An honours degree graduate of Media Communications & English from Mary Immaculate, University of Limerick, Gabrielle Cummins has been CEO & Programme Director of Ireland’s first regional, music driven radio station, Beat 102-103 since 2006. Gabrielle was part of the original consortium panel that secured the station’s licence in 2002. When Beat launched in 2003, the Tipperary native was Head of News & Sport.
Gabrielle is passionate about contributing to the ongoing success of not just Beat but radio in general, as it strives to grow its consistent market leading role in Ireland’s audio landscape. She was a founding member of Ireland’s biggest radio sales house, Media Central & served as a Director of IBI for eight years. In October 2019, Gabrielle was honoured by the Irish radio sector with a national IMRO Outstanding Achievement award for her work with “Choose Radio”. This was a nationwide industry initiative to raise the profile around the powerful effectiveness of radio advertising.
When Ireland hosted Radiodays Europe in 2014, Gabrielle presented on youth radio with other Irish Programme Directors. In 2017, she was a member of the Radiodays Europe programming team which she describes as one of the most rewarding experiences of her media career. She is delighted to be back this year, presenting on her favourite subject, youth radio!
Outside of radio, Gabrielle sporadically writes articles for the Irish Times & earlier this year became Chairperson of renowned event space, Theatre Royal Waterford. Gabrielle lives in Ireland’s oldest city with her husband Andrew and two children Kate and Peter.