Setting theStandard

John Bosco O’Hagan

John founded Specialist in 1988 with a clear belief in standards, skill and the value of building things that last. His leadership has shaped a culture built on honesty, integrity, quality and ambition: values that remain central to how Specialist works today.

From a small team to a major manufacturing-led fit-out business, John’s influence can be seen in the company’s commitment to people, craft, community and continuous improvement.

Ciarán O’Hagan

Ciarán leads Specialist with a deep understanding of the business from the inside out. Having joined as an apprentice in 1997, he has progressed through workshop, production, operations and senior leadership roles to become Group Managing Director. That experience gives him a rare perspective across every stage of delivery, from factory floor to client relationship.

Today, Ciarán leads the strategic direction of the business, ensuring Specialist continues to grow with structure, confidence and accountability. His leadership is focused on raising standards, empowering people and building a business capable of delivering excellence at greater scale.

Karen Trainor

Karen plays a central role in how Specialist operates day to day and how the business continues to develop. Since joining in 2000, she has helped shape the operational structure, culture and working environment that support delivery across the Group.

As Group Executive Director and working closely with Ciarán, Karen supports strategic direction, organisational performance and long-term development. She also plays a significant role in people development, wellbeing and internal collaboration. Her leadership is focused on enabling strong performance through strong teams, ensuring Specialist continues to work as one connected, capable organisation.

Cóilín Campbell

Cóilín brings exceptional project, commercial and construction experience to his role as Construction Director. Having been part of Specialist since the beginning, he has seen the business grow across sectors, markets and increasingly complex projects.

With a strong surveying background, Cóilín brings valuable insight into contracts, commercial considerations, project opportunity and delivery risk. His experience supports both client conversations and board-level decision-making, helping ensure growth is approached with clarity, confidence and control.

Today, Cóilín is focused on developing revenue within a key target area for the business, supporting strategic growth while maintaining the standards, relationships and delivery expectations that define Specialist.

Sean O’Hagan

Sean has overall responsibility for contracts delivery across the Group, bringing together design, project management and installation. Since joining Specialist in 2006, he has worked across a range of roles, building a strong understanding of how complex projects are planned, managed and delivered.

Sean’s leadership is focused on problem-solving, coordination and accountability, ensuring every stage of a project is properly controlled. His role is central to how Specialist protects programme, manages detail and maintains delivery standards across major projects. He helps turn ambition, design and planning into finished work on site.

Dermot O’Hagan

Dermot leads the Group’s sales strategy with a clear focus on long-term relationships, client confidence and sustainable growth. Since beginning his full-time career in 2007, he has built a deep understanding of the market, the business and the high expectations of our clients.

His role brings together commercial direction, opportunity development and customer focus, all to ensure the Group continues to win the right work and deliver on its promises. Dermot’s approach is built on trust, responsiveness and the belief that strong relationships are earned through consistent delivery.

Laura Quinn

Laura leads the finance function across Specialist, supporting the commercial discipline and financial control required in a growing, fast-paced company. Having joined the company in 2010, she has developed alongside the organisation, playing a key role in ensuring decisions are supported by clear financial insight, strong governance and long-term thinking. Laura helps provide the structure behind growth, ensuring the business continues to invest, expand and deliver with confidence while maintaining the financial strength and discipline needed for long-term success.

Cathal O’Kane

Cathal brings a deep understanding of joinery, technical detail and project delivery to his role as Operations Director, Design & Project Management. Since joining Specialist in 2010, he has helped shape the systems and processes that turn complex requirements into coordinated, buildable solutions.

His work connects early project thinking with practical delivery, ensuring details are understood, risks are resolved and teams are aligned from the outset.

Cathal’s leadership supports delivery certainty across demanding projects, bringing together technical knowledge, operational control and a clear focus on standards. His experience helps Specialist deliver work that is precise, coordinated and ready for site.

Chris McKernan

Chris supports the commercial control and contractual discipline behind Specialist’s project delivery. With a background in quantity surveying and commercial management, he brings a strong understanding of project estimation, valuations, claims, supply chain communication and client-facing commercial detail.

