Vodafone names new head of Irish operations

Vodafone has named Teresa Elder as the new head of its Irish operations, the first female chief executive to be appointed in the worldwide mobile phone group.

Ms Elder will replace Paul Donovan, who is moving to a new role with responsibility for the company’s operations in 10 markets, including Ireland.

Ms Elder, aged 43, who takes up the position on January 10, held senior executive positions with AT&T Broadband and Media One in the cable industry in the US, and was also a senior manager with mobile group AirTouch before its merger with Vodafone in 1999.

For the past two years, Ms Elder has worked on a voluntary basis for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and was honoured with their National Volunteer Award in 2003.

She was a recipient in 2000 of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Women in Cable and Telecommunications of Southern California, and holds a BS in business administration from Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, and an MS in management from Stanford University.

Speaking about her new post, Ms Elder said she was looking forward to the challenge of working in one of the most advanced mobile markets in the world.

"I am delighted to be joining Vodafone Ireland at such a chapter in its history,” she said.