Gavin O'Reilly

Gavin Karl O'Reilly (born 17 December 1966) is a Dublin-born businessman with Irish and Australian citizenship, the second son and fourth child of Irish media magnate Tony O'Reilly and Australian Susan Cameron.^[1] He is Worldwide CEO of The Agency Group Limited, and lives in London.^[2] He was until 2012, Group chief executive officer of Independent News and Media, the largest press group in Ireland and South Africa, with almost 200 titles and a readership of over 100 million.^[3] He is also the former President of the World Association of Newspapers (2005–2010),^[4] and a director of the Ireland Funds.^[4]

Early life

O'Reilly was born, the eldest of triplets, and fourth of six children, in 1966, in Dublin. He was brought up in Dublin and Kilcullen, Ireland and Fox Chapel, Pittsburgh, USA.^[1] After a year at Harrow School,^[1] he completed school at Clongowes Wood,^[5] a private school near one of the then main family homes, Castlemartin in Kildare

After taking his Irish Leaving Certificate exam in 1985, he went to London, taking a summer job in advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach^[5] (now part of DDB Needham), and staying there for around two years.^[4] He then attended Georgetown University School of Business but interrupted his studies to work as a stockbroker in Hong Kong and London, before finishing his degree with honours.^[5]

Career

INM

In 1993, O'Reilly was hired by the public company led by his father, Independent News and Media plc (INM). He initially worked on the Independent Directory. He was appointed CEO of the Irish operations of INM in 1999 and oversaw the move of the company's printing operations to Citywest Business Park in 2000.^[6] He was additionally made Group chief operating officer in December 2001^[4] and appointed to the board in 2004. He was Chairman of APN News & Media in Australia from 2008 - 2012, in which INM held a controlling stake.

In 2004, he was elected First Vice-President^[7] of the World Association of Newspapers.,^[8] and then re-elected in June 2006, and June 2008. When it merged with IFRA in 2009 to form the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, he was elected as the first President of the merged association, to hold office until 30 June 2011.^[9]

In late March 2008, at a company Annual Meeting not attended by his father, he launched an attack on the second-largest shareholder in Independent News and Media, telecoms entrepreneur Denis O'Brien, who has been building a stake in the company which nearly rivals that of the O'Reilly family.^[10]

On Friday 13 March 2009, INM announced the departure as CEO and board member of Tony O'Reilly, and the promotion of Gavin O'Reilly to CEO. along with a reduction in the board from 17 to 10 and the appointment of 3 Denis O'Brien nominees immediately.^[3] On 19 April 2012, he stepped down as chief executive of Independent News & Media, ending 39 years of direct control by his family of Ireland's largest media group.

Despite being the CEO of an Irish domiciled plc and owning a home in Dublin 70% of O'Reilly's remuneration was paid into an off-shore Jersey entity.^[11]

Other roles

In May 2012, O’Reilly was appointed CEO of The Agency Group Limited, which represents over 2,000 musicians, speakers and authors. He is chairman of Dromoland Castle,^[12] non-executive Chairman of BM Polyco,^[13][14] a director of TVC PLC,^[15] and a director of Jagran Prakashan.^[16] He is a Trustee of the O'Reilly Foundation and Vice-President of United Europe.^[17]

He is also the former Chairman of the National Newspapers of Ireland, a former director of Norkom Technologies, Ashford Castle and numerous charitable foundations, including the Ireland Funds.^[18] He is a Trustee of the O'Reilly Foundation().

Personal life

O'Reilly married model and former James Bond-girl actress Alison Doody on 25 June 1994, at family residence Castlemartin, with 560 guests present. Making their home at Bartra House,^[19] a 10,000 sq ft (930 m²) home overlooking the sea in Dalkey, purchased in 1996, with neighbours including singer Enya and U2 guitarist The Edge, the marriage produced two daughters (Alanna in 1996; Lauren in 1999). They divorced in 2006.^[5] He married Danish-national, Christina Grimm in December 2012, with whom he has 2 children (Carl Lucas in 2007; Carolina in 2011).

References

• Cork, Ireland, 19 December 2001: Irish Examiner, "Gavin O'Reilly likely heir apparent to take over father's mantle" – Conor Keane.
• Dublin, Ireland, February 2002: The Dubliner, "Independent Man" – Trevor White.
• London, The Observer, 27 January 2008: "O'Reilly junior proves passion for print is in the genes / But Gavin insists Independent News & Media is not a family heirloom", James Robinson The Observer, retrieved online 27 March 2008 ()