Eir’s structural overhaul a sign it will be going on the hard sell

Richard Moat has continued his overhaul of Eir with a wide-ranging management and divisional restructuring of the group, which is one of the favourites for the National Broadband Plan.

The small-business function, which targets SMEs for telecommunications services, has been hived off the business-to-business division and joined with the consumer division, which is led by Jon Florsheim.

This makes sense from a marketing point of view, as the communications strategy for selling services to a corner shop is vastly different to striking a large deal with a multinational. It’s not so different, however, from selling services to the general public.

Florsheim, who has overseen Eir’s move into broadcasting through the acquisition of Setanta, takes on the new role of chief commercial officer, and looks to be one of the winners from the shake-up.

Topline growth

Bill Archer will continue to lead the business division. Carolan Lennon, meanwhile, has been appointed managing director of Open Eir, which comprises Lennon’s old bailiwick of wholesale and also the networks division.

Lennon will continue to oversee the rollout of Eir’s fibre network, and her division will become of even greater importance if Eir picks up some or all of the State’s National Broadband Plan contracts.

Eir has also plucked Henry Drummer from Tesco. Drummer was chairman of Tesco Mobile, marketing director of the grocery group and a board member.

Now that Eir has returned to topline growth, shored up its balance sheet and taken on new investment, the company is focusing on trying to take its rivals’ market share.

The Drummer appointment, in particular, is a clear sign that Moat will intensify Eir’s focus on selling its products, after a period when it was very much focused on upgrading its network.

As regards its network , Eir has built it; Moat may believe now let them come.