Stephen Kavanagh, a seasoned C-suite leader and prior CEO of Aer Lingus, will be featured as part of the Florida State University College of Business’ Dean’s Speaker Series at 1:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 24, in the Rovetta Business Building, room 214.
The gathering is accessible to all business, hospitality, and sport management students at FSU. Kavanagh will elaborate on his professional background, insights, and achievements that have contributed to a vibrant career.
Kavanagh stepped down as CEO of Aer Lingus, Ireland’s national airline, in 2019 after a successful three-decade tenure. He occupied various top positions, including chief strategy and planning officer as well as chief commercial officer. He concluded his service as an independent board director in 2024.
During his time at Aer Lingus, he played a crucial role in the creation of a prosperous value model strategy that led the organization to expand by one-third, surpassing 2 billion euros in revenue, while also doubling the operating margin and achieving an industry-leading return on invested capital.
Kavanagh presently holds the position of non-executive director at CDB Aviation Finance, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Oman Air, and Oman Airports Company. Additionally, he co-chairs the College Football Classic Series in Dublin, Ireland, in which FSU participated during the 2024 season.
The College of Business has been recognized as the No. 12 Best College for Business in the United States, according to Niche’s 2025 top public universities standings. Among the various prestigious rankings of the college, its real estate program is positioned second nationally per the Real Estate Academic Leadership (REAL) rankings in 2024.
The Dr. William T. Hold/The Alliances Program in Risk Management and Insurance achieved a No. 4 ranking among the leading public and private RMI programs in the nation, as per U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2025” guide.
For additional details, visit calendar.fsu.edu/event/deans-speaker-series.
The article College of Business announces executive Stephen Kavanagh as distinguished speaker originally appeared on Florida State University News.