New Eircom board announced


21 Jan 2010

Incumbent telecoms operator Eircom today announced the new membership of its board. The announcement comes following the successful completion of the acquisition of Eircom’s Australian-based parent, Eircom Holdings Limited (ERC), by Singapore Technologies Telemedia (ST Telemedia) and Eircom ESOP Trustee Limited (ESOT).

The new directors of Eircom are:

Ned Sullivan (Independent chairman)
Ned Sullivan was appointed as an independent director and chairman of the board of Eircom on 30 October, 2008. He is currently chairman of Greencore Group plc and McInerney Holdings plc. He is the former group managing director of Glanbia plc and has held various senior-management positions in Grand Metropolitan plc in London and Dublin. He holds both BComm and MBS degrees.

Jerome Barrett (Deputy chairman)
Jerome Barrett has been a director of Eircom Limited (and deputy chairman of the board) since 1 June, 2009. He was also appointed a director of the ERC Ireland entities on the same date. He has served as chairman of the Eircom ESOP since July 2004 and as a non-executive director of Eircom ESOP since August 2001. Barrett served as national officer of the Communications Workers Union from 1999 until his retirement in June 2009.

Tan Guong Ching
Tan Guong Ching serves as non-executive chairman of ST Telemedia, Asia Mobile Holdings Pte Ltd, StarHub Ltd, Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory Limited and IP Academy. Tan was formerly the CEO of Singapore’s Housing and Development Board, the nation’s public housing authority. During his career, Tan has initiated several major projects, such as the corporatisation of Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, the reorganisation of the former Telecommunications Authority of Singapore, neighbourhood policing, civil defence and commissioning of Singapore’s mass rapid transit system.

Lee Theng Kiat  
Lee Theng Kiat is president and chief executive officer and executive director of ST Telemedia. He spearheaded the formation of ST Telemedia and has led the company’s efforts in establishing itself as a leading wireless and global IP services company. Under his leadership, ST Telemedia has evolved into a significant information-communications company with operations and investments in the Asia Pacific region, the Americas and Europe. Prior to this, Lee held various senior level positions in the former Singapore Technologies (ST) group of companies overseeing its legal and strategic business development functions. Lee has served in the Singapore Legal Services for more than eight years before joining the ST Group.

Steven Terrell Clontz
Steven Terrell Clontz was recently appointed managing director – North America and Europe for ST Telemedia.  Until 31 December, 2009, Clontz was CEO of StarHub Ltd., where he had served since 1999. He continues to serve StarHub as a non-executive director. Clontz is a veteran in the telecommunications industry with 37 years of extensive experience in Fixed Networks, Mobile, and CableTV services. From 1996 through 1998, he served as president and chief executive officer of IPC Information Systems Inc., based in New York.  Prior to that, Clontz was a senior executive with BellSouth International, where he last served as president of BellSouth Asia/Pacific between 1992 and 1995. He presently serves as a non-executive director on the boards of Equinix and InterDigital Communications, both based in the USA.  He also serves on the executive committee of Global Crossing, based in the USA.

Greg Sparks
Gregory Sparks was appointed to the board of Eircom Limited on 27 May, 2009. He was also appointed as a director of the ERC entities on 1 June, 2009. He is a founding partner of FGS, Chartered Accountants. He holds a number of other board appointments, including The Irish Times and Digicel, the mobile operator in the Caribbean. He was a board member of the Special Olympics World Games and worked as programme manager for Dick Spring, a minister of the Irish Government from 1992 to 1997. He holds a BComm and is a member of the Taxation Institute of Ireland as well as a chartered accountant.

Paul Donovan, CEO
Paul Donovan has been CEO of Eircom Group since July 2009.  Donovan has significant telecom management and senior leadership experience from several markets in the world, including Asia Pacific and Africa.  Prior to his appointment as CEO of Eircom Group, he was chief executive, EMAPA Region for the Vodafone Group. His background includes a decade in the fast-moving consumer goods industry, before he moved into the technology sector, principally with BT and Vodafone. His career with Vodafone started 10 years ago and for the last five years, he has overseen Vodafone’s operations in subsidiaries in Eastern Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific. Africa, the US, India and China were added to his remit in 2006. As part of his role, he sat on the boards of numerous subsidiaries and joint ventures during this period.  He was elected as a non-executive director of Millicom International Cellular SA in May 2009.

Commenting on the announcement, Ned Sullivan, chairman, said: “I would like to welcome our new shareholders and directors to the Eircom board. I would also like to thank the retiring directors Colm Barrington, Nicky Hartery, Andrew Day, Peter Cross, Larry Smith and Cathal Magee for their contribution as directors of the company and acknowledge their collective and individual efforts over the past number of years.”

Photo: Paul Donovan, CEO of Eircom Group

Article courtesy of Businessandleadership.com