Eircom has recruited telecoms industry veteran Peter O'Connell as director of corporate strategy and regulation.

Mr O'Connell, who will also sit on the Eircom board, was a founding director of Australian telecoms group Optus Communications.

Optus Communications was owned primarily by Britain's Cable & Wireless and US regional operator BellSouth which merged with AT&T last year. Separately it has emerged that Eircom has recruited senior management from two of its rivals. John Quinn, Digiweb's head of strategic development, has recently joined Eircom as head of business management in its broadband division.

Mr Quinn had been a key executive in the telecommunications company which has its headquarters in Dundalk, Co Louth, and has been growing rapidly in recent years. Eamonn Walsh, country manager for Verizon Business and also responsible for its network operations in Britain and Ireland is now Eircom's general manager for core networks. Verizon Business was formed after Verizon merged with MCI/Worldcom last year. Industry sources have suggested that Eircom is paying well above market rates to attract these new executives and has plans to recruit two to three more.

Eircom also announced changes at its Meteor mobile subsidiary yesterday.

Chief executive Robert Haulbrook is stepping down to become chairman of Meteor. Larry Smith, Meteor's managing director will replace him.