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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
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▲| birth_place = [[Cork (city)|Cork]], Ireland<ref name="carlos_slim">{{Cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/from-bell-boy-to-billionaire-obrien-had-real-business-flair-26715949.html |title=From bell boy to billionaire, O'Brien had real business flair |last=Kennedy |first=Edel |date=23 March 2011 |work=[[Irish Independent]] |access-date=17 April 2018}}</ref>
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'''Denis O'Brien''' (born 19 April 1958) is an Irish billionaire businessman, and the founder and owner of [[Digicel]].<ref name="
In 2021, O'Brien sold his stake in Communicorp<ref>{{Cite news |title=Denis O'Brien's Communicorp agrees €100m-plus sale to Bauer Media Audio |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/denis-o-brien-s-communicorp-agrees-100m-plus-sale-to-bauer-media-audio-1.4494816 |access-date=29 March 2023 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref> and the Pacific operations of Digicel. O'Brien engages in various philanthropic activities, including being on the board of [[Concern Worldwide]], founding the Iris O'Brien Foundation and establishing a fellowship at [[Boston College]]. In 2019, O'Brien earned the Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Irish-US Council.▼
▲'''Denis O'Brien''' (born 19 April 1958) is an Irish billionaire businessman, and the founder and owner of [[Digicel]].<ref name="carlos_slim" /><ref name=":7">{{Cite web|title=The rules of attraction|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/The-rules-of-attraction.593700|access-date=14 October 2020|website=Times of Malta|language=en-gb}}</ref> He was listed among the World's Top 200 Billionaires in 2015 and was Ireland's richest native-born citizen for a period of several years.<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Forbes' rich list names five Irish billionaires|url=https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/forbes-rich-list-names-five-irish-billionaires-31034976.html|access-date=14 October 2020|website=independent|language=en}}</ref> His business interests have also extended to aircraft leasing ([[Aergo Capital]]), utilities support ([[Actavo]]), petroleum ([[Topaz Energy]]), [[Association football|football]] (a minority shareholder of [[Celtic F.C.]]), and healthcare ([[Beacon Hospital]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Molloy |first=Tom |title=Businessman Denis O'Brien takes control of Beacon Hospital |url=https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/businessman-denis-obrien-takes-control-of-beacon-hospital-30163314.html |newspaper=Irish Independent |date=7 April 2014 |accessdate=28 March 2021}}</ref>). As former chairman of the [[Esat Digifone]] consortium, O'Brien was questioned by the [[Moriarty Tribunal]], which investigated the awarding of a mobile phone licence to Esat, among other things.
▲In 2021, O'Brien sold his stake in Communicorp and the Pacific operations of Digicel. O'Brien engages in various philanthropic activities, including being on the board of [[Concern Worldwide]], founding the Iris O'Brien Foundation and establishing a fellowship at [[Boston College]]. In 2019, O'Brien earned the Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Irish-US Council.
== Early life ==
O'Brien was born on 19 April 1958<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://denis-obrien.com/about-denis-obrien/ |access-date=18 April 2023 |website=Denis O'Brien |language=en-US}}</ref> in
In 1977, O'Brien received a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in politics, history and logic at [[University College Dublin]].<ref name="HonDeg_UCD">{{cite news|date=15 November 2006|title=Alma Mater confers Denis O'Brien with honorary Doctor of Laws|url=http://www.ucd.ie/news/nov06/111506_dennis_obrien.htm}}</ref> While attending UCD, he received a scholarship to attend [[Boston College]], where he completed an [[Master of Business Administration|MBA]].
