Cormac Loughlin

Cormac is our founder, Managing Director and, depending on who you ask, glorious leader.

He originally trained as an accountant, but thankfully realised early enough that spreadsheets and month-end were never going to be his destiny. Recruitment was. He went on to build a successful career in the industry, ultimately holding senior leadership roles within one of Ireland’s largest recruitment businesses before deciding it was time to build something of his own.

His timing was less than impeccable.

Cormac founded Fortis in early 2020. Days later, the world shut down.

Not exactly the ideal conditions for launching a recruitment business, but strong businesses tend to be forged in difficult times. 

A global pandemic, inflation, a cost-of-living crisis, wars, economic uncertainty and whatever tariff Donald Trump announced that morning have all had a go since. Fortis kept moving.

More than six years later, what started with Cormac and an idea has become a growing team, multiple specialist recruitment businesses, an acquisition and a company that looks very different from the one he started from home in 2020.

Outside Fortis, and when Cormac is not spending time with his young family, there’s horse racing. Calling Cormac a fan probably doesn’t quite cover it. He is the office oracle on form, trainers, jockeys, courses and pretty much anything else involving a starting gate. Ask him about a horse running at Leopardstown three years ago and there’s an unsettling chance he’ll remember how it finished.

Founder. Recruiter. Reluctant accountant. Racing encyclopaedia.

Fortis was probably the safer bet.