Killian Daly, executive director of non-profit organisation EnergyTag and the only Irish participant in the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leader Class of 2026, has been named Cork Person of the Month for July in recognition of his work promoting the development of clean energy.
Killian’s groundbreaking work in the sustainability sector led to his recent recognition by the World Economic Forum, where he was chosen to join their latest Young Global Leaders Class for 2026. This initiative brings together exceptional individuals under the age of 40 from a range of backgrounds to engage in executive learning, peer exchange, and cross-sector collaboration.
In participating in this programme, Killian joins an impressive list of past attendees including global names such as Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Schumacher and Roger Federer.
Through his work at EnergyTag, which he joined in 2021, Killian plays an instrumental role in working towards a clean, affordable, and secure global power system that is available at all times, not just when it’s windy or sunny. The non-profit pushes for global reforms to reward the use of renewables, energy storage and flexible demand to deliver affordable, reliable clean electricity.
Killian is a passionate advocate for long duration batteries, which allow for the energy developed through solar farms or wind turbines to be stored and deployed for use when needed. He was invited to the White House along with other members of EnergyTag’s team during the Biden administration, to discuss how their work can play a role in decarbonising the global economy.
UCC GRADUATE
From Rochestown, Killian’s potential was clear from a young age. He attended secondary school at Presentation Brothers College, where he achieved 600 points in his Leaving Certificate in 2009, before graduating from UCC with a First Class Honours degree in Energy Engineering in 2013. He went on to attend the prestigious University of Cambridge where he graduated with an MPhil in Energy Technologies in 2014, and gained an MBA from Paris’s Collége des Ingénieurs in 2015.
“I am humbled to receive this recognition from my home county,” Killian said on receiving his Cork Person of the Month award. “Although I no longer live in Cork, it remains in my heart every day and my successes owe a great deal to my background in this city. The lessons, support, and community spirit I experienced growing up in Rochestown and attending Presentation Brothers College and UCC, continue to guide my approach to tackling the major challenges the globe is facing today.”
Awards organiser, Manus O’Callaghan, praised Killian’s achievements.
“Killian is a visionary whose work is playing an enormous role in creating a more sustainable future. By accelerating the transition towards renewable energy, he is building a vital legacy for future generations to inherit. It is a source of immense pride for Cork to see one of our own driving such important change on the world stage, and he is a thoroughly deserving recipient of July’s Cork Person of the Month Award.”
Killian’s name will now go forward alongside the other monthly winners for possible selection as Cork Person of the Year at the annual Gala Awards Lunch on January 29th, 2027.