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== Career ==
=== Early stages ===
Upon his return to Dublin, O'Brien was employed at a small investment bank, Trinity Bank, but he left that job to become a [[personal assistant]] to [[Tony Ryan]], owner of an aircraft leasing company.<ref name="
=== Communications and media ===
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==== Esat Telecom and Esat Digifone ====
{{Main|BT Ireland|O2 (Ireland)}}
In 1991, O'Brien formed a telecommunications consortium called Esat Telecom to compete with the state-owned [[Telecom Éireann|Telecom Eireann]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB861744139978677500|title=Irish Phone Market Proves Tough for Upstart to Crack|first=Jennifer L. |last=Schenker|date=23 April 1997|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=12 November 2019|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> In partnership with [[Telenor]], Norway's state telecom operator, Esat formed [[O2 (Ireland)|Esat Digifone]], which made a successful bid for Ireland's second GSM mobile licence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/esat-telecom-beat-the-world-s-best-in-mobile-phone-bid-1.106276|title=Esat Telecom beat the world's best in mobile phone bid|last=Kennedy|first=Geraldine|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=12 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sbpost.ie/news-features/we-won-because-ours-was-simply-the-best-bid-55323.html|title=We won because our was simply the best bid|last=Gaffney|first=Lucy|date=27 March 2011|newspaper=The Sunday Business Post|access-date=27 March 2011}}</ref> Circumstances around the awarding of the licence to Esat Digifone became the subject of the [[Moriarty Tribunal]].<ref>Court action on the awarding of the license by the Persona grouping has been
On 7 November 1997, Esat Telecom Group plc held an initial public offering and was listed on the [[Irish Stock Exchange]], [[London Stock Exchange]], and [[NASDAQ]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pdde9imAmOYC&q=esat%20telecom%20ipo%20november%201997&pg=PA7|title=European Telecom Monthly Newsletter|editor1-first=Paul |editor1-last=Polishuk|publisher=Information Gatekeepers |language=en}}</ref> In 2000, Telenor made a bid for control of the company, but O'Brien sold it to [[BT Group|BT]], reportedly making €250 million from the sale.<ref name="telegraph_northedge_splash">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/2815836/Denis-OBrien-The-man-who-wants-to-make-a-splash-at-Independent-News-and-Media.html|title=Denis O'Brien: The man who wants to make a splash at Independent News & Media – Telegraph|last=Northedge|first=Richard|date=16 September 2007|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=21 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305152450/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/2815836/Denis-OBrien-The-man-who-wants-to-make-a-splash-at-Independent-News-and-Media.html|archive-date=5 March 2015|location=[[London, UK|London]]|issn=0307-1235|oclc=49632006}}</ref><ref name="TelegraphOBrien">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/8399790/Denis-OBrien-paid-minister-to-help-secure-Irish-phone-licence.html|title=Denis O'Brien 'paid minister to help secure Irish phone licence'|last=Russell|first=Jonathan|date=22 March 2011|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=24 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305152931/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/8399790/Denis-OBrien-paid-minister-to-help-secure-Irish-phone-licence.html|archive-date=5 March 2015|location=London}}</ref>
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{{Main|Aergo Capital}}
In 1999, O'Brien co-founded aircraft leasing company Aergo Capital,
====Independent News & Media====
{{main|Independent News & Media}}
In the late 2000s, O'Brien began purchasing shares of Independent News & Media (INM), ultimately spending an estimated €500 million to amass a 29.9% stake in the company.<ref name="
Although he never owned a majority stake in INM, O'Brien was at times accused of exerting significant influence at the company. In 2014, allegations arose that Stephen Rae, a group editor at INM, ordered amendments to a column by ''Sunday Independent'' editor Anne Harris that contained references to O'Brien.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2014/jul/28/irish-independent-denis-o-brien|title=Irish newspaper editor's column was changed after going to press|date=28 July 2014|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=28 July 2014|location=London}}</ref> In 2015, Paul Meagher, a solicitor for O'Brien, reportedly called INM solicitor Simon McAleese in 2012 to block a story related to environment minister [[Phil Hogan]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Tighe|first=Mark|url=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CIiTxqmWwAAkOlM.jpg|title=INM was asked to 'kill' Phil coverage|date=28 June 2015|newspaper=The Sunday Times}}</ref>
In March 2018, the [[Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement]] (ODCE) in Ireland applied to the [[High Court (Ireland)|High Court]] of Ireland to appoint inspectors to Independent News and Media to investigate an alleged [[data breach]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Murphy|first=David|date=24 March 2018|title=ODCE in court bid to appoint inspectors to probe INM|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2018/0324/949882-corporate-watchdog-inm/|journal=RTÉ News |
