Michael Cawley served as Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer of Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline from 2002-14. He originally joined the airline in 1997 as CFO before the company’s IPO and was centrally involved in securing listings on the Dublin, London and Nasdaq stock exchanges. When Cawley joined Ryanair... Read more
Michael Cawley served as Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer of Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline from 2002-14.
He originally joined the airline in 1997 as CFO before the company’s IPO and was centrally involved in securing listings on the Dublin, London and Nasdaq stock exchanges. When Cawley joined Ryanair it had 9 aircraft, flew 8 routes and carried less than 3 million passengers annually. In the year prior to his retirement in 2014, the airline had grown to 300 aircraft, operated 1600 routes and carried 82 million passengers. During his time at Ryanair the market value of the airline grew from E400 million to over E10 billion.
Michael Cawley played a central role in the planning and execution of this growth. As second in command he was centrally involved in all major strategic decisions taken from 1997 to 2014, during which the face of air travel in Europe was changed forever. He developed the commercial side of the business, identifying and negotiating with suitable airport candidates, designing and operating the most profitable route network in Europe and developing the world’s number one performer in ancillary revenue.
Cawley previously worked in the motor distribution business with Gowan Group, one of Ireland’s largest private companies and prior to that led a management buy-out in Athlone Extrusions, a plastics manufacturer. He is a chartered accountant and a commerce graduate of University College Cork, where he lectured in accounting.
Michael Cawley has spoken widely in Europe, Africa and the U.S. on the travel and airline business, management, strategy and finance. After stepping down from a full time role in Ryanair Michael was appointed Chairman of Failte Ireland, the Irish national tourism development authority. Though he resigned from this position in August 2020. He is currently a non executive director of several companies including Ryanair and Paddy Power plc.
You can book Michael Cawley through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Michael's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Michael Cawley's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Michael tailored to your event.
Michael Cawley speaks on a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Michael to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Michael Cawley for events worldwide, subject to Michael's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Michael Cawley is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Michael can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Michael Cawley on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Michael can offer.
Michael Cawley delivers keynotes in English. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Michael Cawley's areas of expertise include a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. To get a clear sense of Michael's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Michael Cawley can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in a range of business, leadership and industry subjects is relevant. Details of Michael's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Michael Cawley is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Michael Cawley, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Michael's current availability for your dates.