Denis O'Brien facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Denis O'Brien
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O'Brien in 2014
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| Born | 19 April 1958 Cork, Ireland
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| Education | The High School, Dublin |
| Alma mater |
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| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Chairman and Founder of Digicel Group |
| Title | Executive Chairman Digicel |
| Spouse(s) |
Catherine Walsh
(m. 1997) |
| Children | 4 |
Denis O'Brien (born 19 April 1958) is a very successful Irish businessman. He is best known as the founder and owner of Digicel, a big telecommunications company. For many years, he was considered one of Ireland's wealthiest people. His business interests have included many different areas, like renting out airplanes, supporting utility services, and even owning a small part of the football club Celtic F.C.. He is also involved in helping others through various charity activities.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Denis O'Brien was born in Cork city, Ireland, on April 19, 1958. He grew up in Ballsbridge, a part of Dublin. His father owned companies that sold medical supplies and horse nutrition. From a young age, Denis learned about business by going on trips with his father.
He went to The High School in Rathgar. When he was 14, his first job was working as a bellhop at a hotel. At 15, he started cleaning buildings.
In 1977, Denis earned a degree in politics, history, and logic from University College Dublin. He also received a scholarship to study at Boston College in the United States, where he completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
Business Journey
Denis O'Brien has spent most of his career in the world of communications and media. He has also been involved in energy, aviation, and industrial services.
Starting Out
After finishing his studies, Denis worked briefly at a small investment bank in Dublin. He then became a personal assistant to Tony Ryan, who owned a company that leased airplanes. This experience helped him learn more about the business world.
Communications and Media Companies
Communicorp
Until 2021, Denis O'Brien owned Communicorp, a large media company that operated across Europe. He started this company in Ireland in 1989. It owned popular independent radio stations like Newstalk and Today FM. Communicorp also expanded into other countries before some stations were sold. In 2021, he sold Communicorp to another media company.
Esat Telecom and Esat Digifone
In 1991, O'Brien created a telecommunications group called Esat Telecom. This company aimed to compete with the main state-owned phone company in Ireland. Esat, working with a Norwegian company called Telenor, successfully won a license to operate Ireland's second mobile phone network. This new mobile company was called Esat Digifone.
In 2000, O'Brien sold Esat to another large telecommunications company, reportedly making a lot of money from the sale.
Aergo Capital
In 1999, Denis O'Brien helped start Aergo Capital, a company that leased airplanes. He owned a large part of this company. Aergo Capital bought and sold many aircraft over the years. In 2014, O'Brien sold his share of the company.
Independent News & Media
In the late 2000s, O'Brien started buying shares in Independent News & Media (INM), a major newspaper and media group. He eventually owned a significant portion of the company. In 2019, O'Brien sold his shares in INM to a Belgian media group.
Digicel
In 2001, Denis O'Brien founded Digicel, a telecommunications company that operates in the Caribbean, Central America, and the Asia Pacific region. He used the money from his previous business sale to build a wireless network in Jamaica. Digicel quickly grew and now operates in many countries.
Along with the company, O'Brien also created the Digicel Foundation. This foundation works with local groups to build schools and health centers, and to help communities recover after disasters. For example, after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, O'Brien pledged a large amount of money to help with recovery efforts. For his contributions, he received awards from the governments of Haiti and Jamaica.
In 2020, Digicel went through a process to manage its debt, which was approved by its lenders. As part of this, O'Brien contributed some of his own assets to the company. In 2021, Digicel sold its operations in the Pacific region to an Australian telecommunications company.
Actavo
In 2012, O'Brien bought a company called Siteserv, which provides support services for utilities. In 2015, the company was renamed Actavo. Actavo has expanded its services, including working on fiber networks for Digicel in the Caribbean.
Topaz Energy
In 2013, O'Brien bought a large amount of debt related to Topaz Energy, a company that operated petrol stations. In 2014, Topaz announced it would buy all of Esso's operations in Ireland. In 2015, a Canadian company bought Topaz, completing the sale in 2016. At that time, Topaz was a very large player in the Irish fuel market.
Other Business Interests
In 1998, O'Brien bought a golf resort in Portugal called Quinta do Lago.
Football
Denis O'Brien has also been involved in football. Between 2008 and 2016, he provided financial support to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to help pay salaries for senior officials. In 2018, he was named an Honorary Life President of the FAI.
Since 2006, O'Brien has also owned a share in the Scottish football club Celtic F.C..
Investigations and Media Relations
Moriarty Tribunal
In 1997, a special investigation called the Moriarty Tribunal was set up in Ireland. It looked into how a mobile phone license was given to Esat Digifone, O'Brien's company. The tribunal's report, released many years later, discussed how a former government minister had helped O'Brien's company get the license. The tribunal's findings were not legally binding like a court decision.
Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC)
Denis O'Brien had loans from a state-owned bank called the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC). When this bank was being closed down in 2013, there were questions about the terms of his loans. This led to public discussions and investigations.
O'Brien took legal action to prevent some details about his banking affairs from being published by media outlets, arguing for his right to privacy. Later, much of the information was allowed to be published.
A special commission was set up to investigate transactions made by IBRC. This commission looked closely at the sale of Siteserv to O'Brien's company. In 2022, the commission released its final report. It stated that while the sale was done "in good faith," it was based on "misleading and incomplete information." However, the report also said there was no evidence that O'Brien received special interest rates or had an improper relationship with bank executives.
Relationship with the Media
Denis O'Brien has been involved in several legal cases with media organizations. These cases often involved him suing newspapers or journalists for defamation, claiming that published articles had harmed his reputation. He has also sought to protect his privacy regarding certain financial information.
Recognition
In 2006, Denis O'Brien received an honorary Doctor of Law degree from his former university, University College Dublin.
In 2019, the Irish-US Council gave O'Brien an award for his outstanding achievements in building connections between Ireland and the United States.
Personal Life
Denis O'Brien married Catherine Walsh in 1997, and they have four children. His sister, Abigail O'Brien, is a well-known artist. For tax purposes, Denis O'Brien lives in Malta.
Helping Others
In 2000, O'Brien created the Iris O'Brien Foundation, named after his mother. Through this foundation, he supports many charitable causes. He also helped start Front Line Defenders in 2001, an organization that works to protect human rights activists around the world. He remains its chairman.
O'Brien was a key supporter of the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games held in Ireland. In 2004, he helped establish the Digicel Foundation, which has funded thousands of community projects in the Caribbean and Pacific regions.
He has also worked with the Clinton Global Initiative, especially after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. He helped rebuild important places like the Iron Market in Port-au-Prince and contributed to building many schools. For his efforts in Haiti, he was named a goodwill ambassador for Port-au-Prince and received an award from former U.S. President Bill Clinton.
In 2015, O'Brien set up a special scholarship for Irish students to get an MBA degree from Boston College.
Wealth
As of early 2020, Forbes magazine estimated Denis O'Brien's wealth to be around $3.2 billion.
He has lived in different countries, including Portugal and Malta, which can be related to tax reasons.
Images for kids
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O'Brien in 2014
