Ms Coates joined Bank of Ireland as Head of Health in 2014, where she is responsible for the continuing development of the bank’s growth strategy in the health sector. She has extensive senior clinical and executive national and international experience in the health and regulatory sectors, with specialist knowledge and experience in clinical and corporate governance of health and social care organisations, including hospitals, nursing homes and pharmacies.

Hilary originally qualified as a nurse from St Vincent’s University Hospital and worked in a variety of clinical and executive roles, including Director of Nursing. Recent roles include; Head of Healthcare Regulation in the Health Information and Quality Authority where she led many quality reviews and investigations; Patient Safety Advisor to the World Health Organisation where she was involved in setting up the Clean Care is Safer Care and Safe Surgery Saves Lives Programmes; and Academic Programme Director in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland where she established the first post-graduate diploma programme in quality and patient safety and the Leadership and Management Programmes for doctors.

Ms Coates has an MBA from Smurfit Business School and post-graduate qualifications in; healthcare management; corporate governance; healthcare risk management; and executive and business coaching.