Clonmel BID appoints May Stokes as Chief Executive
Clonmel Business Improvement District (BID) has appointed May Stokes as its first chief executive officer.
Ms Stokes will take up the role on September 1 2026, leading the delivery of the organisation’s 2026–2031 Business Plan.
The appointment follows a competitive recruitment process launched after Clonmel BID was formally established in summer 2026, when Tipperary County Council ratified the scheme following an 85pc plebiscite majority among the town’s business community.
Patrick O’Gorman, chairperson of Clonmel BID, said: “On behalf of the Board, I am delighted to welcome May as Clonmel BID’s first chief executive officer.
“This is a pivotal appointment for Clonmel. May brings the energy, commercial awareness and stakeholder experience we need to turn our business plan into action, and the Board looks forward to working closely with her as we deliver real change for our town centre businesses and the wider community. The work now moves into an exciting new phase.”
As chief executive officer, Ms Stokes will manage the day-to-day operations of Clonmel BID, working closely with levy payers, the Board, Tipperary County Council, An Garda Síochána, County Tipperary Chamber, tourism partners and community organisations to deliver the BID’s programme across its five strategic pillars: safety on the streets, marketing and promotion, revitalisation and infrastructure, business support, and tourism development and visitor experience.
Ms Stokes said “I am honoured to be appointed as the first chief executive officer of Clonmel BID, and I want to thank the Board for their confidence in me.
“Clonmel has enormous potential, and I am looking forward to working with businesses, the Council and our partners across the town to deliver a programme that makes a real, visible difference. I can’t wait to get started.”
Ms Stokes will be based at Clonmel BID’s office at Regus, The Ormonde Centre, Gladstone Street, Clonmel.
Clonmel BID is a Business Improvement District established under the Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Act 2006.
The proposal to establish the BID in Clonmel was formally passed in June, with 32 of Tipperary’s 40 councillors voting in favour of it.
Mayor of Clonmel Cllr Pat English formally proposed the motion, while Fine Gael Cllr John Fitzgerald seconded it.