In June 2019, Independent News & Media was sold to the Belgian group [[Mediahuis]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/business/media/end-of-an-era-as-inm-sale-to-mediahuis-approved-at-egm-38256716.html|title='End of an era' as INM sale to Mediahuis approved at EGM|website=independent |date=26 Jun 2019 |first1=John |last1=Mulligan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219213516/https://www.independent.ie/business/media/end-of-an-era-as-inm-sale-to-mediahuis-approved-at-egm-38256716.html |archive-date= Feb 19, 2021 }}</ref> and de-listed from the [[Euronext Dublin]] exchange, thus ending O'Brien's involvement in the group. It was reported that he lost in excess of €450m in total on his INM investment.<ref name="
====Digicel====
{{Main|Digicel}}
In 2001, O'Brien founded Digicel, a telecom company that operates in the [[Caribbean]], [[Central America]], and [[Asia-Pacific|Asia Pacific]]. Using the cash from his sale of Esat Telecom, O'Brien used Digicel to build a wireless network in Jamaica.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2006-08-27-digicel_x.htm|title=Digicel makes cellphone connection in Jamaica |website=USA TODAY |date=2006-08-27
Along with Digicel, O'Brien created the Digicel Foundation, which has worked with local organizations to develop community services, build schools and health centers, and support recovery efforts.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/new-website-pays-tribute-to-obrien-charitable-work-hz395m8sq|title=New website pays tribute to O'Brien charitable work|last=Tighe|first=Mark|date=29 July 2018|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=11 December 2019|language=en|issn=0956-1382}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/education/denis-o-brien-s-digicel-foundation-opens-its-174th-school-in-haiti|title=Denis O'Brien's Digicel Foundation opens 174th school in Haiti|date=3 February 2018|website=IrishCentral.com|language=en|access-date=11 December 2019}}</ref> After the [[2010 Haiti earthquake]], O'Brien pledged €3.5 million to assist recovery efforts.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Patricia|last1=McDonagh|first2=Jason|last2=O'Brien|url=http://www.independent.ie/world-news/americas/obrien-pledges-836435m-as-charities-plead-for-money-2013043.html|title=O'Brien pledges €3.5m as charities plead for money|newspaper=Irish Independent|publisher=Denis O'Brien|date=14 January 2010|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref><ref name="
▲In 2001, O'Brien founded Digicel, a telecom company that operates in the [[Caribbean]], [[Central America]], and [[Asia-Pacific|Asia Pacific]]. Using the cash from his sale of Esat Telecom, O'Brien used Digicel to build a wireless network in Jamaica.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2006-08-27-digicel_x.htm|title=Digicel makes cellphone connection in Jamaica - USATODAY.com|website=usatoday30.usatoday.com|access-date=11 December 2019}}</ref> That same year, Digicel expanded into the South Pacific. As of 2022, Digicel operates in 25 countries. <ref>{{Cite web |date=14 July 2022 |title=Digicel completes sale of US$1.85 billion Pacific business to Telstra |url=https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2022/07/14/digicel-completes-sale-of-of-us1-85-billion-pacific-business-to-telstra/ |access-date=13 October 2022 |website=Digital TV Europe |language=en-GB}}</ref>
▲Along with Digicel, O'Brien created the Digicel Foundation, which has worked with local organizations to develop community services, build schools and health centers, and support recovery efforts.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/new-website-pays-tribute-to-obrien-charitable-work-hz395m8sq|title=New website pays tribute to O'Brien charitable work|last=Tighe|first=Mark|date=29 July 2018|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=11 December 2019|language=en|issn=0956-1382}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/education/denis-o-brien-s-digicel-foundation-opens-its-174th-school-in-haiti|title=Denis O'Brien's Digicel Foundation opens 174th school in Haiti|date=3 February 2018|website=IrishCentral.com|language=en|access-date=11 December 2019}}</ref> After the [[2010 Haiti earthquake]], O'Brien pledged €3.5 million to assist recovery efforts.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Patricia|last1=McDonagh|first2=Jason|last2=O'Brien|url=http://www.independent.ie/world-news/americas/obrien-pledges-836435m-as-charities-plead-for-money-2013043.html|title=O'Brien pledges €3.5m as charities plead for money|newspaper=Irish Independent|publisher=Denis O'Brien|date=14 January 2010|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/obrien-receives-prestigious-award-from-clinton-28814011.html|title=O'Brien receives prestigious award from Clinton|website=Independent.ie|language=en|access-date=11 December 2019}}</ref> In 2012, President [[Michel Martelly]] of Haiti awarded O'Brien with the [[National Order of Honour and Merit]] for his investments, contributions and promotion of the country,<ref name="O'Brien Honoured In Haiti">{{cite news|url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110629/business/business2.html|title=O'Brien Honoured In Haiti|date=11 June 2011|newspaper=Jamaica Gleaner|access-date=14 March 2016}}</ref> and in 2015, O'Brien received honorary membership of the [[Order of Jamaica]] for his service to the country's telecommunications industry.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/a-juicy-award-for-embattled-denis-o-brien-1.2316155|title=A juicy award for embattled Denis O'Brien|last=Paul|first=Mark|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=11 December 2019}}</ref>
