Buckley set to reclaim place on INM’s board

Independent News & Media shareholders are set to vote Cork-born businessman Leslie Buckley back onto the group’s board on Monday.

Mr Buckley — chairman and co-owner of international online recruitment specialist Saongroup — became the first director of a high-profile Irish plc to be voted off a board, when he was ousted at INM’s 2011 AGM, cutting Denis O’Brien’s board-level representation.

Things at INM have changed dramatically in the 14 months since, with Mr O’Brien cementing his dominant shareholder position by increasing his stake to 29.9%, financier Dermot Desmond increasing his influence, and the O’Reilly family involvement being heavily diluted, with Gavin O’Reilly being replaced as chief executive by Vincent Crowley.