Fran Kehoe, Director in PwC Ireland's Capital Projects and Infrastructure team, joins the judging panel for the National Procurement Awards 2026, bringing a career that spans strategic procurement, commercial advisory, public sector governance, and military leadership across some of the most complex project environments imaginable.

A Chartered Management Accountant, Fran holds Master's degrees in Strategic Procurement from DCU and Management Accounting from Smurfit Business School, a combination of qualifications that reflects both the depth and breadth of his commitment to professional development across the disciplines most relevant to procurement excellence and financial governance.

In his current role at PwC Ireland, Fran advises clients on the development and implementation of procurement and commercial strategies for major infrastructure projects. His work supports organisations in delivering value for money, managing risk, and achieving project objectives from business case development through to contract award and delivery. That end-to-end perspective across the full procurement and commercial lifecycle is a particularly valuable asset in the context of evaluating the National Procurement Awards, where submissions span public procurement, strategic sourcing, and procurement transformation across Ireland's most complex organisations.

Fran also brings significant governance experience through his nine-year tenure as a Non-Executive Director of Volunteer Ireland, a role that required the kind of rigorous oversight, ethical procurement thinking, and stakeholder accountability that underpins credible public and voluntary sector governance.

Perhaps the most distinctive dimension of Fran's background is his service as a Commissioned Officer in the Irish Defence Forces, retiring at the rank of Commandant. His overseas deployments in Liberia, Kosovo, and Lebanon developed extensive leadership, operational, and governance experience under conditions that demand exceptional judgement, precision, and calm under pressure. Those qualities translate directly into how he approaches complex procurement advisory work and how he will evaluate submissions to the National Procurement Awards 2026.

The National Procurement Awards 2026 gala takes place on 22nd October at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry.

View the full list of judges here procurementawards.ie/judges, and subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date with announcements, shortlists, and event news.