Collette Kelly- Service Manager, Virgin Media Business

My name is Collette and I am currently a Service Manager within Virgin Media Business based at the newly opened Virgin Belfast office at Heron Avenue.

Monday 5 August 2019

Collette Kelly- Service Manager, Virgin Media Business

My name is Collette and I am currently a Service Manager within Virgin Media Business based at the newly opened Virgin Belfast office at Heron Avenue. I have worked in the retail, financial and telecoms industries for over 30 years following graduation from Queens University Belfast in 1989. I am a Tyrone native and home is now in Belfast Titanic Quarter. I am married and a mummy to one son.

My excellent education at both St Joseph’s Primary School Galbally and St Patricks Academy Dungannon served me well in successfully completing my Psychology and Politics degree at Queens. University experience and subsequent connections served me well for lifelong friendships and business colleagues as well as continued vested interest in Queens through the Alumni. Following graduation I was accepted for a post –graduate Business Management Course supported by the Department of Trade and Investment – today’s Invest NI.

My first “real” job was as a retail manager with Primark in the now infamous “Bank Buildings”. This retail/business experience was invaluable at such a young age- I was 21- I learned all aspects of running a business-from recruitment-training –stock management- business acumen-and the real ethos of hard work with long retail hours. My career high was winning Young Manager of the Year at the age of 23 supported by The Department of Trade and Investment.

After a number of years I left to become a Senior Manager for Bay Trading Company- a subsidiary company of the Arcadia Group- and a new start up in NI. I successfully supported the set up and roll out of 8 branches in Northern Ireland employing over 50 staff. A move from retail to telecoms followed and I worked for NTL for the next 8 years – this lead to a move to Bank of Ireland where I worked for ten years as a Bank Manager and subsequently back to Virgin Media Business where currently I am employed.

As is evident from my career customer service and people management have been my forte- Helping customer on a daily bases and team working is where my heart lies. Working for such a vibrant organisation as Virgin is exhilarating. I have been able to successfully transfer my skills from various industries but my passion is the Telecommunication Industry. I work with teams at the forefront of new digital technology and exciting Virgin Media Business products which enhance and transform our Enterprise and Public sector industries. I am lucky to deal with the top companies in Northern Ireland both in the Private and Public Sector. Every day is an exciting challenge.

I am proud to be in a company who supports Woman in Business and Virgin Media Business is the key sponsor for the Annual Woman in Business Awards for a second year in a row. In an industry where woman are historically in a minority it is reassuring to be part of a team in Belfast where the ratio is 50/50.

Monday 5 August 2019