Louise O'Sullivan (born 1973) is an Irish telecommunications executive. She is the Founder and

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

of Anam Technologies, a

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

-based firm which develops secure SS7 and

SMS Short Message Service, commonly abbreviated as SMS, is a text messaging service component of most telephone, Internet and mobile device systems. It uses standardized communication protocols that let mobile phones exchange short text messages, t ...

systems for

mobile network operator A mobile network operator (MNO), also known as a mobile network provider, mobile network carrier, mobile , wireless service provider, wireless carrier, wireless operator, wireless telco, or cellular company, is a telecommunications provider of se ...

s. O'Sullivan entered the telecommunications field in 1995 and founded Anam Technologies in 1999. She left Anam in 2003 to start a family and, before returning in 2012, opened a restaurant, a music business, and a media firm. She is a vocal advocate for gender parity in the IT industry. In 2015 she was named one of the 50 Most Inspiring Women in European Tech by Inspiring Fifty.

Education

She received a degree in

hotel management A hotel manager, hotelier, or lodging manager is a person who manages the operation of a hotel, motel, resort, or other lodging-related establishment. Management of a hotel operation includes, but is not limited to: management of hotel staff, ...

from the Shannon College of Hotel Management.

Career

O'Sullivan entered the telecommunications industry in 1995, working for Aldiscon first in marketing and later in bid management,

project management Project management is the process of supervising the work of a Project team, team to achieve all project goals within the given constraints. This information is usually described in project initiation documentation, project documentation, crea ...

, and account management. Although she lacked qualifications in the IT industry, she applied herself to learning on the job. Following Aldiscon's acquisition by

Logica Logica plc was a Multinational corporation, multinational information technology, IT and Management consulting, management consultancy company headquartered in London and later Reading, Berkshire, Reading, United Kingdom. Founded in 1969, the c ...

in 1997, she was assigned to the UK market. In 1999, O'Sullivan left Logica to found Anam Technologies Ltd., raising €2m in seed money to develop the firm's

text messaging Text messaging, or texting, is the act of composing and sending electronic messages, typically consisting of alphabetic and numeric characters, between two or more users of mobile phones, tablet computers, smartwatches, desktops/laptops, or ...

systems. Media reports note that unlike other companies pursuing OTT messaging technology, Anam focuses on secure SS7 and SMS technology. Among its offerings are a patented home routing system that "enables mobile operators to protect their subscribers from SPAM messaging", and "an enhanced revenue stream, for mobile operators, that is emerging from A2P SMS". In 2003, at age 30, O'Sullivan left Anam to start a family. She went on to open a restaurant, a music business, and a media firm. She returned to Anam in 2012.

Honors

In 2015, O'Sullivan was named one of the 50 Most Inspiring Women in European Tech by Inspiring Fifty.

Personal life

O'Sullivan is a vocal advocate for gender parity in the IT industry, writing articles and giving interviews on the subject. She also speaks on the adjustments women and their spouses or partners must make in order to combine motherhood with a corporate career. She and her husband, Peter O'Sullivan, have four children.

Selected articles

"What Can Gender Parity Ever Do for Us?"
''

The Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...

'', June 11, 2015
"The value of gender parity in tech startups"
''

Wired UK ''Wired UK'' is a bimonthly magazine that reports on the effects of science and technology. It covers a broad range of topics including design, architecture, culture, the economy, politics and philosophy. Owned by Condé Nast Publications, it is ...

'', July 7, 2014
"The Rise of OTT Applications and the Threat to SMS"
''Business Computing World'' July 11, 2013

References

External links

"CNBC Interview with Louise O’Sullivan – Are text messages a dying breed?" (video)
April 21, 2015
"The Bottom Line" (radio interview)

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...

, October 4, 2014 {{DEFAULTSORT:OSullivan, Louise 21st-century Irish businesswomen Businesspeople from Dublin (city) 21st-century Irish businesspeople 1973 births Living people