Irish health insurance company VHI is searching for its first
corporate communications manager.
As a spokesperson for VHI, the corporate communications manager will be
responsible for media relations, event management, sponsorship, the
three-strong in-house PR department and liaising with VHI’s PR agency
Murray Consultants. The appointee will report to Tony McSweeney,
director of sales and marketing.
VHI, which is a non-profit, semi-state-owned organisation, had a
monopoly on health insurance in Ireland until the industry was
deregulated in 1994.
BUPA moved into the market last November and is so far the only company
to do so.
’We welcome the competition because it creates greater awareness of
health insurance,’ said McSweeney. ’Forty per cent of the Irish
population are VHI members, so issues affecting it tend to make the
news,’ he added.
VHI, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, places an emphasis
on health prevention and runs healthcare columns in local newspapers
giving medical updates.