The Managing Director of Television at RTÉ Glen Killane has announced his departure from the organisation to take up a new role with telecom group eir.
He will head up the company's TV business, including the recently rebranded eir Sport (formerly Setanta sport) as well as all sports related sponsorships.
Eir launched itself into the television market three years ago, however earlier this week it announced a significant increase in it's broadcast offering after it announced that its TV sports pack would be made available to all its broadband subscribers. Eir sport has also secured the exclusive Irish rights to the 2019 Rugby world cup.
The move is a significant coup for the company as Killane had been one of RTÉ's most senior executives and had been considered one of the front runners for the Director General position which went to the former president and managing director of Discovery Networks Northern Europe, Dee Forbes.
During his time as Managing Director of television with the broadcaster, he was responsible for RTE's centenary project, RTE 1916, and also oversaw the launch of the children's channel RTEjr, expanded comedy content and the introduction of dramas such as Love Hate and Rebellion.
He also has a strong track record in sports and previously held the position of Group Head of Sport with RTÉ.
In a statement he said that it had been "a huge privilege to lead RTÉ Television over the past six years, to serve the Irish audience and to work with such a talented and dedicated group of people."
The Acting Director-General of RTÉ, Kevin Bakhurst, has paid tribute to Killane whom he described as "a tremendous leader, colleague and a huge asset to RTÉ and public service broadcasting."
He said that vacant position will be temporarily filled while the process to recruit a replacement gets underway.
