Brendan McLoughlin Appointed As Country Manager At Mars Ireland

Mars Ireland has announced the appointment of Brendan McLoughlin as Country Manager to head up its business in Ireland.

Brendan joins Mars from Johnson & Johnson where he led the company’s Consumer Healthcare business as Country Manager. McLoughlin replaces Bill Heague who returned to his native Australia to run the Mars Food business in Australia earlier this year.

A 17-year veteran of the FMCG & consumer healthcare industry, McLoughlin assumes leadership of the Mars business in Ireland which incorporates some of Ireland’s best loved brands including M&M’s, Dolmio, Pedigree and Wrigley’s Extra. Michael Ryan, President of Mars Multisales said: “I’m delighted to welcome Brendan to the team. His experience, leadership, knowledge of the market and commitment to building win-win relationships with retail partners stood out. I’m excited about the future of our business in Ireland.”

McLoughlin began his FMCG career in Reckitt Benckiser as an Account Manager gaining invaluable experience across both the pharmacy and grocery channel. He then joined Johnson & Johnson in 2008 and successfully progressed through the organisation from National Account Manager to the Head of the Pharmacy Channel where he led a talented team to consistent year-on-year growth. He was subsequently appointed Country Manager in November 2017, building a platform for future growth before accepting the position at Mars Ireland. He is a graduate of Arts at NUI Maynooth and holds an MBA from Henley Business School, London.

Commenting on his appointment, Brendan McLoughlin said: “We are spending more time at home than ever before, with many of us rediscovering home cooking, bonding with pets or enjoying more quality time with our family whether it’s watching a movie or playing a board game. Our brands sit at the heart of all these activities, so I am looking forward to the opportunity of helping Mars Ireland emerge from COVID-19.”

“While I am new to the Mars family and have not had the opportunity to physically meet with all our Associates, I have been humbled by the quality of their work, dedication to overcoming the challenges presented by the pandemic and support for healthcare professionals through our Feed The Heroes partnership. In this regard, I am proud to take on this position and together with the team help navigate our path forward.”