About Us
Why Choose Lionheart for Your Board's Governance Needs?
At Lionheart, we understand the complex pressures and evolving responsibilities facing boards today. From increasing regulatory scrutiny to rising stakeholder expectations, strong corporate governance is more critical than ever.
Our team combines deep subject matter expertise with real-world boardroom experience. We stay fully aligned with the latest developments in Irish company law, EU regulations, and governance best practices—ensuring our advice is always current, relevant, and actionable.
Whether your board is seeking a comprehensive effectiveness evaluation, tailored CPD training, or ongoing governance advisory, Lionheart delivers practical solutions that drive measurable impact and long-term value.
Work with Lionheart—and move from compliance to confidence in your board’s governance journey.
Managing Partner
Patrick Downes.
At Lionheart, Patrick Downes serves as our Managing Partner and is a recognised authority in corporate governanceand strategic board development. With decades of experience across both public and private sectors, Patrick specialises in delivering high-impact board evaluations and designing customised Continuing Professional Development (CPD)programmes that elevate board effectiveness and drive organisational success.
Patrick brings a unique blend of commercial acumen and governance expertise, helping boards navigate complex regulatory environments while enhancing strategic performance. His practical and authentic approach empowers board members to lead with confidence, make informed decisions, and foster a culture of innovation and accountability.
A proven leader, Patrick has built and led high-performing teams that consistently exceed governance and compliance benchmarks. His work not only ensures regulatory alignment but positions boards at the cutting edge of governance best practice. His extensive experience includes numerous board appointments, voluntary leadership roles, and transformative governance initiatives.
Clients seeking to strengthen their board’s capabilities and improve governance performance trust Patrick and the Lionheart team for:
Independent, in-depth board and committee evaluations
Bespoke CPD programmes tailored to director development
Strategic insights that drive board-level innovation and compliance
Practical governance frameworks grounded in international best practice
Whether you're a commercial enterprise, public body, or non-profit organisation, partnering with Patrick ensures access to leading governance solutions that deliver real-world results.
Partner
Partner
Partner
Why Lionheart is Your Strategic Partner in Corporate Governance Excellence
At Lionheart, we specialise in helping boards achieve and sustain the highest standards of corporate governance, compliance, and strategic performance. Here’s how we partner with clients to deliver real impact:
Unmatched Expertise in Irish and EU Governance Regulations
Our team stays ahead of evolving Irish company law, EU directives, stock exchange listing rules, and leading governance codes. We turn this complex legal and regulatory knowledge into clear, practical guidance that strengthens your board’s oversight and decision-making processes.
Proven Experience Across Sectors
Lionheart is trusted by boards across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. As experienced board evaluators, governance advisors, and directors ourselves, we understand the realities and responsibilities board members face—allowing us to deliver services that are both strategic and relevant.
Independent Board Evaluations That Drive Improvement
We conduct fully independent and objective board evaluations using proven methodologies, seasoned evaluators, and confidential stakeholder engagement. Our evaluations provide actionable recommendations that enhance board effectiveness, accountability, and performance.
Bespoke CPD Training for Modern Boards
Lionheart delivers customised Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes that reflect your board’s specific needs, sector context, and evolving responsibilities. We focus on practical, high-value content aligned with global governance best practices—never generic, always tailored.
Whether you're looking to enhance board performance, prepare for regulatory scrutiny, or invest in director development, Lionheart is your trusted partner for world-class corporate governance support.
CONTACT US
Practical, Transparent, and Cost-Effective Governance Support
At Lionheart, we deliver governance solutions that are not only expert-led but grounded in the real-world needs of today’s boards. Here’s how we make a difference:
Practical, Actionable Solutions That Deliver Results
We don’t deal in theory—we deliver change. Our recommendations are designed to be immediately actionable, ensuring your board can implement improvements that strengthen governance performance and create measurable impact.
Clarity and Transparency in Every Engagement
We pride ourselves on clear, jargon-free communication. From board evaluation reports to CPD training outlines, you’ll receive timely, easy-to-digest insights that enable informed decisions and long-term improvements in board effectiveness.
