Dana Strong appointed chief executive of Sky

Former head of UPC Ireland succeeds Jeremy Darroch

New Sky Group chief executive Dana Strong, who once headed UPC Ireland. Photograph: Getty
New Sky Group chief executive Dana Strong, who once headed UPC Ireland. Photograph: Getty

Dana Strong has been appointed chief executive of Sky Group by its American parent company Comcast.

Ms Strong, who previously headed up the Irish operations of cable operator UPC, replaces Sky's long-serving British chief executive Jeremy Darroch, who has stepped down after 13 years. Mr Darroch will serve as executive chairman throughout 2021 and then act as an adviser to the company.

US telecoms giant Comcast acquired London-headquartered Sky in a £30 billion (€34 billion) deal in October 2018, outbidding Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox in the race for the European pay-TV and broadcast company.

Ms Strong joined Comcast in early 2018 as president of consumer services for Comcast Cable, leaving her role as chief operations officer of Liberty Global-owned Virgin Media.

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The Ohio-born media and telecoms industry executive served as chief executive of UPC Ireland between 2011 and 2013 during a key time for its rollout of broadband infrastructure in the State. The company has since rebranded to Virgin Media Ireland.

Sky’s Irish operations are led by chief executive JD Buckley.

Laura Slattery

Laura Slattery

Laura Slattery is an Irish Times journalist writing about media, advertising and other business topics