Stephen Brewer, the former head of Eircell and Vodafone (Ireland) has been recruited by Denis O'Brien to a senior position within his Caribbean-based telecoms company Digicel.

Mr Brewer, who has been in the telecoms industry for 15 years, will become chief executive of Digicel Trinidad & Tobago at the start of November. The operation is in the pre-launch stage at the moment.

Until recently, Mr Brewer worked with Cable & Wireless in Jamaica, where he competed directly against Digicel.

When he headed up Eircell in the late 1990s, he represented the biggest competitor to Mr O'Brien's Digifone.

Mr O'Brien, who is chairman of Digicel, yesterday paid tribute to Mr Brewer's "proven leadership and experience" and said he would lead the firm to becoming the most successful mobile operator in Trinidad & Tobago.

Digicel, launched in 2001, already operates in eight Caribbean countries, including Jamaica Barbados and Grenada. As well as planning to launch in Trinidad & Tobago, the company is also expanding in Haiti.

Last month, it raised €250 million from international financial institutions to back its growth.

A portion of the funds raised will be used to pay for Digicel's acquisition of Cingular's Caribbean and Bermudan operations.

Mr Brewer left Vodafone (Ireland) in late 2001, soon after the company had been acquired and changed its name from Eircell.

At that stage he returned to his native Britain to become managing director of Vodafone UK sales and distribution.

He has also held senior positions with France Telecom Mobile and O2.