Poko announces partnership with rugby legend Rob Kearney
Poko is thrilled to embark on an impressive new business collaboration with rugby legend Rob Kearney. The former Ireland rugby star is adding to his range of business interests with an investment and partnership deal with the award-winning Irish skincare brand. By teaming up with such a well-known Irish figure, Poko is cementing a new step towards an unstoppable upward trajectory.
As one of the British and Irish Lions and Ireland’s most decorated and well-loved rugby players, Rob Kearney’s list of accomplishments is truly unrivalled. These include being one of Ireland's top ten most-capped players (95 caps), two Six Nations Grand Slams in 2009 and 2013, with four Six Nation Titles (2009, 2014, 2015, 2018). He also participated in British and Irish Lions tours to South Africa (2009) and Australia (2013), and three Rugby World Cups.
With 219 appearances during his 15-year career at Leinster, four European Cup Titles, and six Pro-14 medals (2008) under his belt, Rob Kearney is, without a doubt, one of the greats. That same year, Kearney proved a triple threat, claiming three different titles: European Player of the Year, Leinster Player of the Year, and IRUPA Player of the Year.
Rob Kearney: Sports Star Turned Entrepreneur
In addition to an illustrious rugby career, Kearney also has a successful track record in business development and strategic management. As an experienced exec and non-exec director across various industries, with experience in stakeholder engagement, he wears many hats. He also has a successful track record in business development and strategic management. All this goes hand-in-hand with Kearney’s shareholder involvement in a number of businesses, plus several leadership posts during his career. This includes seven years as chair of the Irish Rugby Players Association.
With an eye firmly focused on future growth, it comes as no surprise the sports star turned entrepreneur has teamed up with such an exciting business. According to Kearney, the cruelty-free, vegan skincare brand is one that aligns with his core values. Poko uses natural ingredients infused with high-quality hemp for people to achieve better skin or to help manage a range of skin problems, from acne to rosacea.
“I’m really excited to be partnering with a skincare brand like Poko,” Kearney said.
He also highlighted what drew him to the brand, continuing, “I find the stigma around male skincare in particular really needs to improve. Poko provides a unisex product to the market which I love.”
Poko boasts a completely unisex skincare range, with clean beauty products formulated with potent, natural ingredients for everyone to use. Kearney hopes this brand will appeal to the burgeoning male beauty market as much as it does to women. After all, hemp is a powerful and versatile substance that should appeal to anyone looking for effective skincare products.
Justine O’Hanlon, Poko’s co-founder, added to this, saying, “We’ve always had a focus on providing skincare for everyone, and creating a brand like Poko allowed us to reach male and female audiences.” She also commented that Kearney’s presence could inspire more people to take better care of their skin. “Having Rob on our side to promote skin health is so important for us, and we can’t wait to see what the next two years hold,” she said.
The Poko Story
Poko’s many awards and accolades clearly appeal to Kearney, whose own reel of accomplishments is hard to beat. With several awards under its belt – including the 2021 Beauty Bible Awards for its Correcting Eye Cream, and the Your Healthy Living Award for its Luxury Facial Oil – Poko is only going from strength to strength. There’s no doubt that these are the first of many wins. Boasting good-quality, luxury skincare at an accessible price point, Poko isn’t just here to stay; it’s here to revolutionise the beauty industry.
Understandably, O’Hanlon is extremely excited about the upcoming collaboration. “I’m very inspired by Rob’s career and to see the enthusiasm he has shown for our brand,” she said. She also hinted that Kearney could influence and help expand Poko’s current range, saying, “He’s an incredible entrepreneur and we’re really excited to work with him and bring innovative new products to our range.”
With its list of vegan-friendly, cruelty-free products, Poko seems to have cornered the market on niche skincare. However, there’s no doubt that Rob Kearney’s presence will spell new and exciting things for the niche skincare brand.