Don Moore retires

On Wednesday May 31st, Don Moore said his goodbyes and took his leave from ESB and ESBI after almost 37 years of dedicated and loyal service.

Following his graduation from UCC in his native Cork in 1969, Don joined ESB and was initially appointed to the Turlough Hill Site, where one of the most challenging and interesting civil engineering projects in Ireland was being undertaken–a preview of the impact that Don would have in the company in the coming years.

In 1973, Don took up duty in the Civil Works Department where he worked on a range of projects and rose swiftly up the 'corporate ladder.' 1981 saw Don become involved in a project that was to heavily influence his career and many other careers in ESB, a project that was to have a major impact on ESB itself.

This was the Jubail project. ESB worked with Bechtel to design the Distribution infrastructure for the City of Jubail in Saudi Arabia and Don was appointed to the Jubail office in Haddington Road under the leadership of the ESB Distribution Department, headed up by Michael Hayden. As part of the project Don was given responsibility for the first multidisciplinary team ever to work in ESB.

This was to be the start of Don's consultancy bug and the rest of his career was spent travelling the world representing ESB and ultimately ESBI in selling our wares. From then on, Don's career grew in line with the growth and expansion of ESB's Consulting or External Activities business.

He was Business Development Manager for Eastern Europe and in the 1980s, along with John Gunning, he opened up Vietnam, a country that up to then was a "closed shop," a tremendous achievement for an Irish company. From the work in Vietnam, ESB branched out and grew the South East Asia business which we still enjoy today.

In 1994, Don was appointed Managing Director ESBI Consultants and in 1997, he was appointed MD of ESBI Engineering. In 2002 he was appointed MD ESBI, a position from which he has continued to drive the growth and success of ESBI right up to today.

He has also been a tremendous ambassador for ESB and Ireland, gaining respect from senior government officials and senior managers in countries where we work right across the globe. This reflects the high standards and professionalism which Don has exhibited throughout his career in ESB.

Don has recently been elected President of the Irish Exporters Association-a reflection of the respect and esteem with which he is held in the business community. Don is foremost an ESBI man and has played an enormous role in the development of the ESBI business that we have today. He has been unrelenting in his commitment and his work towards achieving success in the international business and has never spared himself in that goal.

The success that the company enjoys today is built on the hard work and dedication of a number of pioneering people who believed that ESBI could happen, and one of the foremost amongst them is Don Moore. We wish Don, Anne and family good health and happiness in the future years ahead.