Chartered accountant with a varied career in industry

DERRY HUSSEY'S bedside manner already has got one stamp of approval. His wife, Gemma, the former Fine Gael minister, wrote in her diaries about his support, saying she rang him once "for consolation" after a tough day at the Dail grindstone.

The 62-year-old chartered accountant was born in Dublin. He was educated at St Mary's in Rathmines and went on to complete a degree in commerce at UCD. His first job was with the tyre manufacturer, Dunlop.

He then joined the farm machinery company, Massey Ferguson. In 1965 he joined a group of companies which became the Jones Group in 1972. It was involved in manufacturing, distribution and shipping.

Mr Hussey was a key figure in the flotation of the Jones Group on the stock market in 1973, which was almost 40 times oversubscribed - a record at the time. He stepped down from his position as financial director of the group in 1993 to become a non-executive director.

The board was questioned at its a.g.m. that year about the financial settlement Mr Hussey would receive for giving up his executive post. Its' chairman, Mr Denis Magee, told the a.g.m. that the terms were being negotiated and they would be "in keeping with company law".

Almost a year later the annual report revealed that Mr Hussey was paid £105,000 in compensation. Mr Magee, who also stepped down as executive chairman received £135,000.

After serving his five-year contract Mr Hussey will be over 65 by the time he steps down as VHI chairman.

He is a non-executive director of nine other firms. They are Jones Management Ltd, Jones Staff Society Ltd, Elier Development Ltd, Henry Investment Ltd, Aldwich Investment Co, Dublin Shipping, Ballycullen Farms Ltd, Caf Ltd and the Chris Jones Trust Co. He is also a non-executive director of Focus Point Ireland, the charity working with the homeless.

Along with his VHI chairmanship he will be represented on the board of 12 companies. A spokesman for Mr Hussey said yesterday his other directorships were "not of any enormous significance".