Maurice Mortell, chief executive, Data Electronics
9th March 2010
Support future business leaders.
The successes of the Irish economy and its downfall have been well documented: an over-inflated property boom and easy access to credit.
We now need to concentrate on releasing some equity into the Irish banking sector to enable stable Irish businesses to grow and maintain their competitive edge.
Historically Ireland has been producing entrepreneurs of a high standard on a regular basis and thankfully we have been able to hang onto most of them in the economic conditions that existed. If we are complacent we will lose a new generation of innovators and businessmen. It is paramount that we foster the environment that will encourage and support the entrepreneurs of the future.
Where to concentrate these efforts is the challenge and to be fair the current Government has seen that Ireland’s future lies in the creation of a high-tech, innovative economy where our differentiators will be our skill sets, digital infrastructure and critical mass of businesses that feed off these requirements and services.
We have the opportunity within a European and global context to become a leader in the provision of such high-end services.
Our main focus should be on our education system, digital infrastructure and inward investment to maintain initially our current status but also to lay the foundations for future growth. This may all seem standard but ongoing investment in these areas will keep, nurture and develop new entrepreneurs long into the future.
Maurice Mortell's biography
Maurice Mortell joined Data Electronics in 1991 and was appointed chief executive in 2001. Mortell is a specialist in IT service capabilities and is responsible for the growth and development of the company. He plays a key role in the evolution of company policy, strategy and products.
Mortell has 17 years of experience in the telecoms and internet sectors in Ireland. During his time at Data Electronics he has held a number of senior management positions including financial controller and business development manager. In his capacity as CEO, Mortell has managed the expansion and growth of Data Electronics’ business and the development of a new facility at Northwest Business Park.
Having graduated in Business Studies from the College of Commerce, Mortell spent three years working in the chartered accountancy field before taking up his initial position in Data Electronics.
A seasoned IT specialist, Mortell is a regular speaker on the managed services and Data Centre markets in Ireland. A member of the Telecommunications Information Federation Committee (TIF), he also chairs the Outsourced Services Group within IBEC and sits on the Governing Board of ICT Ireland and the board of the Irish Internet Association.
