Sinéad McSweeney named new managing director of Twitter in Ireland

12 Dec 2016

Twitter logo. Image: tanuha2001/Shutterstock

Having been one of the first to join its operations in Ireland, Sinéad McSweeney has been named as Twitter’s managing director for Ireland, replacing Mark Little.

As one of the first to join the Twitter team when it opened its first office in Dublin in 2012, Sinéad McSweeney becomes one of the latest high-profile appointments in Silicon Docks.

She has been named as managing director for Ireland, replacing Storyful founder Mark Little, who announced he was to step aside from the role earlier this month.

In addition to her role as the head of Twitter’s operations in Ireland, she will also be vice-president of public policy and communications for the social network’s EMEA region.

Prior to joining Twitter, McSweeney was director of communications for An Garda Síochána from 2007 to 2012 and before that, the director of media and public relations for the Police Service of Northern Ireland between 2004 and 2007.

A native of Midleton, Co Cork, McSweeney is also a qualified barrister who has held a range of political advisory positions in the Irish Government, including roles as special adviser to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and, prior to that, at the Attorney General’s office.

Twitter’s COO Anthony Noto announced the news at the company’s headquarters in San Francisco, saying: “I have had the pleasure of working with Sinéad since I joined Twitter and I have seen first-hand how she exemplifies Twitter’s culture and leadership.

“She will bring this wealth of experience to the role of managing director of our EMEA headquarters in Dublin and I have no doubt that she will be an inspirational leader for the team.”

Turbulent times at Twitter

“I am delighted to take on the role of managing director of Twitter in Ireland,” said McSweeney.

“Having been one of the first members of the Twitter team in Ireland, I have watched the office grow and its people develop over the past four and half years. The challenge of leading this great group of people through the next phase is one that I am excited to embrace.”

McSweeney enters the role during turbulent times for Twitter as her predecessor lasted less than a year in the position.

In reaction to Twitter’s decision to shed 9pc of its workforce as part of a major restructuring, Little said he declined the opportunity to move to the US where Twitter was moving much of its management team, saying it was “not the right fit”.

Twitter logo. Image: tanuha2001/Shutterstock

Colm Gorey was a senior journalist with Silicon Republic

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