In May 2020, Digicel filed for bankruptcy court reorganization and successfully sought a [[debt restructuring]] agreement.<ref name="
In October 2021, Digicel announced the sale of its Pacific operations to [[Telstra|Telstra Corp]], an
====Actavo====
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In 2012, O'Brien purchased Siteserv, a utilities support company, from [[Irish Bank Resolution Corporation|IBRC]] for €45m; in 2015, the company was renamed Actavo.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/siteserv-rebrands-in-euro1bn-sales-drive-rpqmd7t79l0|title=Siteserv rebrands in €1bn sales drive|first=Gavin|last=Daly|date=18 October 2015|via=www.thetimes.co.uk}}</ref> Actavo was bought and controlled through O'Brien's firm Millington on the Isle of Man.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/financial-services/millington-just-one-of-many-manx-companies-used-by-denis-o-brien-1.2187040|title=Millington: just one of many Manx companies used by Denis O'Brien|last=Paul|first=Mark|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=11 December 2019}}</ref>
In 2016, Actavo expanded into the United States through the purchase of Atlantic Engineering Services, a structural engineering firm.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/actavo-expands-into-us-with-aes-acquisition-34558481.html|title=Actavo expands into US with AES acquisition|website=Independent.ie|date=21 March 2016 |language=en|access-date=11 December 2019}}</ref> Actavo was also involved in the installation of fibre networks for Digicel in the Caribbean.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/forget-about-irish-water-actavo-networks-boss-says-his-eye-is-on-breaking-america-34727387.html|title=Forget about Irish Water, Actavo Network's boss says his eye is on breaking America|website=Independent.ie|date=19 May 2016 |language=en|access-date=11 December 2019}}</ref>
====Topaz Energy====
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O'Brien has attended the [[World Economic Forum]]'s annual winter meeting in [[Davos|Davos, Switzerland]], alongside other billionaires like [[Bill Gates]] and [[George Soros]].<ref>{{cite news|date=21 January 2015|title=Enda Kenny is headed there, along with Denis O'Brien… So what's this Davos all about? It's a bit like school camp, but for billionaires|work=TheJournal.ie|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/davos-2015-cost-1893681-Jan2015/|access-date=21 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602215101/http://www.thejournal.ie/davos-2015-cost-1893681-Jan2015/|archive-date=2 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Miller|first1=Matthew|last2=Metcalf|first2=Tom|date=20 January 2015|title=Davos Billionaires Predict Low Interest Rates, Terrorism|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-20/davos-billionaires-predict-low-interest-rates-terrorism-in-2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150401165520/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-20/davos-billionaires-predict-low-interest-rates-terrorism-in-2015|archive-date=1 April 2015|website=Bloomberg}}</ref>
In 2000, O'Brien became a director of the [[Bank of Ireland]], and in September 2005, he was named a deputy governor of the bank. In September 2006, he resigned as both deputy governor and as a member of the bank's court (board).<ref name="
==== Football ====
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== Moriarty Tribunal ==
{{main|Moriarty Tribunal}}
In 1997, the Moriarty Tribunal was established to look into allegations against two Irish politicians, [[Charles Haughey]] and [[Michael Lowry (politician)|Michael Lowry]].<ref name="
In 2018, Michael Lowry won an appeal over the Moriarty Tribunal's legal costs. The appeal judges awarded Lowry 80% of his costs for the legal battle.
[[Sam Smyth]], a radio show host that aired on one of O'Brien's networks, claimed he was fired as a result of his reporting on the Moriarty Tribunal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/today-fms-sam-smyth-changes-topic-during-discussion-about-his-own-sacking-255216-Oct2011/|title=Today FM's Smyth changes topic during discussion about his own sacking|date=16 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305151315/http://www.thejournal.ie/today-fms-sam-smyth-changes-topic-during-discussion-about-his-own-sacking-255216-Oct2011/|archive-date=5 March 2015|publisher=thejournal.ie}}</ref> Today FM responded to the claim, stating that "the decision was made to address a decline in listenership and was part of an initiative to improve programming quality." The Today FM board supported the decision, which was one of several programming changes made by Willy O'Reilly.<ref>{{cite news|first=Charlie|last=Taylor|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/1016/breaking9.html|title=Smyth show to end on Today FM|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=16 October 2011|access-date=16 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305160530/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/smyth-show-to-end-on-today-fm-1.885361|archive-date=5 March 2015}}</ref>
==Relationship with the media==
