Donnelly appointed ESB deputy chief executive

THE ESB has appointed group finance director Tony Donnelly as deputy chief executive of the company.

Mr Donnelly joined the State-owned company in 1963.

He has held a number of senior financial management roles, including group financial controller, prior to his appointment as finance director in 1997.

He was project manager of the major change process, the Cost and Competitiveness Review, which was implemented in the 1990s.

“I am confident Tony Donnelly’s wide knowledge and experience of ESB will ensure success in this new role,” said ESB chief executive Padraig McManus yesterday.

“His assistance and support will be critical to the continued progress and development of the ESB and the achievement of the company’s challenging targets.”

Mr Donnelly is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from UCD as well as a Master of Business Administration degree from Fordham University in New York. He is a trustee of the ESB Superannuation Fund.

Meanwhile, sources have dismissed reports that Minister Dermot Ahern was furious with the ESB’s plans to raise money through a loan issue.

The Minister was reported to be angered that he had not been informed about the €850m loan.

The Government clashed with the ESB two years ago over its plans to buy an electricity network in Poland and vetoed the deal.

A spokesman for the minister would not comment on the report.