DCU Alumni Awardee Eddie Wilson

Eddie Wilson is the CEO of Ryanair where he has been part of the company’s dynamic and fast growth oriented senior leadership team since 1997.

From Templeogue in Dublin, Eddie was among the first students to study Business Studies at the then NIHE Dublin, specialising in HR. He initially worked in a number of human resources related positions in the financial services sector before joining computer manufacturer Gateway2000 as Human Resources manager.

Eddie joined Ryanair in 1997, a then fledgling airline with just 20 aircraft. His initial role was Head of HR, but given the company's fluid approach to management he quickly got involved in airport deals, ground handling, inflight retail, and the design and the launch of Ryanair.com. 

He was subsequently promoted to Director of Inflight Operations, retaining the HR brief and taking on the day-to-day management of thousands of Inflight personnel along with a substantial retail programme. 

He was appointed Chief People Officer in 2015 and was pivotal to the process of Ryanair successfully agreeing a relationship with unions in 2017, ending a period of disruption and  uncertainty for the business.

He was appointed as CEO in 2019 and has led the company successfully through and out of the pandemic period, when 99% of its flights were grounded, back to a position today of carrying over 200 million passengers in 2025 confirming it as Europe's largest airline group.

Eddie likes to travel and in his spare time enjoys sea swimming, sailing, and mountain biking. 

BA Business Studies, 1986