Group Directors

 
Vanessa Slowey, CEO, Digicel Pacific Ltd.

Vanessa has over 15 years senior management experience within some of the most successful telecommunications companies around the globe.

She was appointed CEO of Digicel Pacific in June 2006, and holds responsibility for the overall management, performance and growth of one of the most dynamic and fast-growing companies in the Pacific region. The company presently has operations in Fiji, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu, employing over 1100 people across the region.

Prior to taking up her present role in Digicel Pacific, Vanessa held a number of positions within Digicel Caribbean, which she joined in August 2003, including General Manager (Digicel Anguilla), Commercial Director (Digicel Trinidad & Tobago) and Marketing Director (Digicel Haiti). Vanessa also worked on the rollout and launch of the company’s networks in Barbados and the Cayman Islands.

Before joining Digicel, Vanessa worked with the Caudwell Group, one of the largest phone distributors in the world. Prior to this, she worked in Ireland at Eircell (now Vodafone) and Eircom, the national landline operator in Ireland.

Vanessa was educated in Marketing and Project Management at the Irish Management Institution, the Dublin Institute of Technology and University College Dublin.


Niamh Byrne, Marketing Director

Niamh has over 10 years experience in the telecommunications industry.

Niamh joined Digicel Pacific in September 2006 as Marketing Director, and is responsible for ensuring that the brand is dynamic and consistent across all Pacific markets. Niamh has overall responsibility for advertising, brand development and communications, promotions and event management, public relations, market research, product development and sponsorship. Since her arrival in 2006, Niamh has over seen the successful launches of all six operations: - Fiji, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

Before joining Digicel, Niamh spent almost 4 years at Orange where she held various positions. She joined as Group Head of Media Relations, and then became Director of Media, Sponsorship and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Previous to that, Niamh was Global Head of Marketing for the Telecoms practice at Arthur D. Little, management consulting firm. Niamh also worked for BT in London, and prior to that she worked for the Accor group in Paris.

She also spent a year at Comic Relief working on Live 8 and the Make Poverty History campaigns. Niamh also worked on the marketing launch of Esat Digifone in Ireland in 1996.

Niamh holds a BA Honours degree in Business Studies and Political Science from Trinity College Dublin, and an advanced diploma in French.


David Dillon, General Counsel

David joined Digicel Pacific in 2006 as General Counsel, and holds responsibility for the Legal and Regulatory affairs for all operations in the Pacific. This means advising from the early phases of liberalization, licensing and acquisitions to the pre-launch phases of financing, site acquisition and network roll out to the day-to-day operational phase following a commercial launch.

Prior to joining Digicel Pacific, David was formerly General Counsel for Digicel Group in the Caribbean.

Before joining Digicel, David previously headed up the Competition and Regulatory Practice of Eugene F.Collins and prior to that was with the internationally acclaimed law firm, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher L.L.P. His time was divided between providing advice for, and in defense of, private companies and counseling to the European Commission and Government institutions regarding both policy development and enforcement strategy.

David attended Christian Brothers College and Clongowes Wood College. He graduated from University College Cork with a Bachelor of Civil Law Degree.


Eugene O'Shaughnessy, CTO

Eugene has over 12 years senior management experience in the telecommunications industry.

Eugene was appointed Chief Technical Officer in September 2008, and is responsible for the rollout and running of Technical and IT infrastructure affairs of the Digicel companies in the Pacific. These tasks include the design and implementation of, new networks, prepaid charging platform, post billing, reporting, and all IT infrastructures. Eugene has successfully overseen all six Digicel launches in the Pacific: - Fiji, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

Prior to taking up his present role, Eugene held the position of IT Director when he joined in August 2006. Eugene was instrumental in all five market launches throughout the Pacific.

Before joining Digicel, Eugene worked for Esat Digifone who were bought out by BT and then became O2 communications. He has spent over 10 years designing, implementing and upgrading the IT infrastructure for O2 Ireland and O2 UK.

Eugene attended St Colman’s College, Fermoy and graduated from University College Cork with a Bachelor of Science.


Sandra Dillon, Human Resources Director

Sandra has over 12 years senior management experience.

Sandra joined Digicel Pacific in March 2007 as Human Resources Director. Sandra has responsibility for the overall establishment of a responsive, robust and dynamic Human Resources function in the region. In August 2008, her portfolio was extended to include Learning and Development. Digicel Pacific currently employs over 1100 employees across the six  markets: - Fiji, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

Prior to joining Digicel, Sandra worked with Dell EMEA, as a Senior Human Resources Manager, and then became Deputy HR Director for Dell (EMF) Operations, in Ireland.

During her career she has worked in a HR management capacity with Dell EMEA, Wyeth International, Field Boxmore Packaging Plc, and Dairygold. She has also served in a voluntary capacity on the board of People Action Against Unemployment Partnership as an IBEC representative.

Sandra holds an MSc. in Human Resources from University of Leicester, UK.


Michael Murphy, Chief Financial Office

Prior to joining Digicel, Mike was Finance Director of Breeo Foods Limited, a leading Irish food company with operations in Ireland, UK and Holland. Prior to this Mike was Group Financial Controller of Dairygold Co-op responsible for all aspects of financial and treasury management. In addition to this experience, Mike has also worked for Statoil Ireland Limited in various financial positions.

He received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University College Cork and is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.


Frank O'Carroll, Business Development Director

Frank was Digicel’s first employee in April 1999 when the company set about completing an assessment of the opportunities in the liberalizing telecommunications markets across the Caribbean region, which led to acquiring Digicel’s first licence in the year 2000 in Jamaica. During his time as Business Development Director for Digicel in the Caribbean region, the company also secured telecommunications licences in Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Aruba, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Grenada and Dominica and well established foundations were set across the rest of the Caribbean.

Prior to joining Digicel, Frank was Personal Assistant to Denis O’Brien from February 1997 and worked across a number of his companies including Communicorp Group, Esat Telecom Group plc and many of Mr. O’Brien’s personal investments in real estate, utilities and communications. Frank was Company Secretary of Communicorp Group and of Esat Telecom Group plc during which time it listed on the stock exchanges Nasdaq, Easdaq and Iseq. Frank also worked on successful licence and funding applications in Ireland for 98FM, Special Olympics 2003 World Summer Games, Spin FM, Boxer Ireland and Media Lab Europe.

Before joining Mr. O’Brien, Frank was Programme Manager of the Marketing Development Programme at the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business in University College Dublin from July 1992. Previous to that, Frank completed commercial projects in Ireland for Premier Dairies Group, the Department of Tourism, Mitsubishi Electric and the Telecom Eireann/France Telecom joint venture, Minitel.

Frank holds degrees in Commerce (Banking & Finance), Marketing and Management from University College Dublin.