Former Enterprise Ireland CEO Frank Ryan has been appointed chairperson designate of the board of IDA Ireland.

Announcing the appointment, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton said: "Frank Ryan, with over 35 years' experience in supporting the economic development of Ireland is ideally placed to oversee the next phase of the growth of the multinational sector."

Mr Ryan recently retired as chief executive of Enterprise Ireland, having served two five year terms from 2003-2012, during which time jobs and exports from exporting Irish companies hit record levels. Exports from Irish companies increased from €9.6 billion in 2003 to a record high of €16.2billion in 2012, despite the crisis.

A native of Co Louth, Mr Ryan previously spent 25 years with IDA Ireland, serving in North America from 1979 to 1983 and was a member of the team who successfully attracted the Intel investment to Ireland in 1989. Today, Intel employs more than 4,000 people at Leixlip, Co. Kildare with an associated investment of $7 billion.

Prior to the IDA, he worked for 6 years in the ICT industry.

“Frank is uniquely positioned to oversee the increased collaboration between the multinational sector and our innovative Irish companies that is so important to our economic recovery,” Mr Bruton said.