eir CEO and Chairman Designate Announcements
New CEO, Carolan Lennon - “One objective for eir – to provide the best mobile and broadband network to every household and business across Ireland through multi-year investments.”
(Issued 20 February 2018) - eir, the largest integrated telecommunications provider in Ireland, has been informed that NJJ Telecom Europe intends to announce the appointment of Carolan Lennon as Chief Executive Officer-designate and David McRedmond as Non-Executive Chairman-designate.
Both appointments will take effect after completion of the acquisition of a majority shareholding in eir by a consortium led by NJJ Telecom Europe. The acquisition is expected to complete in the first half of 2018.
Carolan Lennon joined eir in 2010 and is currently the Managing Director of eir's networks and wholesale division, open eir. In this role, Carolan has had responsibility for managing the installation and control of eir’s networks and broadband infrastructure across Ireland. Carolan currently manages the largest team of employees in eir and is leading the rollout to connect 300,000 homes in rural Ireland with fibre broadband. She has held this position since October 2016.
Carolan will take up the CEO role following Richard Moat’s recent announcement confirming his intention to step down as CEO. Richard joined the company in September 2012 as CFO and was appointed CEO in November 2014. eir would like to thank Richard Moat for his strong leadership, professionalism and commitment to eir and the very valuable contribution he has made to the company since joining.
David McRedmond is the Chief Executive Officer of An Post and will continue in that role which he has held since October 2016. David will take over at eir from Carl Leaver who will step down as Chairman after having taken up the role in September 2017.
David was previously the CEO of TV3 where he transformed the company into a major Irish broadcaster and content producer. Prior to TV3, David was the Commercial Director of Eircom (now eir) and the Managing Director of Eircom Enterprises.
Commenting on the appointments, a spokesperson for eir said:
“In Carolan Lennon, we are delighted to be in a position to appoint, as CEO, an exceptional leader from internally within the eir business. Carolan is an ideal candidate for the role having been with eir for more than seven years and having widespread knowledge of how the business operates. Carolan has contributed significantly to the management and success of eir and open eir in the last number of years. She will be instrumental in guiding eir through its next phase of growth and beyond.”
“David has an excellent track record of delivering success for prominent companies which are central to the Irish landscape. eir’s ability to attract someone of David’s calibre and experience is testimony to eir’s growing ambitions. His relevant experience and understanding of the sector will be of significant importance to the future success of eir.”
Commenting on her appointment, Carolan Lennon said: “I am excited about the opportunity to lead eir into what is a very exciting time for the company. The company’s new owners have significant telecommunications experience and a long track record of success. My priority and ambition is to work closely with the new owners on a strategic level to achieve one objective for eir – to provide the best mobile and broadband network to every household and business across Ireland through multi-year investments in innovative yet simple solutions. I believe this will be achieved through maximising efficiencies internally within the company and providing uncomplicated offerings and packages to Irish consumers and businesses.”
David McRedmond said: “I am honoured to have the opportunity to be the Chairman of eir, a company full of talent and capability. The potential for eir to exceed Irish people’s expectations for connectivity can now be delivered through its ownership by NJJ, pure play telco investors, and a management team focused on delivery. eir today is a good business and I hope in the years ahead it will become a great company.”
-ENDS-
For media queries, please contact:
Paul Bradley
eir
Director of Corporate Affairs
Tel: +353 1 600 4281
Mobile: +353 85 174 4281
Fran Moran
Powerscourt,
Consultant
Tel: +35315360681
Mobile: +353876268112
fran.moran@powerscourt-group.com
Notes to the Editor
About eir
eir is the largest integrated telecommunications provider in Ireland. It is the principal provider of fixed line telecommunications and is the third largest mobile operator. eir provides a range of converged services including high-speed broadband, voice, mobile data and enterprise datacomms, underpinned by a major capital investment program. Open eir is the largest wholesale operator in Ireland with 900,000 fixed broadband customers including 574,000 fibre connections. In 2013, eir was the first to market with high speed 4G data services in Ireland and now has 96% 4G coverage and over 1 million mobile customers. eir also offers an IPTV service, called eir vision and in 2016, following the acquisition of Setanta Sports (now eir Sport), launched an exciting range of exclusive sports content to its broadband customers for free.
In December 2017, a consortium led by NJJ Telecom Europe (“NJJ”), part of NJJ Group, the private investment firm of telecoms investor and operator Xavier Niel, along with Iliad SA (“Iliad”), a fully integrated operator in France with nearly 20m subscribers, agreed to acquire a majority of eir. The acquisition, which is conditional upon receipt of certain regulatory approvals, is expected to complete in the first half of 2018.
About Carolan Lennon
Carolan joined eir in 2010 and has held various senior roles in the company, including Acting Managing Director Consumer, where she had responsibility for both the fixed and mobile businesses, including the eircom, eMobile and Meteor brands, and subsequently Chief Commercial Officer Consumer. Prior to joining Eir, Carolan held a number of senior roles in the telecommunications and technology sectors, including Consumer Director and Marketing Director at Vodafone Ireland. Carolan is a former Non-Executive Director of the DIT Foundation and Idiro Analytics Limited. She is currently a Non-Executive Director of AIB Group Plc and the Irish Management Institute. She also currently sits on the Council of Patrons for Special Olympics Ireland. Carolan holds a Master of Business Administration from Trinity College, Dublin and a Bachelor of Science from University College Dublin.
About David McRedmond
Prior to TV3 and Eircom, David held senior roles in Waterstones, WH Smith Travel Retail and WH Smith Inc. David is a Director of Premier Lotteries Ireland DAC, the Ireland Funds and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. David is a native of Dublin, has completed executive management programmes at INSEAD and the UK Cabinet Office. He holds a Masters Degree in Modern Irish History from UCD.
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