Daniel Technologies Appoints Paul Connolly as Business Development Manager – Defence
Daniel Technologies is delighted to announce the appointment of Paul Connolly as Business Development Manager – Defence, strengthening the company’s expertise and capabilities in supporting the Defence Forces and the wider defence and security sector.
Paul joins Daniel Technologies following a distinguished 24-year career with the Irish Defence Forces since 2002. During this career, he held a range of senior technical, operational and command appointments, including roles within 2 Brigade, the Defence Forces Training Centre and Defence Forces Headquarters.
From 2019 to 2024, Paul served as a Brigade Ordnance Officer and Officer Commanding of 2 Brigade Ordnance Groups, before taking up the position of Senior Staff Officer Procurement within the Directorate of Ordnance, where he served until 2026.
His career has provided him with extensive experience in the design, specification, inspection, maintenance and procurement of Defence equipment, as well as a detailed understanding of the operational requirements of the Defence Forces.
Paul is also an experience Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer, having completed more than 17 years of active EOD service. He has served overseas in Liberia, Kosovo, Chad and Lebanon, and has also contributed to the development of Ireland Strategic Emergency Management Framework and National Risk Assessment.
Paul holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Limerick, and MSc is Emergency Management from Dublin City University and a MA in Leadership, Management and Defence Studies from Maynooth University. He also holds additional qualifications in project management, procurement and emergency management.
A natural move into Daniel Technologies
Speaking about his decision to join Daniel Technologies, Paul said:
“The move to Daniel Technologies just simply made sense. It feels like a very natural move to go from being an Ordnance Officer involved in the design, specification, inspection, maintenance and procurement of defensive equipment to a company that is at the cutting edge of the sourcing and supply of defensive equipment and services.”
Paul was particularly attracted to Daniel Technologies’ portfolio of quality companies and the value the business can bring to domestic and international Government Departments and NGO’s it services.
In his new role, Paul will focus on understanding the evolving requirements of the Defence Forces and matching those needs with products and services capable of meeting the robust and critical demands of defence operations.
With the Defence Forces undergoing significant change and restructuring. Paul sees considerable opportunity to support the Defence Forces through the identification and delivery of effective equipment and service solutions.
“These changes will need to be supported and equipped over the coming years. Searching out solutions through existing partners and through new partnerships and fitting these solutions to the requirements of the Defence Forces is an extremely exciting prospect.”
Bringing operational insight into Daniel Technologies
Paul believes his experience on both the operational and procurement sides of Defence will enable him to provide a valuable perspective to Daniel Technologies, its customers and supplier partners.
“I hope to bring 24 years of Defence experience to Daniel Technologies. I have a very good understanding of how the Defence Forces train and deploy operationally, and how they operate from a procurement and supply chain perspective. I think I can interpret this experience for the benefit of Daniel Technologies and the companies we support.”
Daniel Technologies is particularly pleased to welcome Paul at a time of significant development and transformation across Ireland’s Defence sector. His combination of engineering expertise, operational experience and procurement knowledge will further strengthen the company’s ability to understand customer requirements and connect them with high-quality, fit-for-purpose solutions from its supplier network.
Outside of work
Away from Daniel Technologies, Paul is married to his wife of almost 20 years and is a father to two teenage boys. He coaches at his local GAA club and, as he puts it, spends plenty of time as a “part-time taxi service” bringing his sons to hurling, football, rugby and scouts.
He is also a keen snowboarder and hiker, follows Ireland and Connacht rugby, supports his home county of Galway in hurling, and enjoys the occasional whiskey.
Daniel Technologies is delighted to welcome Paul to the team and looks forward to the experience, knowledge and perspective he will bring to the business, our customers and our partners.
