Minister plans to hire new executive for Trade Board

THE Minister for Tourism and Trade, Mr Kenny, is planning to revamp the Trade Board and, as a first step, is prepared to hire a new chief executive on a contract for a fixed term. This means that private sector managers may be attracted to apply, as well as internal candidates.

The current chief executive, Mr Alan McCarthy, is retiring by the middle of this year, and the search for his replacement is under way. A new chairman, Mr Sean Murray, was appointed to the board last September by the Minister.

The new chief executive will be able to make widespread changes in the way the Trade Board operates according to the Minister. "I want to see the trade board really develop," he said yesterday. "We are looking for someone with the ability to really grow the Trade Board - to lift the board and its significance," he added.

The normal salary scale for state company executives will not apply to the new chief executive post because it will be on the basis of three or five year contract. At present the salary is related to the Civil Service pay scale and is understood to be in the region of £55,000.

The Government is hoping to attract high calibre applicants from the private sector by offering a contract with a negotiable salary. However, a number of internal candidates are expected to apply for the job, due to be advertised later this month.

The decision to seek an outside candidate follows the recruitment from the private sector of an international marketing director for Bord Failte, the other major semi state under Mr Kenny's control.

Mr Noel Toolan was hired from the international drinks giant Grand Metropolitan following the recommendation of a firm of consultants to seek a professional marketer.

The Trade Board is one of three agencies co ordinated by Forfas, the umbrella body for industrial development. The two main organisations are IDA Ireland and Forbairt, the two agencies created out of the splitting, up of the old IDA.

In recent years the Trade Board has said it assisted indigenous companies to increase their share of overseas markets and significantly boost the overall level of exports.

However, the Trade Board has been criticised by the Irish Exporters Association, which said it had failed to carve out a niche for itself since the establishment of Forfas in 1993.

In addition, the IEA said the agency is expensive for the services it provides to exporters and fails to lobby on their behalf in the domestic environment.