Media Ireland is watching a significant leadership change in the screen production space, with Elaine Geraghty set to step down as managing director of Ardmore Studios and Troy Studios in December. The move closes an important chapter for two of the country’s best-known production hubs and opens a fresh search for the executive who will lead their next phase of growth.
Geraghty, a long-established figure across the Irish creative and broadcast landscape, will remain involved as a strategic adviser while the recruitment process gets under way. No reason was given for her departure, but her exit comes at a notable moment for the wider film and television ecosystem, where investment plans, global ownership structures and production demand remain under close scrutiny.
What Elaine Geraghty’s Exit Means for Media Ireland
During her tenure, Geraghty helped oversee the development of Ardmore in Co Wicklow and Troy in Limerick as key production centres within the Irish media industry and screen sector. Her time in the role was defined by expansion, infrastructure growth and efforts to position the studios as globally competitive facilities for large-scale television and film work.
In a statement, Geraghty described it as “an absolute privilege” to lead both studios through what she called a transformative period for Ireland’s creative screen sector. She pointed to the expansion of infrastructure and the hosting of major productions as proof that Ireland can compete internationally.
Her comments underline a broader trend in media industry Ireland: local production assets are increasingly being judged not just on domestic output, but on their ability to attract international projects, long-term partnerships and repeat investment.
Expansion, Investment and Industry Pressure
Among the major developments during Geraghty’s leadership was the continued expansion of the Ardmore and Troy operations, alongside a reported €10 million multiyear agreement with independent producer BiggerStage to create a global television production hub at Troy Studios.
That progress, however, has unfolded against a more complicated ownership backdrop. Ardmore and Troy are owned by an affiliate of Hackman Capital Partners, the US-based studio real estate investor with a major international footprint. The company has also been associated with plans for the Greystones Media Campus in Wicklow, a project once pitched as a large-scale investment but later reduced in scope.
For anyone following media news Ireland, this leadership change lands amid wider questions around global studio financing, content demand and the commercial realities of the streaming era. Reports in recent months about debt pressures linked to Hackman’s expansion strategy have added another layer of attention to the future direction of its Irish assets.
Key points from the announcement
- Elaine Geraghty will leave the managing director role in December.
- She will stay on as a strategic adviser during the transition.
- A search for a new managing director has started immediately.
- Her tenure included studio expansion and a major BiggerStage production agreement.
Why the Appointment Matters Next
The next hire will matter well beyond one company. In digital media Ireland and the broader content economy, studio capacity, production services and creative infrastructure are all tied to jobs, inward investment and Ireland’s international standing.
Before joining Ardmore and Troy, Geraghty served as chief executive of Screen Producers Ireland and also held roles with Communicorp Group, the Sunday Tribune and 98FM. That background gave her a rare cross-section of experience spanning production, broadcasting and publishing within Irish media.
Hackman executive Alastair Boucaut credited her with helping elevate the studios into internationally respected production ecosystems, while confirming that the company now wants a leader who can continue expanding their capabilities.
For latest media news Ireland, the real story now shifts to succession: who takes over, what strategy follows, and whether Ireland’s leading studio assets can maintain momentum in a more challenging global production market.
In short, this is more than a management update. For media Ireland, Geraghty’s departure is a signal moment for the business of film and television production, and the next appointment will be closely watched across the sector.
Image Courtesy: The Irish Times
