2015

The Centre for Irish Business and Economic Performance at Queen’s Management School and Chief Executives’ Club at Queen’s recently jointly hosted an enjoyable evening with leading Irish entrepreneur, Denis O’Brien, Chairman of the Digicel Group, on Thursday 5 March, in Riddel Hall.

The event attracted almost 200 attendees to hear Mr O’Brien speak openly on all aspects of his business career, encompassing a range of ventures in Ireland and across the globe, in conversation with BBC NI business correspondent, Julian O’Neill. The wide-ranging discussion also explored Mr O’Brien’s philanthropic activities. Mr O’Brien mingled with, spoke to and posed for photos with many of those attending the reception ahead of the discussion.

Denis O'Brien is founder and Chairman of the privately-owned Digicel Group, one of the fastest growing mobile operators in the world, with operations in 33 markets globally. He is one of Ireland’s leading entrepreneurs with extensive investments across several sectors including international telecoms, radio, media, property, aircraft leasing, golf and other leisure interests. He also founded Communicorp Group which owns and manages a portfolio of media and broadcasting-related companies in Ireland and eight other European countries. He founded the Esat Telecom Group plc and built it throughout the 1990s until its sale to British Telecom plc for €2.4 billion. More recently, in 2013, he acquired the Topaz service station group and in 2014, the Dublin based Beacon Hospital. He has been appointed to the Broadband Commission for Digital Development.

Outside of his extensive business interests, Mr O’Brien chaired the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Ireland - the first time the Summer Games were staged outside the USA. He is Chairman of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Judging Panel, serves as a Director on the US Board of Concern Worldwide, and is the Chairman and Co-Founder of Frontline, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.  In 2000, Denis established The Iris O’Brien Foundation to identify and assist projects in Ireland and internationally which aim to alleviate disadvantaged communities. Mr O’Brien has been very much to the fore in rebuilding Haiti, after the horrific earthquake in 2010, including the development of 150 schools.

The Centre for Irish Business and Economic Performance (CIBEP), hosted by Queen’s University Management School, brings together interdisciplinary scholars researching business, economic and management performance on the island of Ireland. The aim is to contribute to growth by aiding the engagement of stakeholders in research-informed debate, the dissemination of research, and the provision of informed and independent data. 

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