Value-Driven, Flexible Engagement Models
Lionheart offers cost-effective governance solutions tailored to your board’s needs. Our transparent pricing and flexible service options ensure you receive maximum value—without compromising on quality or impact.
Whether you're engaging in a full board effectiveness review, seeking targeted director development, or enhancing overall governance structures, Lionheart provides clarity, value, and results at every step.
A Unique, Tech-Enabled Approach to Long-Term Governance Success
A Unique, Tech-Enabled Approach to Long-Term Governance SuccessAt Lionheart, we view corporate governance not as a one-time event—but as a continuous journey. That’s why our approach goes far beyond a single engagement.
Continuous Support on Your Governance Journey
Good governance evolves, and so do we. We provide ongoing advisory support, including follow-up Q&A sessions, regulatory updates, and access to expert insights—ensuring your board stays informed, agile, and compliant long after the initial review or training session.
Technology-Driven Governance Solutions
Innovation is at the heart of our service. We leverage cutting-edge digital tools to enhance the board experience—such as secure online evaluation platforms, interactive CPD modules, and virtual governance workshops that are both engaging and efficient.
As Accredited Zoom Partners and official Diligent Partners, we bring you the best of digital governance technology—integrated seamlessly with our expert-led insights.
From strategic board evaluations to tech-enabled CPD and long-term advisory partnerships, Lionheart delivers modern governance solutions designed for today’s dynamic boardrooms.
Contact Us
Partner with Lionheart – Your Trusted Advisor in Irish Corporate Governance
When you choose Lionheart, you’re gaining more than a service provider—you’re partnering with a governance advisor who understands the intricacies of Irish corporate governance, board dynamics, and regulatory expectations.
We work alongside your board to simplify complexity, enhance strategic decision-making, and embed governance excellence at every level. Our goal is to empower your board to lead with confidence, clarity, and integrity in a fast-evolving governance landscape.
Ready to strengthen your board’s impact?
Contact Lionheart today to explore how our tailored solutions in board evaluations, CPD, and governance advisory can help your board thrive.
Our Clients
Testimonials
“We have worked with the team at Lionheart who have guided us in regard to our Corporate Governance requirements and found them to be excellent in terms of domain knowledge and providing us with efficient and effective solutions. I can highly recommend them.”
Frank Buckley, Business Owner at USP Financial
FAQ's
1. Who do you work with?
We have experience working with boards in state bodies, educational and sporting bodies, corporate and multinational entities, charities and NGO’s, representative bodies and SME’s and individual chairs, non-executive directors and company secretaries.
2. What sort of training do you offer?
We provide corporate governance workshops, masterclasses and downloadable modules which can be purchased via our website.
Our training is accredited for CPD by the ICMCI and our bespoke board training is delivered virtually by expert board practitioners with extensive corporate governance experience and deep domain knowledge.
3. What standards do you work to?
We work to the Swift 3000 code of practice for corporate governance assessment in Ireland which is accredited by the national standards authority (NSAI). Lionheart is also accredited to ISO 20700:2017 by the international council of management consulting institutes (ICMCI) and we maintain a discipline of keeping up to date with best practice. We are firm advocates and signatories of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and incorporate our CSR ethos into how we serve our clients.
4. Where do you provide your services?
Lionheart had pivoted to a virtual model in early 2019 and is one of the first accredited Zoom partner’s in Ireland which is our preferred secure virtual platform however we also provide services across the respective digital platforms designated by our clients. We equally deploy partners for onsite consultations and board training modules as our clients require.
5. How much will it cost?
We understand that organisations have different requirements at different times, and we aim to make our services accessible to all those who need it regardless of size or budget. If you are interested in learning more about how you can ensure compliance with your corporate governance needs please avail of a complimentary consultation with one of our partners so we can discuss your requirements.
6. Can you assist boards in succession planning?
Yes we work with client boards and provide a successful niche non-executive director search and need onboarding and induction service.
7. How long does an evaluation take?
Typically, a board evaluation undertaken by the Lionheart team will be completed in six weeks.