RTÉ’s Commercial Director Geraldine O’Leary has announced her early retirement from the broadcaster.
The announcement comes hours after the new RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst confirmed his plans to step down the broadcaster’s entire executive board.
In an email to RTÉ staff sent this morning, Mr Bakhurst said the board would be replaced by an interim leadership team until a permanent executive is created.
That came shortly after RTÉ Director of Strategy Rory Coveney resigned his position and this afternoon, Ms O’Leary followed suit.
“My career at RTÉ is a great source of pride and honour to me,” she said in a statement.
“Bringing my retirement forward by a number of weeks is not something I had anticipated; however, I recognise that a fresh leadership team, starting today, is vital, as Kevin Bakhurst sets out to renew RTÉ, and I have agreed to facilitate that.
NEW: Geraldine O'Leary has announced early retirement from RTÉ as Commercial Director
She says she hasn't anticipated bringing forward her retirement but wanted to facilitate a fresh start for Kevin Bakhurst
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) July 10, 2023
She said the talented commercial team at RTÉ would “continue to cooperate fully with all requests for information”.
“I would like to thank them along with my industry colleagues and friends, past and present, who have shown me much-needed support in recent weeks.”
Mr Bakhurst formally took over the Director General role today – noting that all options for the future financial stability of RTÉ are on the table.
He has committed to publishing the salaries of the Executive Board along with the ten highest paid presenters in the RTE annual report every year.
He refused to rule out selling of parts of the broadcaster, saying “we have to look at everything we do and what we can afford to around doing.
“Maybe RTÉ has to be smaller in years to come,” he said.
Mr Bakhurst is taking over following weeks of upheaval at the broadcaster since the Ryan Tubridy pay scandal came to light.
Mr Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly are due to come before the Oireachtas tomorrow to answer questions on the saga.
You can watch live and follow our live blog of the hearing from 11am tomorrow.
