In 1996, Carolan Lennon left her permanent, pensionable job to return to university and complete an MBA. Leaving a secure role, and having recently taken on a mortgage, it was a risky play. However, her decision marked the beginning of a stellar career in the Telecoms sector.

After a number of successful years with Vodafone, Carolan went on to join Ireland’s largest telecommunications company, eir, as MD of its Wholesale division. Tasked with rolling out broadband to 300,000 homes across Ireland, Lennon is fiercely proud of what she achieved with the time and budget allowed (connecting 338,000 homes) and staunchly defends the company against its critics.

Today, as eir’s first ever female CEO, Carolan Lennon is overseeing the company’s €1bn investment programme to move Ireland’s connectivity to the next level. Having been acquired by telco billionaire Xavier Niel in 2018, Lennon believes that the technologies and synergies now available to eir will be transformative for the country.

In this episode of EY CEO Outlook, Carolan Lennon tells Richard Curran about her rise to the top of one of the most competitive industries in Ireland, and her vision for how next-gen telecommunications will transform everything from healthcare to entertainment. They also talk about:

·        How the COVID-19 crisis has changed Carolan’s style of leadership for the better

·        Female representation in the telecommunications sector – the challenges and her successes in bringing more females into the senior management team

·        The experience of being owned by another telecommunications company, and what that means for Ireland’s connectivity

·        The other leaders Carolan most admires, her business mantra, and what she would like colleagues to say about her when she moves on from the role

·        Carolan’s love of horses, and how it inspired her second tattoo!