Niall Cogley – (Setanta, CEO)

Niall Cogley is Chief Executive of Setanta Sports in Ireland. Before joining Setanta, he spent most of his career at RTE where he produced and directed TV sports before becoming head of sport in Montrose, a post he held from 2000 to 2004. Prior to all that, he studied at St Mary’s College, Rathmines and UCD before working as a freelance journalist. His father, Fred, was the rugby commentator on RTE for many years and his granddad, Mitchel, was a writer for the Irish Independent. Below is a brief Questions and Answers session with Niall, as appeared in Marketing Magazine, May 2009.

Q: What’s your current favourite experience?

A: Talking to people that can still see the glass half full.

Q: What would you save if your house was on fire?

A: The TV remote control which would guarantee my kids would follow me

Q: What music do you like most?

A: The Script…fantastic

Q: Who or what inspires you most?

A: Creative people

Q: What were you doing 20 years ago?

A: On my first TV assignment as producer/director of Nighthawks on RTE

Q: What will you be doing 20 years from now?

A: Building something new

Q: Of what work are you most proud of?

A: Hopefully, the best is yet to come but I’m proud of the way some of my younger colleagues in Setanta have developed as professionals.

Q: f you had to choose another career, what would it be?

A: Either a music producer or writer

Q: Your favourite ad?

A: Cadbury’s eyebrows

Q: Favourite magazine or newspaper?

A: Vanity Fair

Q: Favourite Book?

A: Bonfire of the vanities

Q: The last movie you saw in the cinema?

A: Slumdog Millionaire

Q: Your ideal holiday?

A:Anywhere with my family. Lake Garda was stunning

Q: What is your beauty secret?

Turn the lights off

Q: Personal mantra?

It if ain’t broke, fix it anyway.