The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
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
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked for a number of other regional titles in Limerick, Galway and Cork.