In 2012, O'Brien threatened to sue journalist and broadcaster [[Vincent Browne]] over statements in Browne's articles that O'Brien claimed were defamatory.<ref name="
In February 2013, O'Brien sued the ''[[Irish Daily Mail]]'' for defamation over his numerous appearances in [[RTÉ]] news reports on the relief effort after the Haiti earthquake. The court awarded O'Brien €150,000.<ref>{{cite news|first=Fiona|last=Gartland|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2013/0214/breaking46.html|title=O'Brien awarded €150k in Daily Mail defamation case|newspaper=The Irish Times|publisher=Irish Times Trust|date=14 February 2013|access-date=14 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305161526/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/o-brien-awarded-150k-in-daily-mail-defamation-case-1.1255054|archive-date=5 March 2015}}</ref> The case was the first time a journalist had attempted to use the honest opinion defence before a jury at the High Court since the Defamation Act 2009 became law.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0214/367770-defamation-denis-obrien/|title=Denis O'Brien wins defamation case against Irish Daily Mail|work=RTÉ News|publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann|date=14 February 2013|access-date=14 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305161225/http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0214/367770-defamation-denis-obrien/|archive-date=5 March 2015}}</ref>
In August 2015, the editor-in-chief of the satirical website ''[[Waterford Whispers News]]'', [[Colm Williamson]] received a cease and desist order from O'Brien's solicitor to remove a satirical article about O'Brien.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/waterford-whispers-news-removes-article-after-letter-from-denis-obriens-solicitors-690062.html|title=Waterford Whispers News removes article after letter from Denis O'Brien's solicitors|date=7 August 2015|website=Irish Examiner|language=en|access-date=22 April 2020}}</ref> Lawyers for O'Brien also demanded that a reprint of the story be removed from Broadsheet.ie.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Denis O'Brien lawyers demand removal of broadsheet.ie article| newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |url = http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/denis-o-brien-lawyers-demand-removal-of-broadsheet-ie-article-1.2310440|access-date = 8 August 2015}}</ref> Waterford Whispers News subsequently removed the article.
In 2019, O'Brien began an action for defamation against the [[Business Post|Sunday Business Post]] over articles published in the newspaper in March 2015.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=O'Donnell|first=Orla|date=5 February 2019|title=Denis O'Brien suing Sunday Business Post for defamation|journal=RTÉ News|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2019/0205/1027717-obrien-sbp-court/|language=en}}</ref> The articles, which centred around a confidential PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report given to the government in November 2008 on the exposure of Ireland's banks in 2008, identified O'Brien as being among the 22 biggest borrowers from Irish banks in 2008.<ref name="
==Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC) debt==
Through the acquisitions of Siteserv and Topaz Energy, O'Brien at one time held hundreds of millions of Euros in debt from the state-owned [[Irish Bank Resolution Corporation|IBRC]]. In February 2013, the IBRC went into liquidation, and shortly thereafter, O'Brien asked for an extension to repay an outstanding €320m in loans. O'Brien claimed that he had previously received verbal confirmation for a loan extension from former IBRC CEO Mike Aynsley, but Aynsley's position was terminated when the bank went into liquidation.<ref name="IBRC-RTE20150617a">{{cite web|date=17 June 2015|title=Denis O'Brien sought more time to repay IBRC loans, citing an alleged verbal agreement with bank's former CEO|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2015/0617/708780-obrien-sought-more-time-to-repay-ibrc-loans/|access-date=17 June 2015|website=RTÉ|location=Dublin}}</ref>
The matter became public in May 2015, when [[Teachta Dála|TD]] [[Catherine Murphy (politician)|Catherine Murphy]] attempted to raise it in the [[Dáil Éireann]].<ref>{{cite news|date=27 May 2015|title=Deputy Murphy Is Out Of Order|url=http://www.broadsheet.ie/2015/05/27/deputy-murphy-is-out-of-order/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530130838/http://www.broadsheet.ie/2015/05/27/deputy-murphy-is-out-of-order/|archive-date=30 May 2015}}</ref> According to Murphy, O'Brien allegedly wrote to the IBRC's special liquidator, Kieran Wallace, seeking the repayment terms he had verbally secured from Aynsley; both Aynsley and O'Brien denied the claims.<ref name="IBRC-IT01a">{{cite news|author1=Barry O'Keeffe|author2=Cliff Taylor|author-link2=Cliff Taylor (journalist)|date=28 May 2015|title=Catherine Murphy makes Denis O'Brien claims in Dáil|newspaper=[[Irish Times]]|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/catherine-murphy-makes-denis-o-brien-claims-in-d%C3%A1il-1.2229946|access-date=3 June 2015|quote=O'Brien says information was false and claims were an abuse of Dáil privilege ... Ms Murphy has previously claimed Mr O'Brien had written to IBRC's special liquidator Kieran Wallace seeking the same terms IBRC had allowed him, which was to "pay off his own loans in his own time at low interest rates". The sale of Siteserv to Mr O'Brien has become embroiled in controversy and is the subject of a formal review by the IBRC's liquidator. The terms under which the company, which carries out a wide variety of services, including water meter installation, was sold are part of that review. Separately, Mike Aynsley, the former chief executive of IBRC, released a lengthy statement, taking issue with other comments by Ms Murphy, who was moving a Private Members' Bill through the Dáil. The Bill's aim is to permit the Comptroller & Auditor General to investigate the Siteserv sale and other IBRC transactions.}}</ref>
