
A day in the life with luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell


Galway native Ashley McDonnell gives us a glimpse into her life in Paris, her favourite haunts when she visits home, and the road that led her to success in the luxury space.
At just 30 years old, Galway girl Ashley McDonnell is already an award-winning Irish entrepreneur and is currently the powerhouse behind PUIG’s beauty and fashion division, with an impressive CV and effervescent style that oozes confidence.
At her home base in Paris, her official title is PUIG’s director of the consumer engagement team and she works with an impressive range of major brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, Rabanne, Jean Paul Gaultier and Carolina Herrera.
The young entrepreneur says the role is a dream come true, as she’s felt destined for the industry from a young age. “I’ve wanted to work with luxury brands since I was 16 when I attended a Dior exhibition in London.” Ashley attended DCU and earned a double major in business and French, before pursuing her master’s at UCD Michael Smurfit and HEC Paris, alongside an array of internships in Paris. “I ultimately decided that if I wanted to succeed within the industry, I needed to speak fluent French and have a strong education – the major luxury groups hire from a select few business schools in France.”
She was offered an end-of-studies internship at the headquarters of LVMH group, the world’s largest luxury conglomerate, which led to her first full-time role within one of their largest houses: Dior. “It took a few years, but my first full-time role as digital manager in Paris was for Dior’s travel retail division at their global headquarters.”