AARON Forde has been named as the new chairman of the Board of Shannon Group. The announcement was made today by the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan .
Mr Forde will join the Board for a period of five-years and take up the position following an appearance before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications Networks.
Mr. Forde has a track record at a senior level with international leadership experience gained across Ireland and the UK. He was Chief Executive of Aurivo, a globally focused agri-business with a diverse business portfolio, for 16 years until stepped down at the end of 2019. In 2019, Aurivo recorded turnover of €446m and employed 650 people. Mr. Forde has previous board experience as Chairman of Ornua from 2013-2019, the Sligo Economic Forum, IBEC, Mid-west radio and the External Advisory Board of Institute of Technology, Sligo. He is also a director of a number of private companies and An Bord Iascaigh Mhara.
Welcoming the appointment, Mary Considine, CEO, Shannon Group said: “I would like to welcome Mr Forde to Shannon Group. I look forward to working with him and our fellow Board Directors as we continue to implement our recovery strategy in the wake of the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Central to this is our intention to double down and refocus on our mission to build sustainable livelihoods and a vibrant economy for our people and our regions, by shaping opportunities in aviation, property and tourism. Mr Forde, having led a global company located in the West of Ireland, brings with him a wealth of experience that will be an asset to Shannon Group.”
Commenting on his appointment, Mr Forde said: “I’m excited to work with the Board, the CEO and team to offer my experience to Shannon Group which, prior to Covid, had been playing a vital role, making a major contribution within the regional and national economy. Pre-Covid, its activities supported over 46,000 jobs, generated an economic impact of €3.6 billion per year, contributing €1.1 billion in Exchequer returns. I look forward to working with all at Shannon Group so that we can chart recovery and build back better and stronger.”
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.