The Margin hears that among those approached to join the board of Telecom Eireann was none other than Peter Sutherland. Suds, however, is already on the board of LM Ericcson, which has some telecoms interests and is busy as chair of BP, and declined the offer. At £5,000 (#6,349) a year the financial incentive to take a Telecom board job is not high. But is Brian Thompson, the new chairman, getting only the basic £7,500 fee for the job? Not much to pay an international heavy hitter for such a crucial job, The Margin thinks.

(# - Euro)