In this monthly series, we speak to female CEOs to find out what makes them tick …
Meeting Caroline online from Canada, where she is attending the Irish-Canadian Trade Mission alongside Minister Peter Burke and Jenny Melia, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, she has a natural warmth and confidence that presumably helped her co-found and build Core Optimisation over the last 15 years.
Caroline’s early business career spanned SMEs, and multinational companies in logistics, SaaS, manufacturing and travel, always gravitating toward client-facing roles. Her time as client services director at Avvio, leading growth across Ireland and the UK, was where she first saw how technology and data strategy could transform a company’s fortunes. She met David Brett here, who would become her business partner and co-founder of Core Optimisation.
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Headquartered in Shannon, Co Clare, Core Optimisation was founded on the belief that understanding data, measurable results and nurturing strong relationships drives sustainable growth. Under Caroline’s leadership, the agency has grown to 60 employees working across digital strategy and AI consultancy. “Digital is not about clicks or campaigns; we’re focused on the ‘why’ behind the data – the insight, understanding the user journey, measuring against business goals and objectives, and building real relationships between brands and their customers,” Caroline explains. The agency’s client base includes Irish brands such as Fáilte Ireland, Tirlán and Kilkenny Design, as well as international names including WaterWipes, Aryzta and Riverdance.
Since establishing the business, Caroline has navigated moments of uncertainty, particularly the early stages of COVID when many client budgets, particularly in hospitality, “virtually paused overnight”. She believes adaptability and transparency were crucial in getting through that difficult time – communicating openly with clients and staff, focusing on retention by ensuring clients maintained a “lights-on” presence – meant that the company weathered the crisis without losing a single team member and managed to emerge ahead of projections.
She says that the last few years have been transformative. Recognising early the potential of data analytics and AI, Caroline expanded Core’s capabilities to include a Head of Digital Transformation & AI along with a team of data scientists. Today, the agency blends human creativity with machine learning to provide sharper insights and measurable results. A milestone has been the development of Fáilte Ireland’s “Digital That Delivers” programme, supporting nearly 800 tourism businesses to strengthen their digital footprint, which she points to as a prime example of digital transformation delivering national economic impact.
This year, she oversaw the acquisition of global PR agency ClearStory International to offer clients a truly holistic approach under one roof. She also launched Wheresight, a global platform enabling destinations to benchmark digital maturity and accelerate growth – a project Caroline describes as, “particularly close to her heart”. Through Wheresight, she’s establishing a presence in the tourism tech space, helping governments and destination organisations make data-driven decisions.
Her vision for the business is ambitious, continuing to position the agency as a global digital growth partner with expansion across Ireland, the UK and US. For her, the future is both exhilarating and challenging. AI opens unprecedented opportunities, but she believes that businesses must develop genuine digital maturity to fully benefit from its evolution. According to Caroline, many companies invest in tools but lack the understanding to use them effectively. She remains focused on the principles that have guided her, “Our goal has always been simple: results and relationships. When you focus on those, everything else – growth, innovation, transformation – falls into place,” she notes.
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Alongside her work at Core, Caroline co-founded KELLA, a leadership community for senior female leaders designed to foster connection and support at the highest levels. She also serves as Chairperson of Digital Business Ireland and sits on the EY Entrepreneur of the Year alumni board.
Her biggest challenge is time. She credits her supportive family and team for helping her maintain work-life balance, “There are times when work commitments just need to be the priority and there are other times when family needs to be the priority. Balance is rarely equal and I’ve come to accept that.”
With her children now adults, she values the time that they spend together, and having fun is part of her make-up. A “social person at heart”, she treasures time with lifelong friends, many since primary school. She loves being outdoors, hiking and walking with her husband, and travelling to experience new cultures and perspectives. Every few years, the couple takes on adventures from trekking the Throng La Pass in the Himalayas, Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain in Peru, and even climbing Kilimanjaro. “I recharge by being outdoors, taking on challenges and spending time with people who make me laugh,” she says. For her, these wild life experiences are vital for maintaining her energy – in life and in business.
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