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In mid-June 2015, Justice Binchy ruled that most of RTÉ's report on Denis O'Brien's financial relationship with the IBRC could be published.<ref name="IBRC-RTE20150617b">{{cite web|date=17 June 2015|title=Court rules most of O'Brien report can be broadcast|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0617/708759-obrien-rte/|access-date=18 June 2015|website=[[RTÉ]]|quote=Lawyers for Mr O'Brien said they were no longer opposing the publication of the script of the proposed report by RTÉ's Business Editor David Murphy. However, IBRC continued its objections to those parts of the script it said referred to legal advice. RTÉ agreed that one paragraph of the script should not be published, but argued that the issue of legal advice was already in the public domain due to remarks made by [[Pearse Doherty]] in the Dáil. Judge Binchy ruled there was a difference between what Doherty said in the Dáil and what was in the script and ruled the paragraph objected to by IBRC should not be published.}}</ref> On 17 June 2015, RTÉ published what it called "a curtailed version" of the story, claiming that two paragraphs of the original story could not be printed because they were still covered by the High Court's injunction. The article was accompanied by a timeline of events between February and June 2013.<ref name="IBRC-RTE20150617a" />
O'Brien defended the injunction in an ''Irish Times'' op-ed piece, stating that he had been shocked that somebody took confidential files from a bank, altered them, and then leaked them to the press. He claimed to have been vilified by enemies, competitors, politicians, and others for trying to defend his privacy.<ref name="OBrien-IT03a">{{cite news|author=Denis O'Brien|date=2 June 2015|title=Denis O'Brien: 'I have never experienced this level of hatred'|newspaper=[[Irish Times]]|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/denis-o-brien-i-have-never-experienced-this-level-of-hatred-1.2233858|access-date=3 June 2015|quote=What shocked me most of all was that someone would take files from a major Irish bank, tamper with them and leak them to RTÉ. ... Many decent people who had loans transferred to Nama, or had loans with Anglo Irish Bank/IBRC were thrown to the wolves. ...I have known people who took their own lives, people who lost everything including their homes and their marriages. Also, many people who have had nervous breakdowns. The toll all this has taken on the "community" that makes up our country is quite shocking. I think it is regrettable that there is such a feeding frenzy to spread rumours and selectively leak information to point- score, challenge a competitor or simply do somebody down. It is done behind the cloak of secrecy and anonymity and the principle that "my enemy's enemy is my friend". Social media being used for this purpose is crowded with cowards. At a particular point in time when foreign multinationals were at their most nervous about their deposits in Irish banks I decided to be contrarian. I took a decision that Digicel would repatriate its cash deposits from US banks amounting to more than $600 million and place them with two Irish banks as a vote of confidence. Both banks asked my permission to tell a small number of foreign clients of this decision to help stop further outflows and this was granted. At that time, and subsequently, I was talking up Ireland internationally as a recovery story. I wanted to make a significant financial gesture of support at home. This was to show solidarity with Ireland but also to support the efforts of Minister for Finance Michael Noonan in stabilising the Irish banks and slow future outflow of deposits. ...<br/><br/> I have been dragged into a media frenzy because of RTÉ's attempts to publish my private bank details and Deputy Murphy's desire to distort them. I have never experienced the level of abuse, venom and hatred resulting from taking a stand to protect privacy in relation to my financial affairs.}}</ref>
===IBRC Commission of investigation ===
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On 10 June 2015, a [[Commission of investigation (Ireland)|Commission of investigation]] was established to inquire into IBRC transactions that lost €10 million or more between 21 January 2009 and 7 February 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ryan|first=Órla|title=After several rows, Sinn Féin votes against IBRC inquiry – but it's still happening|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/ibrc-debate-dail-2152893-Jun2015/|access-date=14 October 2020|website=TheJournal.ie|date=10 June 2015 |language=en}}</ref> The commission was initially chaired by retired High Court Judge [[Daniel O'Keeffe (judge)|Daniel O'Keeffe]], but in July 2015, Judge Brian Cregan replaced Judge O'Keeffe as the commission's chair and sole member.