Aer Lingus appoints trade union high flyer to sit on board
AER Lingus yesterday ended more than a year of speculation by finally appointing trade union boss David Begg to the airline's board.
Mr Begg's impending appointment was first mooted in the run-up to the airline's September 2006 floatation.
At the time, the company declined to confirm reports of the upcoming appointment.
Yesterday, however, a brief announcement from Aer Lingus noted Mr Begg had been appointed as a non-executive director after being nominated by the Aer Lingus Share Ownership Trust, which is controlled by the airline's staff.
Best known as general secretary of umbrella group the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Mr Begg also acts as a non-executive director of the Central Bank. Yesterday's announcement means the trade unionist becomes the airline's 13th director with immediate effect.
Aer Lingus employees are also represented at board level by London corporate lawyer Michael Johns, who acted as legal adviser to Eircom's employee share ownership trust for a number of years.
- Laura Noonan
