Colm Lyons Retires: Leading ONNEC Ireland over the decades
‘A Career Built on Curiosity, Change and colleagues that I call family’ – an interview with Colm Lyons, Director Onnec Ireland on his career and retirement plans
As Colm reflects on an extraordinary career that spans more than four decades, a common thread runs through his story: curiosity, change, and an unwavering belief that people are the core of any successful business. From a summer job in 1982 to leading Onnec Ireland through transformational growth, Colm’s journey is both deeply personal and closely intertwined with the evolution of Ireland’s data and electrical infrastructure industry.
A curious mind and a summer job: is how it all began…….
Colm’s career started in June 1982, not with a grand plan but with a summer job in an electrical contracting company. “I always had a curious mind in terms of how things worked, mechanically, electrically etc.,” he recalls. That curiosity quickly turned into opportunity. At the end of the summer, the company offered him an apprenticeship.
After what he describes as “much debate” at home, his parents agreed, and in August 1982 – a month before his 16th birthday – he began his formal apprenticeship.
From the outset, the nature of the industry suited him perfectly.
“The industry has been great for me, never stagnant, constantly evolving technically within a wide variety of unique environments,” Colm says. “That really suited me as distinct from sitting behind a desk completing repetitive tasks on a daily basis.”
That mix of technical challenge, real-world problem-solving and variety has kept him motivated ever since.
Colm’s career mirrors a period of change in Ireland. Before the 1990s, he recalls, Ireland had a strong international reputation primarily for exporting two things: agricultural produce – and its own people. “This was driven by the lack of opportunity within Ireland because of our inability to attract Foreign Direct Investment and the resulting spin-off investment in infrastructure and our people,” he explains.
Over time, smart policy decisions and Ireland’s participation in the EU reshaped that landscape. Investment in education and infrastructure, alongside competitive and carefully designed tax structures, helped to attract significant levels of Foreign Direct Investment, particularly from the tech, pharma and financial sectors. The result has been the creation of hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs – not just in those sectors but in the ecosystem of services that support them. Onnec Ireland has been part of that growth story.
“The resulting demand has seen our own turnover in the past 20 years increase by a multiple of 10,” Colm notes. It’s a remarkable transformation from the Ireland he entered as a young apprentice. Some of Colm’s proudest achievements are tied to key turning points in the business that is now Onnec Ireland.
Before Kedington – Onnec Ireland’s original name – was founded in 1989, Colm had worked with one of its future founders in another electrical business. He later left Ireland to work in Australia, gaining valuable experience abroad. When he returned home, he found that a fledgling Kedington had been formed.
“I really admired the tenacity and vision of that founding Director to take the gamble, adapt to change and push through some very significant early day challenges to start a new business,” he says.
That same spirit of calculated risk-taking would later inspire Colm himself. In 2003, he completed a management buyout of the business from then-owners BT, together with Matt Porter.
“It has been very rewarding to see the growth of the business since and being able to provide long-term quality jobs to our team.”
Another defining milestone was finding the right partner for the next stage of growth. In December 2018, Kedington was acquired by ExcelRedstone – now Onnec.
“I am also very proud that we found an excellent like-minded business in ExcelRedstone, now Onnec, to acquire Kedington,” Colm reflects. That step helped secure the company’s future and position it within a wider global organisation, while preserving its culture and values.
Asking Colm what has kept the Onnec Ireland team so stable for so long, and his answer is simple but powerful: people come first.
“A well over used cliché I know, but in both my private life and career people always come first,” he says. “The cleaner and CEO will be treated equally as far as I am concerned.”
That principle has shaped the leadership culture he has built. At its core is the idea of treating colleagues like family. “We listen, we nurture, we encourage, we care – but just like family we set goals, objectives, behavioural expectations and some rules,” he explains.
When mistakes happen, the response is supportive, not punitive. “We accept that we are human, we come together in a supportive way, learn the lessons and move on. Our core asset is our people.”
It’s a philosophy that has not only helped maintain a stable, long-standing team, with many in the team achieving decades of employment, but also fostered loyalty, trust and a sense of shared ownership and direction.
When it comes to those stepping into leadership roles in today’s industry, Colm’s guidance is firmly rooted in experience. He believes that applying the same people-first principles is essential to building successful teams.
“Coldly setting desired outcomes without considering all of the required inputs will result in failure,” he warns. Effective leadership means understanding what your people need in order to succeed – and investing in those inputs.
Looking back to the start of his career, Colm wishes his younger self – and anyone new to the industry – could hear: “If you can adopt and understand these principles early on, you’ll be off to a great start,” he adds.
- Believe – “If you apply yourself anything is possible.”
- Listen to experience – Learn from those who’ve been there before you.
- Do not be afraid to take a risk – Progress often comes from stepping outside your comfort zone.
- The loudest person in the room is not always the smartest – Confidence and volume are not the same as wisdom.
As Colm says goodbye, he reflects on his journey from a curious teenager to the leader who has helped shape Onnec Ireland’s success. He would like to thank everyone who has supported him along the way:
“They have all been fantastic to work with—too many to mention individually—and I wish everyone continued success in the future. Onnec Ireland now has new leaders at the helm, but I am confident that the strong foundations in place will allow the company to continue to prosper under Adrian and the team’s leadership. I look forward to watching the continued growth.”
All of us in the Onnec family wish Colm a very happy retirement and sincerely thank him for his years of dedication and contribution. Keep in touch!
