MEDIA:Independent News Media has appointed Terry Buckley as a non-executive director.

This brings to six the number of members of the company’s board, which was decimated either side of last month’s stormy agm.

Mr Buckley is managing director of Clear Channel Ireland since 1997. Its brands include Adshel street furniture. He is also a board member of the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland and a founder and chairman of Rockall Technologies. He was group marketing director of Allegro Group from 1995 to 1997, and also held senior positions with United Drug.

His appointment is thought to have met with the approval of Denis O’Brien, INM’s largest shareholder, who now has significant influence at board level following the departures of former chief executive Gavin O’Reilly and former chairman James Osborne. Mr O’Brien has two representatives on the board of INM – Paul Connolly and Lucy Gaffney. Mr O’Brien and Mr Buckley serve on the council of patrons of Special Olympics Ireland.

Mr Buckley’s appointment is the second since INM’s fractious agm, which also saw chief financial officer Donal Buggy removed from the board.