Telecommunications Industry Ireland appoints JD Buckley, Chief Executive Officer of Sky Ireland, as Chair
Telecommunications Industry Ireland, the Ibec group representing the telecommunications sector, is pleased to announce the appointment of JD Buckley, Chief Executive Officer of Sky Ireland, as its new Chair.
Commenting on his appointment, JD Buckley said: "I’m delighted to be taking up the mantle as Chair of Telecommunications Industry Ireland. Industries across Ireland are digitising to remain competitive and telecommunications is the backbone of that transition. The pandemic accelerated the development of Ireland’s digital economy, and I am proud to be part of an industry that allowed people to connect and businesses to operate at such a critical time.”
On the importance of the telecoms industry for the Irish economy, Buckley noted that “The telecoms sector employs 25,000 people, has invested approximately €3.3 billion in the network over the past 5 years, and is estimated to contribute circa €2.5 billion to the economy annually.
“I look forward to working closely with the Board and our stakeholders to spotlight and advance the positive contribution the sector makes to Ireland socially, culturally, and economically.”
As Chief Executive Officer of Sky Ireland, JD has led the Irish business since 2012 and is responsible for Sky’s consumer and media divisions, driving the growth of the overall business and leading a team of 1,000 employees in Ireland. Under JD’s leadership, the Sky Ireland business has doubled over the last 8 years with the launch of Sky Broadband, Sky Q, its streaming service, NOW and most recently, Sky Glass. JD is also a member of the Sky Group Executive. Prior to joining Sky, JD held senior roles with international mobile operator, Digicel, and was a strategy consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers.
