RTÉ has begun the recruitment process for a new director general as seven year term of office of Dee Forbes comes to an end in July 2023.
Forbes joined the state-owned broadcaster in July 2016 from Discovery Networks Northern Europe, where she was president and managing director.
He tenure as director general has been marked by a series of annual losses and cost-cutting measures while she navigated the organisation through the choppy waters of Covid and several pleas with the Government to put it on a more sustainable financial footing. Her time in Donnybrook also coincided with the established of the Media Commission and the publication of the final report and recommendations of The Future of Media Commission.
RTÉ has retained the international executive recruitment firm Spencer Stuart to handle the recruitment process.
According to the RTÉ annual report for 2021, Forbes had a basic salary of €225,000 and also enjoyed a car allowance of €25,000 which along with pension contributions of €56,000 brought the overall package to €306,000.
According to the recruitment criteria for the new director general, the person appointed “must ensure RTÉ’s place in Irish public life, be culturally engaged, digitally knowledgeable and have strong editorial judgment.”
It also says that the successful candidate should have “a track record of successful leadership within complex organisation” and be able to ensure that the broadcaster “remains on a sound financial footing in a challenging commercial environment.”