<ref>{{Cite web|last=McDonal|first=Dearbhail|date=9 September 2015|title=Family first as High Court president to retire early|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/family-first-as-high-court-president-to-retire-early-31515664.html|access-date=14 October 2020|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref> The terms of the commission were updated in 2016 to focus first on IBRC's sale of Siteserv to O'Brien in 2012, based on claims by TD Catherine Murphy in the [[Dáil Éireann|Daíl Éireann]]; Murphy was asked to appear before the commission in February 2019, several months after criticising the amount of time it had taken the commission to complete its inquiry, but as of May 2019, she had not made herself available for testimony.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Carswell|first=Simon|date=11 May 2019|title=Siteserv inquiry seeks to compel Catherine Murphy to appear over deal claims|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/siteserv-inquiry-seeks-to-compel-catherine-murphy-to-appear-over-deal-claims-1.3888210|access-date=14 October 2020|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=McGee|first=Harry|title=TD who raised issue of Siteserv sale to Dáil criticises inquiry's progress|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/td-who-raised-issue-of-siteserv-sale-to-d%C3%A1il-criticises-inquiry-s-progress-1.3733425|access-date=14 October 2020|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref> In November 2019, Murphy announced that she would not appear before the commission because she was concerned that she would be required to reveal the source of her information.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Horgan-Jones|first=Jack|title=Catherine Murphy will not appear at Siteserv inquiry|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/catherine-murphy-will-not-appear-at-siteserv-inquiry-1.4091192|access-date=7 June 2021|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref>
In September 2022, the commission released its final report on its investigation into the sale of Siteserv. The report stated that while the sale was "carried out in good faith," it was "based on misleading and incomplete information." However, the report went on to say that there was no evidence that O'Brien received favourable interest rates from the bank, as alleged by Catherine Murphy. It also stated that O'Brien was not at fault for going on a trip with Robert Dix, and there was no evidence to support the claim that O'Brien had an unduly close or unethical relationship with senior IBRC executives.
==Recognition==
O'Brien received an honorary [[Doctor of Law]]
In 2019, the Irish-US Council awarded O'Brien the 2019 Award for Outstanding Achievement for his work building bonds between Ireland and the United States.<ref>{{Cite news|last=McCarthy|first=Justine|title=Irish-US Council award for Denis O'Brien|newspaper=[[The Times]]|language=en|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/irish-us-council-award-for-o-brien-vrrm0hhz7|access-date=7 June 2021|issn=0140-0460}}</ref>
==Personal life==
In August 1997, O'Brien married Catherine Walsh, who helped Communicorp expand into the Czech Republic and who earlier was the head of marketing for Independent Radio Sales.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/the-man-who-makes-millionaires-26126345.html|title=The man who makes millionaires|website=independent|date=15 January 2000 |language=en|access-date=25 February 2020}}</ref> The couple have four children.<ref name="
=== Sponsorships and causes===
In June 2000, O'Brien set up the Iris O'Brien Foundation, named after his mother, through which he coordinates many of his philanthropic efforts,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/questioning-o-brien-s-charity-motives-clearly-rankles-1.2810940|title=Questioning O'Brien's charity motives clearly rankles|last=Murtagh|first=Peter|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=25 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/04/03/obrien-foundation-gave-e5-5-million-last-year/|title=O'Brien foundation gave €5.5 million last year|last=Lake|first=Howard|date=3 April 2017|website=UK Fundraising|language=en-GB|access-date=25 February 2020}}</ref> and has supported multiple charities and campaign groups, including the human rights group ''Front Line Defenders''.<ref name="DOB_sr_funeral_IT" /> Front Line Defenders was co-founded by O'Brien in 2001, to help protect human rights defenders globally, and O'Brien remains its chairman {{as of|2021|lc=y}}.<ref name="FLD_BoD_DOB">{{cite web |title=Board of Directors |url=https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/board-directors |website=Front Line Defenders |date=24 October 2018 |access-date=12 August 2021}}</ref>
O'Brien supported the [[2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games]], for which he was the chairman of the Games Organising Committee and later the Chairman of the Council of Patrons.<ref>{{Cite web|title=O'Brien sports Special Olympics deal|url=https://www.independent.ie/business/obrien-sports-special-olympics-deal-26110522.html|access-date=6 July 2020|website=independent|date=31 July 2000 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Council of Patrons|url=https://www.specialolympics.ie/WHOWEARE/COUNCILOFPATRONS.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150601172309/https://www.specialolympics.ie/WHOWEARE/COUNCILOFPATRONS.aspx|archive-date=1 June 2015|publisher=Special Olympics}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=25 April 2012|title=Denis O'Brien, a billionaire with a mission not just to make money-- Irish businessman praised by Clinton, NY Times, seeks to make a difference|url=http://www.irishcentral.com/opinion/niallodowd/denis-obrien-a-billionaire-with-a-mission-not-just-to-make-money-irish-businessman-praised-by-clinton-ny-times-seeks-to-make-a-difference-148850615-238129401.html|access-date=6 July 2020|website=Irish Central|language=en}}</ref> In 2004, O'Brien helped to establish the Digicel Foundation, which has funded thousands of projects in the Caribbean and Pacific.<ref name="FLD_BoD_DOB"/>
