Grainne Power.
Ireland’s drug watchdog will have a new chief executive from January, it was announced today.
The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) said Grainne Power has been appointed chief executive with effect from January 1.
She is currently Director of Compliance at the HPRA where she is responsible for an extensive range of licensing, inspection, market surveillance and enforcement activities relating to medicinal products, blood, tissues and cells, controlled substances and cosmetics.
Prior to that, she held the position of Director of Human Products Authorisation and Registration where she was responsible for overseeing the assessment of authorisation applications for medicines and clinical trials.
A spokeswoman for the agency said that Ms Power will lead the HPRA in its mission to protect and enhance human and animal health through the regulation of health products.
“Her leadership will also steer the organisation’s strategic ambitions, beginning with the imminent launch of its new 2026–2028 corporate strategy. She succeeds Dr Lorraine Nolan, who’s tenure as Chief Executive is concluding at the end of this year,” said the spokeswoman.
Prof Michael Donnelly, Chairman of the Authority, welcomed Ms Power’s appointment: “The Authority is pleased to announce the appointment of Grainne Power as Chief Executive of the HPRA. On behalf of the Authority, I extend our sincere congratulations and a warm welcome to Grainne as she assumes this pivotal leadership role. Her appointment comes at a significant time for the organisation, and we look forward to working together to build on the organisation’s strong position. We look forward to supporting her leadership and wish her every success.”
Ms Power has over 20 years of regulatory, scientific and leadership experience in the health products industry, having held a number of senior management roles across both the public and private sectors.
She joined the HPRA in 2018. Before entering the public sector, she held senior quality assurance roles in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries, managing systems and processes to ensure compliance with regulatory standards. She also gained earlier experience in quality-related roles within the veterinary medicines and medical devices sectors.
She holds a degree in Biotechnology from Dublin City University and postgraduate diplomas from both University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin.