Chairman has track record

The new chairman of Telecom Eireann, Mr Brian Thompson, is described as "capable and focused" by those who have met him during his time in Ireland.

A quiet spoken American with family connections in the Republic, he is described as an international "heavy hitter" in the telecommunications sector, where he has spent most of his working life.

Sources said he was the first individual approached about the job and the Department was "extremely happy" when he accepted.

His current association with Ireland comes through chairing the Telecommunications Advisory Committee set up by the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke last year.

She complimented Mr Thompson on his role as chairman and said he made "sparks fly". As chairman, he regularly presided over three-hour "brainstorming" sessions. Officials who worked with him said his input to the report of the advisory committee was crucial.

He retired in December as vicechairman of Qwest, one of the largest telecommunications conglomerates in the world, which specialises in state-of-the-art image, data and voice communications. He had taken that position in June 1998 when Qwest merged with LCI, where he was chairman and chief executive officer.

Under Mr Thompson's manage ment, LCI's turnover increased from $220 million (#188 million) in 1991 to $1.6 billion in 1997.

Mr Thompson previously served as executive vice-president of MCI Communications from 1981 to 1990, with responsibility for the company's eight operating divisions.

During this period the company's turnover grew from $230 million to $8 billion.

Prior to this he was a management consultant in the Washington DC offices of McKinsey & Company for nine years, where he specialised in telecommunications.