Bidvest Noonan

A leading provider of Facilities Management Services

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Bidvest Noonan pledges to help 10,000 people into work and training by 2030 

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Commitment announced at the opening of the company’s new A-rated Dublin headquarters, attended by Minister Darragh O’Brien, as Bidvest Noonan launches its Purpose in Action strategy ahead of its 50th anniversary.

Bidvest Noonan, one of Ireland’s largest private-sector employers, has pledged to help 10,000 people into employment and training by 2030, with a particular focus on those who face the greatest barriers to work.

The commitment was announced today at the official opening of the company’s new A-rated headquarters at Airside Green in Swords, Co. Dublin. The event was attended by Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment and Minister for Transport, and by Mpumi Madisa, Chief Executive of the Bidvest Group, the Johannesburg-listed parent company and the first Black woman to lead a JSE Top 40 company. Bidvest Noonan, which provides cleaning, security and facilities services, marks its 50th anniversary in 2027.

The pledge sits at the heart of Purpose in Action, the company’s new social value strategy, launched at the event. It commits Bidvest Noonan to two goals by 2030: supporting 10,000 people into employment and future skills, and delivering one million hours of community impact through volunteering, fundraising and local partnerships. Those supported will include people with disabilities, refugees, women returning to the workforce and the long-term unemployed, helped through work placements, recruitment mentoring, employability workshops and training.

The commitment builds on Bidvest Noonan’s partnerships with organisations such as Business in the Community Ireland, whose EPIC programme supports migrants and refugees into employment.

Ola is one example of how that support can lead to a real opportunity. Originally from Nigeria, Ola, 33, came to Ireland in 2024 and struggled to find work despite a background in hospitality and IT, unsure how to navigate an unfamiliar jobs market. As an EPIC participant, he received CV and interview support before completing the training, vetting and licensing required to become a Security Officer. He is now building a career with Bidvest Noonan.

“When I arrived, I didn’t know anyone and I didn’t know how the system worked here. I kept applying for jobs and hearing nothing back, and I started to wonder if I’d ever get settled. The support I received helped me understand the process and gave me the confidence to go for it. Now I have a job I’m proud of and a future I can plan for.” Ola, Security Officer at Bidvest Noonan.

Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment and Minister for Transport, said:

“I am delighted to join Bidvest Noonan for the opening of its new headquarters and to welcome this important commitment. For those who face barriers to entering the workforce, the right support at the right time can make a transformative difference. As major employers, companies like Bidvest Noonan have both the reach and the opportunity to help people access meaningful employment and realise their potential. It is particularly fitting that, as the company approaches its 50th year in Ireland, it is making this pledge from a headquarters built to the highest modern energy-efficiency standards.”

Julie Mernagh, Chief People and Culture Officer at Bidvest Noonan, said:

“Talent and potential exist in every community we are part of. Access to opportunity does not. Purpose in Action is our commitment to help close that gap. Through our colleagues and partnerships, we can open doors for people, whether that is a first job, a step up in their career or new skills for the future.”

Declan Doyle, Chief Executive Officer of Bidvest Noonan, said:

“Bidvest Noonan has grown over almost 50 years because of the people who deliver its services every day. A job can be a first opportunity, but people also need the chance to learn and progress, and this commitment brings the two together. As the company approaches its 50th anniversary, we want it to be known not only for the services it delivers, but for the opportunities it creates.”

Purpose in Action is organised around four pillars: Employability and Future Skills; Community; Sustainable and Responsible Supply Chain; and Environment.

Bidvest Noonan Appoints Industry Leader Brandie Deignan as Managing Director, Strategy

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Bidvest Noonan has appointed Brandie Deignan as Managing Director, Strategy, a newly created executive role designed to strengthen the company’s long-term growth agenda, accelerate innovation, and ensure the business remains ahead of evolving client expectations.


Reporting to Chief Operating Officer Cormac Sheils, Brandie will work across the business to identify emerging trends, anticipate changing customer needs, and help align strategic priorities, innovation, and operational delivery to support the company’s next phase of growth.


Brandie Deignan brings more than 20 years of senior leadership experience across healthcare, hospitality, aviation and retail. She has an established track record of leading transformation programmes, driving performance improvement, and delivering change in complex, large-scale organisations.


Most recently, she served as Chief Executive of Pier Health Group, one of the largest GP partnership groups of its kind in the UK, providing healthcare services to more than 130,000 patients across North Somerset. Prior to that, she was Managing Director at Marco Pierre White Restaurants, overseeing approximately 50 outlets across eight restaurant concepts. Earlier in her career, she held senior leadership positions including Business Transformation Director at British Airways, where she was responsible for the strategy and delivery of the airline’s onboard product, as well as operational leadership roles with Tesco, Whitbread, Travelodge and Hilton Hotels.


Commenting on her appointment, Brandie Deignan said: “Bidvest Noonan has built an outstanding reputation for delivering exceptional service and operational excellence. What attracted me to this opportunity was the company’s ambition to continue evolving and stay ahead of what customers will need in the future.”


“The facilities management sector is changing rapidly. Technology, sustainability, workforce expectations and customer priorities are reshaping what great service looks like. My focus will be on helping the business anticipate those changes, accelerate innovation, and ensure we continue creating meaningful value for our clients, colleagues and communities.”
“Looking ahead only matters if we can translate insight into action. With 27,000 colleagues across the UK and Ireland, Bidvest Noonan has an incredible platform, depth of expertise and culture of delivery. I’m excited about what’s possible when that capability is aligned behind a shared strategic vision.”


