BoI appoints tax exile O’Brien to senior post

BANK OF IRELAND has controversially appointed multi-millionaire tax exile Denis O’Brien as its new deputy chairman.

The Moriarty Tribunal is investigating the circumstances under which Mr O'Brien was awarded the licence to operate Ireland's second mobile phone network. He subsequently made around €300 million with the sale of his company Esat Telecom to telecoms giant BT.

The Portuguese-based businessman replaces Richard Burrows, the joint managing director of international drinks giant Pernod Ricard who became the bank's chairman following the retirement of Laurence Crowley earlier this year.