Jump Back
Your newly appointed dual role at Barden will involve leading talent advisory and recruitment teams across Leinster while also supporting the Managing Partners. Can you tell us what that role looks like in practice and how your time is split across those responsibilities?
As Head of Organisation Development, my role has a dual mandate. On one side, I oversee our strategy process, from idea development and resource allocation to implementation, rollout, and communication. This spans areas like growth plans, operational improvements, change management, L&D, culture, and commercial projects.
On the other side, I lead a team of talent advisors who partner with clients on critical appointments across HR, business support, and other strategically important management roles.
It’s almost impossible to split my time evenly; projects vary on a case-by-case basis, depending on business and client needs. What excites me most is being part of Barden’s growth journey. After six years here, it’s fulfilling to be in a role where I can get stuck into both the day-to-day and the strategic elements of the business, helping shape the future of Barden while staying close to what matters most.
You recently completed the Executive MBA at Trinity. How has that experience influenced the way you advise clients and Barden’s Managing Partners?
Completing the Executive MBA at Trinity was influential both professionally and personally. Balancing life, full-time work, and an MBA over two years was challenging, but it strengthened my resilience and gave me the skills and confidence to meet any expectations, made all the easier when surrounded by the right people. The academic side was equally valuable; the diversity of modules and projects mirrored real-world business challenges. Combining industry insights with academic detail and consulting projects for leading Dublin companies has shaped the lens through which I view Barden, from internal strategic initiatives to advising clients on key business decisions.
While leading talent advisory & recruitment teams in areas including Operational Finance, HR, and Business Support, you also work on exclusive senior appointments outside Barden’s core areas for our key clients. Can you give us a sense of the types of roles you’re working on and why these positions are so strategically important for clients?
Sometimes, clients engage me for roles that are not at the executive search level but are still commercially or strategically critical to their business. These might involve discreet searches for sensitive appointments or building out a new function by hiring a head of department. In these cases, I provide a tailored, exclusive search process, acting as a partner rather than simply sending CVs.
These are typically senior appointments, often at pivotal moments for a business, for example, the first “Head of” hire following PE investment. In these cases, we act as embedded partners rather than a one-off engagement, building long-term relationships and guiding clients through critical decisions.
A significant part of your role is now supporting the Managing Partners. Why was this role created, and how does it reflect the shift towards deeper talent partnerships and more advisory-led work with clients?
Over the past five years, Barden has evolved rapidly, and it has become clear that strategic initiatives can’t rest solely on the founders’ shoulders. This role was created to serve as a central hub for strategy, aligning internal development with external growth plans and ensuring we build a business that reflects our values.
As a profession, we are moving more and more toward advisory-led offerings, and long-term embedded partnerships are key to our success in the years ahead. My role supports that shift by working on both strategic planning and operational execution. Projects vary in size and scope, but an example might be aligning culture to strategy or shaping initiatives that help people in Barden realise their potential and, in turn, provide a high level of support to our clients.
Ultimately, this role is about creating the right environment for growth, both for our clients and for our own people. It’s the engine room driving Barden’s next phase of evolution.
Connect with Cole on LinkedIn or at cole.carroll@barden.ie