Cormac Sheils, Chief Operating Officer at Bidvest Noonan, said: “We have created this role because the questions our customers are asking are changing, and we want to be ahead of those conversations rather than simply responding to them.”


“The facilities management sector is evolving rapidly, driven by technology, changing customer expectations, increasing demands for sustainability, and the need to deliver more value through innovation. Strengthening our strategic capability is an important part of ensuring we remain a trusted partner to our customers as those expectations continue to evolve.”


“Brandie has led transformation across healthcare, aviation, hospitality and retail, and she has done so from both frontline operational and executive leadership positions. That breadth of experience is rare and brings a valuable perspective as we continue to grow, innovate and focus on what matters most to our customers. We are delighted to welcome her to the business.”


Bidvest Noonan delivers facilities management, security and support services to many of the most recognised organisations across the UK and Ireland. The company continues to invest in innovation, technology, customer experience and operational excellence to help clients create safer, more efficient and more sustainable environments.


The appointment of Brandie Deignan reflects Bidvest Noonan’s continued focus on sustainable growth, customer value and long-term market leadership as the business enters its next phase of development.

Walking Together for Women’s Aid

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Diverse women in pink shirts walking together with arms around each other, symbolizing breast cancer awareness and support

Small actions can become powerful when people come together around a shared purpose.

In September 2026, Bidvest Noonan’s People & Culture team took part in the Walk 100 Miles in September Challenge to raise funds and awareness for Women’s Aid, supporting people affected by domestic abuse.

Turning individual steps into collective action

By taking on the challenge together, colleagues helped support the essential services Women’s Aid provides to people seeking information, guidance and support.

The initiative brought the team together around a cause that has a direct impact on individuals and families across Ireland, showing how collective effort can help strengthen support within our communities.

100 miles

Walked as part of the September challenge

One Team

Coming together around a shared cause

Purpose in Action means using our time, energy and collective effort to support organisations making a meaningful difference in the communities around us.

Supporting dignity and stability with Simon Community NI

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Creating meaningful community impact often starts with meeting immediate needs.

Bidvest Noonan works alongside Simon Community Northern Ireland, the region’s largest homelessness charity, to support people experiencing homelessness and help create pathways towards a more stable future.

Turning collective action into practical support

As part of our 2026 Senior Leadership Conference, colleagues packed 150 dignity kits containing essential items for people experiencing homelessness. They also wrote personal messages of support to accompany the kits, adding a human connection to the practical help being provided.

Together, the initiative delivered over £100,000 in social value, providing comfort, dignity and practical support to people during challenging times.

150

Dignity kits packed

£100,000+

Social Value delivered

By working with organisations such as Simon Community Northern Ireland, which support vulnerable individuals and families directly, we can help extend support where it is needed most.

Purpose in Action means bringing our people and partners together around a shared purpose, turning collective effort into meaningful support for local communities.

The Bear Hub Initiative: turning kindness into lasting impact

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Sometimes, meaningful impact starts with a simple act of kindness.

The Bear Hub was inspired by a moment at Children’s Health Ireland, when a Bidvest Noonan security officer helped reunite a young patient with a misplaced teddy bear. Seeing the comfort that simple gesture brought, colleagues developed the idea into an initiative that helps reunite children with lost comfort toys or provides a new bear when one cannot be found.

From one act of kindness to wider support

The initiative has since grown beyond that first moment. Through fundraising activities held during Bidvest Noonan’s 2026 strategy roadshows, colleagues raised more than £/€10,000 to support children’s health services across Ireland and the UK, including Children’s Health Ireland, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

What began as one thoughtful act has grown into an initiative that brings comfort to children and families while supporting organisations delivering vital care across the communities we serve.

£/€10,000+

Raised through colleague fundraising

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Children’s health services supported

Purpose in Action means creating space for small acts of care to grow into meaningful community impact. The Bear Hub shows how compassion, teamwork and collective support can make a real difference to children and families.

Tent UK: Opening doors to opportunity

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For people rebuilding their lives after displacement, finding work can be an important step towards independence and stability. Yet many refugees entering the UK labour market face barriers such as unfamiliar recruitment processes, limited professional networks and difficulty having overseas experience or qualifications recognised.

Tent UK is part of the global Tent Partnership for Refugees, which brings employers together to help refugees access meaningful employment. Bidvest Noonan joined the coalition to help remove barriers to work and create stronger connections between talented people and employment opportunities.

Turning awareness into practical support

Our involvement began by helping Bidvest Noonan colleagues better understand some of the challenges refugees can face when looking for work.

We then brought that learning into practice through a Career Connector Workshop at 25 Ropemaker, where refugee jobseekers received practical support from colleagues across our business.

Participants received CV guidance, mock interviews and career advice designed to help them present their skills and experience with confidence and navigate the recruitment process more effectively.

Colleagues connected with DLR, Metroline, and Savills also took part, sharing insight into different roles, workplaces and potential career pathways.

Building confidence and connections

The workshop gave participants direct access to people with recruitment and workplace experience, helping them build confidence, understand employer expectations and explore potential routes into work.

Purpose in Action means using our people, expertise and business relationships to help create better access to opportunity. Through our work with Tent UK, we are helping talented people build the knowledge, confidence and connections that can support their journey into employment.