Our People

Expert Leadership, Dedicated to Your Success

Athena is built on decades of pharmaceutical excellence. Our leadership team combines senior-level experience from the world's most respected pharmaceutical companies combined with an unwavering focus on market success. Every strategic decision, each regulatory consideration and every partnership draws on institutional knowledge earned at companies like Pfizer, JnJ, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Teva, Abbott and AbbVie.

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Our Mission

To be a Premier Pharmaceutical Partner in Ireland, delivering world-class medicines access, twinned with the expertise to optimise commercial return. We exist to help pharmaceutical innovators navigate the complexities of the Irish market, ensuring important medicines are sustained and introduced to help the patients who need them.

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Dave Shanahan

Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Dave founded Athena with a clear vision: to create an Irish powerhouse for pharmaceutical support. With previous experience as Managing Director, Pfizer Ireland, and Director, Pfizer UK, and Global Head of Strategic Healthcare Initiatives for AbbVie Inc., Dave saw the opportunity to place patients at the centre of innovation, bringing big pharma expertise to bear on decisions around Irish market entry. Under his leadership, Athena has established itself as the ‘Go To Team’ for successful pharmaceutical commercialisation. Athena’s customers range from emerging biotech to industry leaders. Dave is committed to building a partner that delivers the strategic rigour of major pharmaceutical organisations, combined with the agility, focus, and flexibility to drive exceptional results.

Suzanne Dennison

Sales and Marketing Director

Suzanne brings her extensive nursing and pharmaceutical background from previous roles, including leading Pfizer’s cardiovascular marketing, to make Athena a leader. She has developed the company's capabilities to excel in commercial leadership. Suzanne's leadership of Athena’s sales force and customer engagement, harnessing her deep understanding of pharmaceutical marketing, brand strategy and healthcare pathways, ensures Athena can partner with healthcare professionals to deliver optimal clinical outcomes for patients from Athena’s medicines portfolio. Her innovation supporting the launch of medicines as well as established pharmaceutical medicines provides clients with a proven platform for market success.

Dr. John Farrell

Medical Director

Dr. John Farrell graduated from RCSI in 1988 and obtained his MRCPI in 1990. After training in General Medicine and Nephrology in Ireland and completing a Nephrology Fellowship at St. Louis University (Missouri), he joined Pfizer UK in 1998 as Senior Medical Adviser for Cardiology. He later became Medical Director for Pfizer Ireland, holding several senior global roles. In 2013, he joined AbbVie as Global Medical Head for Eastern Europe, Russia, Africa, and the Middle East, and later served as Global Patient Engagement Lead. Dr. Farrell holds an MBA from the Open University and is currently pursuing a BSc in Mathematics, bringing extensive clinical, global leadership, and strategic expertise to Athena’s medical and regulatory functions.

Clara Ali Ghalib

Director of Business Development

Clara leverages extensive clinical experience having worked in hospitals in Ireland and the UK and in primary care to excel in clinical pharmacy, life sciences, and entrepreneurship. As a business founder with deep expertise in manufacturing strategy and medicine commercialisation, she brings a unique perspective to pharmaceutical market access. Clara has a proven track record leading transformation projects within healthcare systems, including the NHS, where she developed innovative approaches to pharmaceutical operations. Her ability to bridge clinical expertise with commercial strategy ensures that Athena's partnerships are built on sound medical understanding and operational excellence.

Kate Varsanyiova

Operations Officer

Kate has established and oversees Athena's financial and IT operations, ensuring the infrastructure and systems that support the wider team's success. With experience spanning retail, NGO operations, and primary care practice management in Ireland, Kate brings diverse operational expertise to pharmaceutical commercialisation. Her focus on operational excellence means that clients benefit from seamless execution, robust financial management, and the technology systems that enable efficient partnership delivery. Kate ensures that every aspect of Athena's operations supports the company's mission to provide exceptional service to pharmaceutical partners.

Eilish Cusack

Clinical Nurse Specialist Adviser

Eilish qualified in general nursing in 1993, completing assignments in nursing in oncology, colorectal patient care, before progressing to a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Diabetes, via a Diploma in Nursing practice in Diabetes through University College Dublin and St Vincent’s University Hospital. In her clinical work, Eilish was responsible for increasingly complex clinical pathways for patients with diabetes, including after serious colorectal and abdominal surgeries. With the advent of continuous glucose monitoring and the development of digital patient solutions, Eilish has contributed to the development of new clinical pathways supporting obesity and cardiometabolic health. Eilish develops Athena’s population health initiatives towards lifestyle improvement, health prevention and evidence based interventions to improve public health.

Leadership That Delivers Results

Our team's collective experience spans therapeutic areas, geographic markets, and every phase of pharmaceutical commercialisation. From regulatory strategy to commercial execution, from medical affairs to pharmaceutical market access, we have successfully launched and grown pharmaceutical brands at the highest level. That expertise is now exclusively focused on helping your company succeed in Ireland.