Another member of RTE’s board of directors has resigned amid ongoing unrest at the national broadcaster.
It emerged that Dr PJ Mathews, a member of RTE’s board of directors for almost 10 years, was to resign just over a week after the resignation of the chairman of the board, Siun Ni Raghallaigh, following widely criticised comments by the Minister of Media.
Minister Catherine Martin refused to explicitly trust Mrs Ni Raghallaigh in a live televised appearance on Thursday night, saying she had been misinformed about the president’s role in approving a questionable exit plan for an RTE executive.
Ms Ni Raghallaigh resigned a few hours later, leaving the board as chair at a critical time for RTE.
Ms. Martin has been criticized for her handling of the situation, with opposition DTs claiming she had fired the president on the air.
On Friday morning, she met with the other members of the board and said she was “resolutely committed” to a government resolution on sustainable financing of RTE before the summer.
The Minister also reported the resignation of Dr Mathews, a member of the RTE Board of Directors for almost 10 years.
Martin said his next goal is to appoint a new president and more board members “very soon. “
In a statement, he said: “This morning I held a prospective meeting with RTE’s board of directors.
“I expressed my appreciation for the significant commitment shown through the Board during those eight very difficult months.
“The administrators briefed me on the work, on the board of directors and across the organization, on the new RTE strategy and the reforms implemented.
“I identified the determination and commitment that the former president had shown in this regard. I also highlighted the contribution of Dr. PJ Mathews, who informed me of his decision, for reasons, to resign from the Board of Directors.
He added: “I have also given assurances of my full commitment to a resolution on a new style of sustainable investing throughout the summer. “
The board of directors also considers the morning meeting “positive”.
A spokeswoman said: “The Board welcomed this open and constructive meeting, which focused on the long-term RTE and public service media.
“The Governing Board presented the Minister with the ongoing work on the new TENs strategy and discussed the importance of continuing this work following the publication of the reports of the specialised advisory committees appointed by the Government.
“The Minister and the Board of Directors paid tribute to the paintings of former President, Siun Ni Raghallaigh, and Board Member, Dr. PJ Mathews, who will be stepping down after nearly 10 years on the Board, due to professional commitments.
“The Board of Directors awaits the appointment of a new Chairman and new members. “
Meanwhile, RTE has appointed Mari Hurley as its new Chief Financial Officer.
Mari is a CFO highly specialized in defining and driving the strategic direction of global companies.
Kevin Bakhurst
Hurley, who will take up her role at the end of the summer, said: “I am very pleased to be joining RTE and its control team at this critical time for the organisation and for the long history of public media in Ireland.
“I am looking forward to running with RTE’s Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors, Audit and Risk Committee and Finance Team to expand RTE’s financial strategy and bring to RTE my experience of effectively leading and implementing upgrade and transformation programs, in line with the unique values and obligations of public service.
In the past she was CFO of AA Ireland, lottery operator Premier Lotteries Ireland, Hostelworld Group plc and Sherry FitzGerald Group.
Hurley, a UCC graduate with an executive control program at Harvard Business School, also has non-executive board experience at two of Ireland’s major semi-state entities: NAMA and Ervia.
RTE Chief Executive Kevin Bakhurst said: “Mari is a CFO who is highly adept at setting and driving the strategic direction of global businesses.
“Mari’s extensive experience in corporate finance means she is adept at embedding strong governance and security into regulated businesses. Its proven track record in developing systems for advanced governance, processes and the provision of normal reporting aligns strongly with RTE’s revamped transparency project. , accountability and smart governance.
He joins recent appointments to RTE’s oversight team, Gavin Deans, Chief Commercial Officer, and Daniel Coady, General Counsel.
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