Derry O’Brien is Managing Director of Network Ireland Television, Ireland’s foremost independent T.V. and film distribution company.

Founded in 1995, his Company has pooled and packaged 1000 hours of TV programming across all the genres from Irish broadcasters and independent producers. The Company’s catalogue of 500 short films makes it one of the largest distributors of short films in the U.K. and Ireland, representing U.S., U.K., Australian and Irish producers and directors.

After working in the marketing and sales departments of two multinational food and music companies in Ireland, Derry joined the Irish Trade Board in 1978. He worked with them for the next 17 years, 6 of these in overseas posting as Manager of the Scottish office and Director of the Canadian operation, based in Toronto. He spent 7 years, prior to leaving The Trade Board to set up NITV, working with the Irish film, T.V., and music companies in the international services sector. He has spent the past 13 years attending the main international TV trade fairs marketing and promoting his catalogue of primarily independent programming.

He represented Ireland on the Board of the EU media-funded marketing programme Euroaim for several years. He was also a member for 5 years of the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission. He has participated as a speaker at various seminars on T.V. and short films in Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Belgium, Germany, U.S., Canada and Greece.