Mentor
Sean O'Neill
Overview
Sean O’Neill is a senior adviser and executive whose career spans nearly 30 years in corporate affairs, sustainability and strategic transformation across global corporations and consultancies, including Heineken, Coca-Cola HBC, Diageo, Guinness and BCW. He has held ELT level roles as Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer within the CPG industry, and has advised international governments on national privatisation projects, as well as global businesses on policy, sustainability and communications.
Sean’s diverse P&L experience includes agency management, MD of an international sports joint venture, retail operations and destination consumer experience centres. Alongside his executive roles, he has chaired the global drinks industry’s two main bodies, served on international investment committees, and acted as trustee and board member for local and international charities. He is currently Deputy Chair of the Fairtrade Foundation and the founder of a consultancy focused on strategic and structural transformation. For the last 10 years, Sean has mentored C-suite and C-suite minus one executives as part of formalised mentoring programmes with national and international search firms.
He brings deep cross-sector expertise in:
• Corporate affairs & sustainability – leading global functions and advising on policy, ESG and communications
• Strategic transformation & stakeholder management – delivering impact across sectors and geographies
• Governance & industry leadership – chairing industry bodies and serving on investment and charity boards
• International experience & cultural fluency – living and working in seven countries, managing diverse teams and projects
Sean has been recognised for his leadership in sustainability and industry governance, including appointments to international advisory boards and sector committees. He is known for creating and leading integrated, practical strategies to address large-scale, complex challenges and for his contributions to advancing ethical business practices and stakeholder engagement.
PDF Profile
Download PDFMajor Career Roles
Coca-Cola HBC
Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer
Heineken
Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer
Diageo
Global Brand & Market Communication Director
Guinness Brewing
Corporate Affairs & Communication Director
Other Career Highlights
BCW ß
Special Advisor to Russian, Egyptian, Victorian (Australia) Governments on National Privatisation
Fairtrade
Deputy Chair
Access to an unmatched roster of world-class Mentors
Our unrivalled global roster of board chairs and CEOs offers the seasoned wisdom of proven world-class leaders. Explore this rich array of talent and connect with us to begin a mentoring journey shaped around your leadership context.
