Denis O'Brien's mobile phone group Digicel is to establish a corporate base in Dublin from where group chief executive Colm Delves and other senior members of its management team will oversee its operations, which cover 30 markets in the Caribbean, central America and the Pacific Islands.
The company is believed to have secured offices on Shelbourne Road in Dublin for a team of executives and support staff.
CEO returns home
It is understood these changes reflect a desire by Mr Delves to return home to Ireland with his family. In late 2012, Mr Delves acquired Bartra House, an eight-bedroom property in Dalkey, Co Dublin, for about €3 million from Gavin O'Reilly, the former chief executive of Independent News & Media.
Mr Delves joined Digicel as chief financial officer in May 2004 and was appointed chief executive in July 2005. He has been based in Jamaica, which was Digicel’s first market in 2001.
While the company’s corporate base has traditionally been in Jamaica, Digicel Group Ltd, the overarching company for its markets, is incorporated in Bermuda.
Among the other executives expected to relocate back to Ireland are chief financial officer Lawrence Hickey and Brian Devine, its head of investor relations.
No comment was available from Digicel on its decision to establish a base here.
Digicel recently missed out on winning a mobile licence in Burma, where the economy is being opened up following years of repressive military rule.
Last month, the group said that its revenues rose by 8 per cent in the year to the end of March 2013 to $2.78 billion while its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation increased by 11 per cent to $1.2 billion.
