E-net, the Limerick-based company which manages the State’s broadband network, has appointed former Energis managing director Conal Henry to head up the company. He replaces founding CEO Michael Tiernan, who will remain on the company’s board.
The company has also appointed chief operating officer and technical director Tom Savage to its board.
E-Net is currently responsible for running 27 MANs (Metropolitan Area Networks) on behalf of the Government. These are: Athlone, Ballina, Bunbeg, Carlow, Carrick-on-Shannon, Clonmel, Cork, Dungarvan, Galway, Letterkenny, Limerick, Manorhamilton, Mullingar, Portlaoise, Roscommon, Tullamore, Waterford, Kilkenny, Kiltimagh, Wexford, Carrickmacross, Cavan town, Drogheda, Dundalk, Kingscourt, Monaghan and Sligo. The network will be eventually expanded to cover 120 towns.
E-Net runs these fibre networks on behalf of the Government, operating as an independent wholesaler by providing access to the MANs to a range of telecoms operators and service providers including Aurora, BT Ireland, Chorus, ESB Telecom and Eircom. For example, in September it signed major deals with ESB Telecom and BT Ireland to connect all the MANs together on a fibre network.
E-net chairman Eoin O’Driscoll paid tribute to Michael Tiernan’s “vision and determination which had made the whole venture possible” and said he was delighted that someone of Henry’s experience and calibre was joining the company.
Prior to joining E-net, Henry was managing director of Energis Ireland, which was acquired last year by Cable & Wireless. He previously held senior positions in large companies such as Ryanair, Procter & Gamble, Asda Stores and First Active.
Outgoing CEO Tiernan commented: “E-net has broken the mould in the development of broadband infrastructure in Ireland and we will play a key role in shaping the emerging new market based on open access infrastructure.
“We believe that Conal is an ideal choice to lead the company forward in this new market and that this is the right time to make such an appointment.”
By John Kennedy