Since joining Specialist in 2014, Chris has worked closely with project, contracts, finance and delivery teams, helping ensure commercial decisions are clear, informed and properly managed. His role connects the detail of live projects with the wider financial and operational structure of the business.

Working closely with Laura and the wider leadership team, Chris helps protect project performance, support client confidence and maintain the commercial discipline needed for sustainable growth.

Aideen McAlary

A Specialist Since 2020

Aideen’s role connects marketing, sales and communications across Specialist. From brand content, project stories and campaigns to events, tender support, recruitment and internal updates, she helps shape how the business is seen and understood. Her work keeps messages clear, consistent and commercially useful, making sure good work supports growth.

Andrew Crooks

A Specialist Since 2023

Andrew supports the smooth running of Specialist’s factory operations, helping keep people, production and quality aligned day to day. His role is built around structure, communication and practical problem-solving, making sure teams have what they need to keep work moving properly. In a busy manufacturing environment, coordination matters, and Andrew helps carry that focus through the factory.

Carla McCamley

A Specialist Since 2020

Carla supports the estimating function by keeping people, information and processes organised from the outset. Her role helps ensure enquiries, tender details and deadlines are managed clearly, giving the team the structure they need to produce accurate, considered proposals. Calm coordination matters in estimating and Carla helps keep the moving parts aligned.

Chris Bowman

A Specialist Since 2024

Chris supports the systems and processes that help Specialist work clearly and efficiently across the business. His role connects technology, information and day-to-day operations, helping teams access what they need, improve how work flows and keep key systems aligned. Good systems make good delivery easier, and Chris helps keep that structure working behind the scenes.

Christopher Mann

A Specialist Since 2019

Christopher supports the delivery of Specialist Glass and Metal projects, helping turn technical requirements into clear, workable solutions. His role connects design intent, project coordination and practical delivery, keeping details understood and moving in the right direction. With technical packages, clarity matters early, and Christopher helps make sure the right decisions are carried through.

Damian Dillon

A Specialist Since 2024

Damian supports Specialist’s people strategy across recruitment, development and employee experience. He helps build consistent processes, support managers and connect people with opportunities to grow. Damian also drives the Thrive and Strive programmes, promoting apprenticeships, strengthening relationships with local schools and helping create clearer pathways into Specialist for future talent.

Daniel McCrystal

A Specialist Since 2010

Daniel supports the design process across Specialist, helping turn complex project requirements into coordinated, buildable solutions. His work brings together technical drawing, 3D modelling, BIM coordination and close communication with site teams. He enjoys seeing a project move from early design thinking through to the finished space – proof that good coordination makes all the difference.

Declan McCallan

A Specialist Since 2013

Declan supports growth across Specialist’s fit-out work, building strong client relationships and helping shape opportunities from early conversations through to delivery. His role brings together sales strategy, customer understanding and commercial awareness, keeping clients’ needs clear and projects moving in the right direction.

Dermott Brady

A Specialist Since 2019

Dermott manages payroll across Specialist and supports the financial operations that keep the business moving. Working closely with production, he helps track factory workload and ensures the sales team have clear visibility of the order book. His role connects people, numbers and planning supporting smoother decisions across the business.

Eoghan Brown

A Specialist Since 2008

Eoghan oversees the estimating team, helping ensure project costs are accurate, competitive and commercially considered from the outset. His role supports the early stages of delivery, where clear information and careful pricing help set projects up properly. Motivated by strong results and varied work, Eoghan brings focus, consistency and practical understanding to every opportunity.

Erin Scullion

A Specialist Since 2019

Erin supports Ciarán and Karen with the organisation, planning and communication that keeps our senior team moving. From diary management, meetings and minutes to travel, HQ visits and event support, she helps coordinate the human logistics behind a busy business. Erin keeps people informed, prepared and in the right place at the right time.

