The former chief operations officer at Aer Lingus, Séamus Kearney, is to take over the running of Jim Mansfield's businesses, with the property developer planning to step aside, writes Emmet Oliver

The Irish Times has learned that Mr Kearney, who left the airline earlier this year along with chief executive Willie Walsh and chief financial officer Brian Dunne, will become managing director of the Mansfield Group.

Mr Mansfield and his family will retain ownership of the company, but they want Mr Kearney to maximise the commercial potential of the group's assets. Mr Mansfield will act as chairman.

Mr Kearney was part of the management team that last year attempted to develop an investment proposal for Aer Lingus. He also worked for a time with Mr Dunne and Mr Walsh on plans for a new low-cost transatlantic airline.

After leaving Aer Lingus earlier this year, Mr Kearney received extensive offers. These included contact from airlines in Europe and the United States. But it is understood he was eager to work in a new industry and talks with the Mansfield Group have been taking place for the last few months.

At Aer Lingus, Mr Kearney had responsibility for sales and marketing activities and all operational matters. He also played a leading role in industrial relations at the carrier.

The Mansfield Group has grown strongly over recent years from relatively modest beginnings. The City West complex it acquired for €1 million over a decade ago is now worth a multiple of this.

It is understood Mr Kearney will concentrate his energies on the three main assets of the Mansfield group: City West, the Weston Aerodrome and Palmerstown House, which includes a PGA golf course.

The Mansfield Group is believed to have a current turnover of about €70 and profits of about €16 million. However, these figures do not include a full annual contribution from Palmerstown House or Weston Aerodrome.

The company employs almost 1,000 people across its operations.

Mr Kearney is already familiar with the operations at the Weston Aerodrome, which the Mansfield Group describes as "Dublin's second airport". It competes for executive business against Dublin Airport and Mr Kearney is expected to market the lack of congestion at the site compared to Dublin Airport.

Another one of his responsibilities will be to commercially develop the 800-acre Palmerstown site, which includes the fully-restored Palmerstown House. The site contains Ireland's only PGA golf course and the organisation has its Irish headquarters there.

The City West hotel and leisure facility contains 40 retail outlets spread out over a 50,000 sq ft area. Most of these are branded outlets and Mr Kearney will be responsible for heightening the profile of this retail space. The site also contains two hotels.

One of the biggest parts of the Mansfield operation is a 6,000-seat convention centre, which sits on the City West site.