One More Thing:Denis O'Brien's online recruitment empire continues to enjoy strong growth.

Saongroup.com, which includes the Irishjobs.ie website, posted record revenues of €28 million in 2007, up 73 per cent on the €16 million recorded in the previous year.

Saon acquired six business and launched three others last year, expanding its footprint to 10 countries.

Chairman Leslie Buckley, who owns 25 per cent of the business, said it is spending €25 million expanding into China and India, an investment that has dented group profitability over the past two years.

"The mature businesses [ in Saon] are very profitable," Mr Buckley said. "But we've invested quite substantially in China and we'll be investing a large amount of money in India in the coming 12 months."

Saon has established jobs websites in eight regions of China and in the Indian city of Pune.

The plan is to open three more websites in India this year, possibly by acquisition.

Irishjobs.ie accounted for about 53 per cent of revenues in 2007 as its overseas expansion gained momentum, a figure that's set to decline to about 45 per cent this year, Buckley added.

Saon is also set to get a new boss. Ken Fitzpatrick, who joined the group in 1999 to oversee its marketing activities, is stepping down on February 1st and will be succeeded by chief financial officer Ciarán McCooey, who joined from Marlborough International in 2000.

Mr Fitzpatrick will remain as a consultant with Saon but will manage Mr O'Brien and Mr Buckley's online investments.

Saon has done very nicely for Mr O'Brien and Mr Buckley, who are long-time business associates.

The pair acquired it in 1999 for about €1.2 million. It is now thought to be worth up to €150 million.

Mr Buckley has pencilled in revenue growth of 60 per cent for 2008, which would take turnover to just shy of €45 million. Given the current global economic environment, it would be some achievement.