Eunan McCoy

A Specialist Since 2024

Eunan leads procurement across Specialist, keeping materials, suppliers and sourcing decisions aligned with project delivery. With strong supply chain experience and excellent supplier relationships, he brings practical knowledge, commercial focus and real energy to the role. Always focused on value, Eunan works hard to secure the best outcomes while supporting responsible sourcing and project standards.

Francis Higgins

A Specialist Since 1995

Francis leads logistics across Specialist, helping ensure materials, deliveries and project requirements move efficiently from factory to site. Having joined the business after leaving school, he brings long-standing knowledge of how Specialist works and what projects need on the ground. His role is built around coordination, reliability and timing — making sure the right things get to the right place, properly.

Gary Lynch

A Specialist Since 2022

Gary leads health, safety and environmental management across Specialist, helping keep people, projects and working environments protected. His role supports safe practice across factory, office and site activity, while also helping the business meet its environmental responsibilities. Clear standards, practical guidance and ongoing awareness matter every day, and Gary helps keep that focus visible across the Group.

Jo Azevedo

A Specialist Since 2024

Jo supports business growth by building relationships, identifying opportunities and keeping Specialist connected across the industry. Her role is all about people, from client conversations and networking events to conferences, introductions and follow-ups. Coffee often fuels the conversation, but strong relationships drive the results.

John Paul McErlean

A Specialist Since 1995

John Paul oversees the construction, maintenance and ongoing development of Specialist’s facilities. From factory extensions and office refurbishments to site upkeep, event infrastructure and the everyday work required to keep the estate operating at its best, he coordinates a wide and varied programme of activity.

Leading his own team and working with colleagues across the business, John Paul responds quickly to changing requirements and makes sure the spaces around Specialist continue to support its people, operations and growth. He and his team are also central to many company events – whether preparing the site, raising a marquee or taking charge of the barbecue.

Jonny Barfoot

A Specialist Since 2019

Jonny has built strong project delivery experience at Specialist, having cut his teeth on two of the largest schemes in Europe. As Project Director, he provides senior oversight and a clear point of contact for clients, helping keep teams, timelines and expectations aligned. His role brings together coordination, professionalism and practical focus where project complexity is at its highest.

Martin Brown

A Specialist Since 2019

Martin supports site management and installation across Specialist, helping keep London-based teams connected and projects running smoothly. Approachable, practical and always ready to help, he plays an important role in supporting site teams and apprentices. Martin brings calm coordination to busy projects, making sure people feel looked after and delivery stays on track.

Michael Kearney

A Specialist Since 2021

Michael leads sales activity for Specialist Fire Doors, helping clients access clear guidance, certified solutions and the right support from early enquiry through to delivery. His role is built around confidence, understanding project needs, supporting specification conversations and helping grow a focused fire door offer backed by the wider strength of Specialist.

Paul Hamill

A Specialist Since 2012

Paul oversees installation across Specialist projects, helping ensure work is delivered on site with control, quality and care. His role supports the teams responsible for final delivery and handover, where coordination, communication and standards matter most. Positive, decisive and supportive, Paul helps keep people moving forward together, especially when projects demand focus.

Robert Nicholl

A Specialist Since 2019

Robert plays a key role in leading project delivery, helping keep teams, timelines and client expectations aligned from start to finish. His work brings together planning, coordination and practical problem-solving, all to make sure complex projects stay controlled as they move through each stage. With project delivery, the detail matters, and Robert helps carry that focus through to completion.

Stephen Fields

A Specialist Since 2025

Stephen supports technical and manufacturing operations across Specialist, helping connect design requirements with practical production. He is driving the use of SWOOD, supporting training and helping teams build stronger digital capability. With a clear focus on innovation, Stephen works closely with people and supply chain partners to improve processes and support smarter manufacturing.

Steve Hider

A Specialist Since 2025

Steve leads operations for Specialist Core, supporting fast-moving projects with clear structure, strong coordination and practical delivery focus. His role brings together people, programme, quality and supply chain alignment, helping teams move with pace while keeping standards consistent. He is focused on building strong working relationships and delivering great spaces through joined-up, reliable project delivery.