In Short

A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

DCC appoints chief operating officer

DCC has appointed the managing director of its energy division, Tommy Breen, to the new position of chief operating officer.

Chief executive Jim Flavin said the appointment was in response to the increasing complexity and diversity of DCC's business. "It will give me more time to devote to strategic and developmental issues." The company also announced the resignation of Kevin Murray, the head of its healthcare business. Mr Murray will leave the firm at the end of June.

Financial services jobs could double

There is potential to double employment in the financial services industry despite globalisation and increased regulation, a senior tax partner with PWC said yesterday.

Pat Wall said he saw "huge capacity" for further growth but continued cross-Border co-operation was needed.

He was speaking at the Finance Dublin conference in Dublin Castle yesterday.

The financial services industry must act honestly and ethically if it wants a regulatory system that allows it to manage itself, the new chief executive of the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority said at the same conference.

Patrick Neary said the competence and probity of the directors and managers of firms was critical to the regulator's principles-based system of supervision.

Enron lawyers wrap up testimony

US prosecutors yesterday dropped three charges against Jeffrey Skilling and one charge against Kenneth Lay as they wrapped up two months of testimony in the fraud and conspiracy trial against Enron's former chief executives.

US District Court Judge Sim Lake agreed to drop two counts of securities fraud and one count of making false statements to auditors against Mr Skilling and one count of securities fraud against Mr Lay. - (Financial Times service)

Ryanair announces six new routes

Ryanair has announced six new routes from its base in Pisa to Doncaster, Friedrichshafen, Karlsruhe Baden, Osla, Trapani and Valencia. The flights will begin from September.

The airline said it would result in an additional 200,000 passengers a year.

Anglo predicts lower drop in eps

Anglo Irish Bank said yesterday that the introduction of new international accounting standards would result in a 3 per cent reduction in earnings per share for the year ended last September. The bank had previously indicated the reduction would be 4 per cent.

IN&M head makes €719,000 on shares

Ivan Fallon, the head of Independent News & Media's UK operations, has made a paper profit of more than €719,000 following the exercise of share options. He exercised options of over 726,447 shares at a price of €1.5532 each on Monday.

Conroy Diamonds to sell 12.5m shares

Conroy Diamonds and Gold is to raise £500,000 (€720,000) in a share placing to fund exploration projects and the maintenance and renewal of licences. The group plans to sell as many as 12.5 million shares at four pence each.

Dealings are expected to commence on April 18th.

Successful drilling for Pan Andean

Oil and gas group Pan Andean yesterday announced the successful drilling of a third well at one of its sites in the Gulf of Mexico.