Debbie Byrne is the Managing Director of An Post Retail, the new stand-alone business charged with securing a successful future for the Post Office Network by transforming and re-imagining the business and making it more relevant and useful to a broader range of customers.

This appointment follows the strategic decision to split An Post’s operations into two business units, An Post Mails & Parcels (the delivery service) and An Post Retail (the Post Office and Online service) with full P&L responsibility, determining and leading initiatives to meet market challenges, transforming the operation into a more commercial, customer-focused business centered on three key areas: out-of-home e-commerce (the development of the traditional mails and parcels business in Post Offices), Government services, and financial services. Debbie also has responsibility for An Post’s strategic brand development.

Debbie has extensive strategic, general management and marketing expertise having worked for more than 20 years in a range of top companies such as Grand Metropolitan Europe, L’Oreal (UK & Irl) and in Eircom and Life Style Sports in senior General Management, Marketing and Strategic Planning roles. A graduate of International Marketing & Languages at DCU and INSEAD’s General Management Programme, she is a member of the Institute of Marketing (UK).

Ms Byrne commented: “I’m delighted to take up this new role in one of Ireland’s leading companies, with such a strong, iconic brand and an unrivalled retail network. An Post is unique in its ability to provide innovative, real value and trusted services to communities and businesses all over Ireland.

The retail environment is evolving rapidly and so too is consumer behaviour. We have a great opportunity to re-position An Post’s retail business by working with staff, postmasters and business partners to meet new competitive challenges and customer needs through new products, new office formats and retail models.”