As of 2012, O'Brien was a member of the United States board of [[Concern Worldwide]], a humanitarian aid organisation.<ref>{{Cite web|date=4 December 2012|title=Irish Power and Irish Concern: Denis O'Brien|url=https://irishamerica.com/2012/12/irish-power-and-irish-concern-denis-obrien/|access-date=6 July 2020|website=Irish America|language=en-US}}</ref> O'Brien has worked with the [[Clinton Global Initiative]] (CGI). After [[2010 Haiti earthquake|the 2010 Haiti earthquake]], O'Brien worked with CGI's Haiti Action Network and the Digicel Haiti Foundation to help rebuild the [[Marché en Fer|Iron Market]] in [[Port-au-Prince]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Strom|first=Stephanie|date=6 January 2012|title=A Billionaire Lends Haiti a Hand|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/07/business/digicels-denis-obrien-helps-rebuild-haiti.html|access-date=6 July 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="19022010 Silicon Republic">{{cite news|date=19 February 2010|title=Haiti names Denis O'Brien goodwill ambassador|publisher=Silicon Republic|url=http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/article/15316/comms/haiti-names-obrien-goodwill-ambassador|url-status=dead|access-date=19 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100224233933/http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/article/15316/comms/haiti-names-obrien-goodwill-ambassador|archive-date=24 February 2010}}</ref> In 2010, O'Brien was named a [[goodwill ambassador]] for the city of [[Port-au-Prince]], [[Haiti]], by Mayor [[Jean Yves Jason]], who cited O'Brien's help with disaster recovery efforts after the earthquake.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 February 2010|title=Haitian honour for Digicel boss|url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100219/lead/lead4.html|access-date=25 February 2020|website=jamaica-gleaner.com|language=en}}</ref> In 2012, O'Brien received a Clinton Global Citizen Award from former U.S. President Bill Clinton, in large part due to his disaster relief efforts in Haiti.<ref name="
In 2015, O'Brien established a fully-funded fellowship for Irish students to receive an MBA degree from Boston College.<ref>{{Cite web|date=11 April 2015|title=Denis O'Brien establishes scholarship for Irish nationals to study business at Boston College|url=http://www.irishcentral.com/news/education/Denis-OBrien-establishes-scholarship-for-Irish-nationals-to-study-business-at-Boston-College.html|access-date=7 June 2021|website=IrishCentral.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=MBA Fellowship Created for Irish Students|url=https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/bcnews/news-archive/2015/news/mba-fellowship-created-for-irish-students.html |first1=Jack |last1=Dunn |date=Apr 9, 2015 |access-date=7 June 2021|website=Boston College |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812112515/https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/bcnews/news-archive/2015/news/mba-fellowship-created-for-irish-students.html |archive-date= Aug 12, 2021 }}</ref> O'Brien has also been a member of the [[Trilateral Commission]].<ref>{{cite web|title=THE TRILATERAL COMMISSION|url=http://www.trilateral.org/download/file/TC_list_10-11_2.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111170153/http://www.trilateral.org/download/file/TC_list_10-11_2.pdf|archive-date=11 November 2011|publisher=European Group list at Trilateral website}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=July 2020}}
O'Brien donated €2,500 to the campaign of [[Independent politician|independent]] candidate [[Mary Davis (activist)|Mary Davis]] for the [[2011 Irish presidential election]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=O'Halloran|first1=Marie|last2=Cullen|first2=Paul|date=1 October 2011|title=Campaigns to cost up to €350,000, say candidates|newspaper=The Irish Times|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1001/1224305088913.html|access-date=1 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305152109/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/campaigns-to-cost-up-to-350-000-say-candidates-1.611291|archive-date=5 March 2015}}</ref>
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As of February 2020, ''[[Forbes]]'' estimated O'Brien's wealth to be approximately $3.2 billion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/denis-obrien/|title=Denis O'Brien|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=25 February 2020}}</ref>
While considering the flotation of Digicel on the [[New York Stock Exchange]], a March 2006 filing to the [[Companies Registration Office (Ireland)|Companies Registration Office]] (CRO) listed O'Brien's residential address as [[Sliema]], [[Malta]].
==Further reading==
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