Michael fingleton biography

Michael Fingleton is a former chief executive of Irish Nationwide Building Society. He joined the building society in 1971 and retired in April 2009 as the effects of the 2008–2012 Irish banking crisis became apparent.

He is known as "Fingers" in the banking community.^[1]

Early life and career

Michael Fingleton was born in Tubbercurry, County Sligo in 1938, the son of a local Garda. He attended St Nathy's school in Ballaghaderreen, and in later years UCD, TCD and Kings Inns.^[2] He attended a seminary, but quit before taking his vows.^[3]

In the early 1960s, he joined Allied Irish Finance and simultaneously began studying commerce.

On earning his degree, he went to the Dairy Disposal Agency, a state body that took over defunct creameries in the west of Ireland. During this period, he studied at night to become a chartered accountant.^[3]

Following this, he joined aid agency Concern and from 1969 he spent a number of y