People
Shane Leahy
Group CEO - Oxygen8 Communications
Shane joined Oxygen8 in 2001 as CEO of Oxygen8 Ireland and oversaw the rapid development of that business. In October 2006, Shane became CEO of the Oxygen8 Group. He has 15 years experience working in senior roles within the telecommunications industry with Stentor, Nevada, Energis and Oxygen8. Prior to this he was a professional Rugby player for Munster and Ireland A.
Since becoming Group CEO, Shane has diversified the business into four core areas which include Business Solutions, Mobile Commerce, Mobile Marketing and Telecoms Infrastructure.
During this time Oxygen8 has significantly expanded its international presence with offices in London, Birmingham, Dublin, Johannesburg, Sydney, Dar es Salaam, Maputo, Nairobi, Barbados, Los Angles and Toronto. It is also in the process of developing offices in Rwanda, Uganda, Mexico, Chile, Argentina.
Ray Hanford
Chief Financial Officer - Oxygen8 Communications
Ray oversees and manages the finances of Oxygen8’s operations across the world which currently includes the UK, Ireland, Australia, USA, South Africa, Canada, Kenya, the Philippines, and the Caribbean.
He joined the Group in 2012 and brings a wealth of commercial and financial experience, having previously held CFO positions with Vodafone, Aircom International (backed by Advent International) and his most recent position being CFO of Newbay Software Ltd which he successfully managed the exit strategy to Research In Motion (RIM) in late 2011.
Bryan Flanagan
Head of Technical Development - Oxygen8 Communications
As head of the technical operations and with much experience in the technology and platforms market, Bryan is responsible for responding technically to changes and developments in the interactive services market in order to remain at the forefront of the industry. Bryan co-ordinates the development and management of services within Oxygen8 to capitalise on opportunities for business growth.
Amanda Boardman
Director of HR & Administration - Oxygen8 Communications
Amanda has over nine years' experience in the telecoms industry, and before that spent seven years in personnel and training. Joining the Telecoms sector in 2001, Amanda has developed and grown the Consumer Protection Department to become an integral part of the Oxygen8 group. In addition to her role managing the Group's human resources, she also deals with health and safety, legal matters, and regulatory issues.
Anne-Marie Fahrenkrug-Ortiz
Chief Executive Officer - USA & Canada
Anne-Marie joined Oxygen8 USA in January 2011. A veteran in the US wireless and premium rate industry, Anne-Marie is responsible for ensuring that Oxygen8 USA has the ability to capitalise on the large opportunities within the North American market (including Canada). The regulatory environment is extremely strict and the managing of compliance to this framework is paramount to Oxygen8's success in this market.
Brian Waluchio
Chief Executive Officer - Kenya
Brian is the CEO - Kenya for Oxygen8 Communications East Africa and he is responsible for the design, implementation and ongoing management of the company's marketing programme across Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique. A key focus for Brian is to develop a marketing strategy that will facilitate business growth in each territory, utilising his knowledge and experience of local markets, including copyright regulations, royalty requirements and cost of entry, in order to identify the best opportunities for business expansion.
Louise Ford
Chief Executive Officer - Australia
With 18 years experience in the Telecommunications Sector, Louise joined Oxygen8 in 2009 as Group Development Manager. Louise's early background at Cable and Wireless and AT&T in strategic business planning and marketing, combined with her successful track record in sales and generating revenue in the mobile space have made Louise a welcome addition to the Oxygen8 Team. Louise is based in Oxygen8's Sydney office.
Andre Kruger
Managing Director - South Africa
Andre joined Oxygen8 South Africa in 2007, as the Financial Manager before being swiftly promoted to Operational Manager. In May 2009 Andre became the Managing Director for the business. During this time Andre has brought on board leading network operators, local, national and international media groups as well as some of the world's leading brands and their advertising agencies. On a daily basis, Andre is responsible for managing the South African team, driving new business and ensuring compliance to all industry regulations.
Ray Tierney
Chief Executive Officer - Ireland
Ray has over 12 years experience in the telecoms industry, having previously worked with iTouch plc, Logica Mobile Networks and O2 Ireland. Ray has been instrumental in the growth of the Irish business which is focused on providing mobile marketing and business communications solutions to some of Ireland's leading companies and Government Agencies, including Aer Lingus, Paddy Power, Ladbrokes, McDonalds, O2, Permanent TSB Bank, UTV Radio, Communicorp Radio Group, TV3, Metro Herald, Ticketmaster and FÁS. Specifically as CEO of the Irish business, Ray is focused on expanding Oxygen8's professional services revenue stream which it offers in conjunction with its platform technology and global billing capability. In addition, he also leads Oxygen8's international expansion having recently established extended mobile billing capability for the Group beyond existing regional locations to over 12 countries, including Canada and a range of countries across Europe.
Kerry Morgan
Chief Executive Officer – South East Asia & Latin America
Kerry Morgan joined Oxygen8 in July 2011 as CEO for South East Asia and Latin America, and is responsible for company growth in these markets, including plans to open new offices in Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Mexico, Chile and Argentina. Having spent many years in Asia and Latin America, Kerry brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise surrounding the development, implementation and utilisation of emerging mobile and online digital services. He has held senior executive roles at Ericsson, Nokia, SK Telecom, Xius, Bharti Telesoft (now Comviva), Boku and most recently Hi-media/Allopass. Whilst holding those positions Kerry also worked with top venture companies Kholsa Ventures, Blue Run Ventures, Accel, New Venture Partners, and Index Ventures.
