Former TD Lucinda Creighton has been appointed by Brussels-based consulting group Fipra to lead its Brexit unit, which will advise clients on issues related to the UK's exit from the European Union.

Ms Creighton will combine this role with her work for her own company, Vulcan Consulting, which she set up in Dublin in the wake of losing her seat in the general election earlier this year.

“At Fipra, I will be leading the Brexit team’s engagement with client companies on all issues relating to the UK’s exit from the European Union, working internationally with all Fipra units (in 50 countries on five continents) in offering specialised briefings, seminars, and strategic workshops to companies, as well as to industry associations and other client multipliers, including law firms and management consultancies,” Ms Creighton states on her LinkedIn page and company website.

Team of eight

She will head a team of eight people, including four full-time staff,

As a former minister for European affairs from 2011 to 2013, Ms Creighton is well placed to advise on Brexit issues.

Fipra was set up in 2000 to provide advice to clients on EU political and regulatory affairs. It has a presence in every EU and European Economic Area member state, including an office in Dublin.

Its clients include pharma giant Eli Lilly, taxi service Uber, Elon Musk's SpaceX, and biopharma group Alexion.

Party leader

Ms Creighton was party leader of Renua Ireland when she lost her seat in Dublin Bay South in February. She had been a member of the Dáil since 2007, originally winning a seat for Fine Gael before later leaving the party.

Ms Creighton is the latest former Fine Gael politician to secure an advisory role on Brexit. On Thursday, The Irish Times revealed that Gay Mitchell, a former TD, MEP and junior minister, had been hired as a consultant with Dublin-based public relations agency Unique Media.