Eilish O’Connor Takes the Helm as Viatel’s First Director of Strategy and AI

In a bold move that signals Viatel’s commitment to the future of artificial intelligence, the digital services platform has appointed Eilish O’Connor as its inaugural Director of Strategy and AI. This strategic shift comes after O’Connor’s seven-year tenure as Chief Technology Officer, where she built and secured the company’s technological backbone with a focus on resilience, scalability, and trust.

“I don’t think organizations can afford not to think about AI when they’re thinking about strategy,” O’Connor told SiliconRepublic.com. “If you’re not building AI into your future, you can be sure a competitor is, possibly one you’re not even aware of yet.”

The AI revolution is here, and it’s not just about technology—it’s about survival in an increasingly competitive landscape. O’Connor emphasizes that this isn’t merely about adopting new tools; it’s about fundamentally reimagining how businesses operate and compete in the digital age.

A Strategic Pivot: From Technology to Transformation

O’Connor’s new role represents a significant evolution in her career trajectory. Moving from the technical trenches to the strategic summit, she’s now tasked with shaping Viatel’s future direction through the lens of artificial intelligence.

“The role is less about individual technologies and more about how we combine strategy, data, people, and emerging capabilities like AI to shape where the business goes next,” she explains. “It’s about identifying where we can create the greatest impact, how we differentiate in the market, and how we embed innovation responsibly across the organization.”

This holistic approach recognizes that AI implementation isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s a business transformation that requires alignment across multiple dimensions: strategic vision, data infrastructure, human capital, and ethical governance.

The Double-Edged Sword of AI

While the potential of AI is enormous, O’Connor is refreshingly candid about the risks involved. “AI is a huge and fascinating shift, but it comes with real risk if it’s not approached correctly,” she warns.

Her experience in building secure, scalable systems gives her unique insight into the challenges of large-scale technological change. “It’s a hugely transformative opportunity, but only if it’s approached with the right governance, security, and intent,” she emphasizes.

For O’Connor, the key lies in moving beyond experimental AI projects to implementations that generate genuine business value. “My focus will be on the adoption of AI in a way that generates genuine value, that is responsible and creates a real impact, rather than just being experimental.”

The Governance Imperative

One of O’Connor’s primary concerns is ensuring that AI adoption doesn’t outpace the development of appropriate governance frameworks. “While there is huge excitement about AI across the sector, you can’t ignore the risks if the policies of governance, security, and people are forgotten about,” she cautions.

This governance-first approach is particularly relevant as organizations rush to capitalize on AI’s potential without fully considering the implications. O’Connor’s perspective suggests that responsible AI adoption requires as much attention to policy and process as it does to technology and algorithms.

Diversity in AI: A Critical Imperative

Perhaps one of O’Connor’s most passionate advocacies is for greater diversity in AI development and governance. “I’m also very conscious of the need for more diverse voices shaping how AI is designed, deployed, and governed,” she states emphatically.

The stakes are high, she explains, because AI systems are increasingly making decisions that affect society at large. “If those systems are built without incorporating enough of the female perspective, we risk reinforcing existing biases rather than challenging them.”

O’Connor argues that having more women involved “not just as users, but as leaders, designers and decision-makers, is essential if AI is to be fair, inclusive and truly representative.”

This perspective aligns with growing recognition in the tech industry that diverse teams produce better outcomes, particularly in fields like AI where unconscious biases can be inadvertently encoded into algorithms that then perpetuate those biases at scale.

Ireland’s AI Advantage

O’Connor sees Ireland as uniquely positioned to become a leader in responsible AI development and governance. “Ireland is in a really interesting place when it comes to AI,” she observes. “We have a strong technology ecosystem, a highly skilled workforce and deep experience in hosting and regulating global technology companies.”

What sets Ireland apart, according to O’Connor, is its proactive approach to AI governance. “More recently, Ireland has taken a leadership position in how AI is governed, particularly through its early and proactive approach to implementing the EU AI Act. That focus on responsible and trusted AI is a real strength for the country.”

This governance leadership could become Ireland’s competitive advantage in the global AI race. Rather than viewing regulation as a constraint, O’Connor sees it as a foundation for building trustworthy AI systems that can gain broader acceptance and adoption.

“Ireland has the potential to lead not just in the adoption of AI, but in how it is adopted, primarily by balancing innovation with trust, regulation with progress and ambition with responsibility,” she explains.

The Start-up Challenge

Looking ahead, O’Connor anticipates significant disruption from AI-focused start-ups. “It’s an incredibly competitive environment,” she notes, “the speed at which these companies can innovate and adapt is already starting to challenge more established players.”

This observation highlights a crucial dynamic in the AI landscape: established companies with legacy systems and processes may find themselves at a disadvantage compared to nimble start-ups that can build AI-native operations from the ground up.

The implication for traditional businesses is clear: adapt quickly or risk obsolescence. O’Connor’s appointment at Viatel suggests the company is taking this challenge seriously, bringing in someone with both deep technical expertise and strategic vision to navigate this transition.

The Present Reality of AI

One of O’Connor’s most important messages is that AI isn’t a future concept—it’s already reshaping how we work today. “Change in the working landscape is already here,” she emphasizes. “AI isn’t a future concept, it’s shaping how we work and make decisions right now.”

This immediacy can be uncomfortable for many professionals who feel unprepared for the pace of change. However, O’Connor frames this as an opportunity rather than a threat. “That can feel uncomfortable, but it’s also a massive opportunity if people choose to lean in rather than step back.”

Her advice is particularly relevant for those who might feel intimidated by AI’s technical complexity. “Regardless of how technical you may be, use your voice in the conversation on AI,” she encourages.

The Importance of Inclusive Dialogue

O’Connor’s call for broader participation in AI discussions stems from her concern about who gets to shape these powerful technologies. “If a small group ends up designing and governing these systems, we risk baking old biases into new technology,” she warns.

This perspective challenges the notion that AI development should be left solely to technical experts. Instead, O’Connor advocates for a more inclusive approach that incorporates diverse perspectives from across society.

“We need more perspectives, more confidence and more people willing to ask questions and challenge assumptions,” she asserts. This inclusive approach isn’t just about fairness—it’s about building better AI systems that serve the needs of all users rather than reinforcing existing power structures.

AI as Mindset Shift

Ultimately, O’Connor frames AI not just as a technological revolution but as a fundamental shift in how we think about problems and solutions. “AI is as much a mindset shift as it is a technology shift,” she explains.

This framing is crucial because it suggests that success with AI requires more than just technical implementation—it requires cultural and organizational change. Companies that view AI merely as a set of tools to be deployed will likely struggle, while those that embrace the broader implications of AI as a transformative force will be better positioned to thrive.

“The more people who engage with it early and thoughtfully, the better the outcomes will be, for businesses, for society and for the next generation coming into the industry,” O’Connor concludes.

Her appointment at Viatel represents not just a leadership change but a signal of the company’s commitment to thoughtful, responsible AI adoption. As organizations across industries grapple with similar transitions, O’Connor’s perspective offers valuable insights into how to navigate the AI revolution while maintaining focus on governance, diversity, and genuine value creation.

The next nine months will be critical as O’Connor works to translate her vision into concrete strategies and implementations. Given the accelerating pace of AI development and the competitive pressures facing established companies, her success could well determine Viatel’s position in an AI-transformed marketplace.

For Ireland, O’Connor’s leadership represents an opportunity to showcase how a small country with strong governance frameworks can become a global leader in responsible AI development. Her combination of technical expertise, strategic vision, and commitment to diversity and governance could serve as a model for other organizations navigating the complex transition to an AI-powered future.

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