Former Galway GAA star Joe Bergin has been appointed Group CEO of leading Irish investment firm Elkstone, which has announced a series of strategic leadership appointments as the firm positions to scale its business across venture and real estate.
Mr Bergin who won an All-Ireland with Galway in 2001, is an experienced financial services professional with over 20 years in banking and wealth management. He spent much of his career at Ulster Bank, where he developed deep expertise in appraising funding requirements and providing financial investment advice across Commercial Real Estate, SME, and Corporate Markets.
In 2019, Joe joined Elkstone to establish and lead the firm’s Galway office, serving as Director of Business Development and later Managing Director & Head of Private Clients, where he focused on delivering multi-family office investment services and bringing unique access to venture, real estate, and alternative investment opportunities to high net worth and entrepreneurial clients across Ireland.
Under his leadership, Elkstone’s Galway operations scaled significantly, including the delivery of major student accommodation projects in partnership with Harrison Street. In January 2026, Joe was appointed Group CEO, leading day-to-day operations across Elkstone’s venture and real estate platforms.
A graduate of Galway Mayo Institute of Technology with a degree in Business Studies, Joe is a Qualified Financial Advisor and holds a Diploma in SME Credit. Joe is also well known for his distinguished Gaelic football career, having won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with Galway in 2001, being named All-Stars Young Footballer of the Year in 2000, and captained Galway’s Under-21 team to an All-Ireland title in 2002.
In the Elkstone changes, Alan Merriman, Founder and former CEO, transitions to the role of Executive Director. The firm has also welcomed Eoghan Quigley, President of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and formerly at KPMG, and Margot Lyons, formerly of Morgan Stanley and Ulster Bank, to its board, bringing deep financial services and governance expertise to complement Elkstone’s operations.
Commenting on the appointment, Joe Bergin said he is honoured to take on the position of CEO as Elkstone enters its next phase.
“Co-founders Alan, Ciarán and Ruairí have built something truly exceptional over the past 15 years, and I’m fortunate to be building on the strong foundation they established. Ireland’s venture and real estate markets both offer significant long-term opportunities.
“Our venture business has backed some of Ireland’s most prominent tech companies. For our real estate business, we are a preferred partner for international institutions investing in Ireland.
“We’ve built relationships and expertise to operate effectively in both sectors. As CEO, I’m focused on helping bridge the gap between capital and delivery in Ireland’s housing and innovation markets, enabling investors access to unique opportunities,” he said.
