2012 and has a wealth of industry knowledge and experience. Currently a Brand Director overseeing Joe Duffy Leasing, Joe Duffy Group Services, Group F & I and BMW.

John O' Doherty
Operations Director

John has over 15 years experience in buying used cars for the Group and has worked as a Sales Manager in a number of different businesses across our Group. John is a hugely respected professional in the motor aftermarket in Ireland and has built up a reputation as one of the foremost experts in used car values in Ireland.

Barry Higginbotham
Group Aftersales Manager

With over 30 years of experience in the automotive industry, Barry achieved his technician qualification in 1995. He joined the Joe Duffy Group in 2015 as the Aftersales Manager at Audi Limerick. In 2018, Barry advanced to the role of General Manager for ZuCar and has since been promoted to Group Aftersales Manager, overseeing multiple locations within the Joe Duffy Group.

Fiona Walsh
Group Aftersales Manager

With extensive expertise in the automotive industry, particularly in aftersales, Fiona has been an integral part of the Joe Duffy Group for many years. She previously served as the Divisional Aftersales Manager for Joe Duffy Volkswagen, where she demonstrated exceptional leadership and industry knowledge. Fiona has since progressed to the role of Group Aftersales Manager, overseeing multiple locations within the Joe Duffy Group. Her dedication to delivering outstanding service and her commitment to excellence make her a valued member of our team.
At Joe Duffy Group our philosophy has always been "its our people that make the difference". Our Group Management Team hold unrivalled expertise in business and strategy. We have an experienced, unique and dynamic Management Team with individual track records of success and experience at Senior Management Level within the Retail, Financial & Motor Industry both in the UK and Ireland. Above are the key members of our team.
If you're not fully satisfied or if a member of the Joe Duffy Group falls short of your expectations, please let us know. We encourage you to reach out to us at CustomerCare@joeduffy.ie and a member of our Management Team will endeavour to respond within 24 hours.