Openreach has confirmed a senior leadership appointment in Northern Ireland, with Lauren McGaughey formally taking on the role of Director after a year leading the team on an acting basis. Former Director Garret Kavanagh will move into a new UK-wide role on his return from family leave.
Lauren joined Openreach in 2013 and brings extensive experience across commercial and network operations. Over the past year she has successfully led the Northern Ireland business, overseeing strong progress on broadband upgrades across the region and making ultra-reliable full fibre technology available to 92 per cent of Northern Ireland.
Lauren McGaughey, Director of Openreach Northern Ireland said: “I’m delighted to be asked to lead the team in Northern Ireland. Openreach’s investment and delivery has already secured Northern Ireland’s place as the most digitally connected region in the UK, and I’m excited to build on that momentum by connecting even more homes and businesses to faster, reliable broadband. We now have a unique competitive advantage – particularly for businesses – with opportunities to scale, attract investment and operate with the confidence of fast, dependable connectivity.”
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Garret Kavanagh, who has led Openreach Northern Ireland for the past four years, has been appointed Managing Director for Complex Engineering at Openreach, and he’ll take up the UK role in April, following a period of family leave. Garret said: “Lauren’s been leading our Northern Ireland team with real distinction over the past year, so this is a natural next step. She combines deep operational experience with a strong commitment to customers and communities, and I’m confident she’ll continue to build on the outstanding progress we’ve made.
“It’s been a privilege to play my part in delivering one of the most ambitious infrastructure upgrade programmes anywhere in the UK. As I move into my new role I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together - building the highest level of full fibre coverage in the UK and creating a strong leadership team that will continue to drive better outcomes for Northern Ireland.”
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