Food Industry Heroes #1 - The Legend that is Tony O’Reilly By Scott Hutchinson
To play rugby at all is hard. To play in the top flight is almost impossible. To play for your country and the British Lions is beyond the dreams and ability of almost everyone. To do all this and at the same time run the UK arm of a global food brand is beyond comprehension.
Yet this is what Tony O’Reilley was doing when he gained his surprise 29th cap for Ireland against England at Twickenham in 1970. It is rumoured that when the call came in the night before the game, O’Reilly was still in Annabels, the Mayfair nightclub.
Much has been written about his rugby ability; suffice to say that he had a prodigious career, playing club rugby for Leicester, Harlequins and Swansea. Internationally, he gained 29 caps and was the youngest player at 19 to be selected for the British Lions. His total of 38 tries for the Lions on two tours set a mark that has not been equalled. As if this is not enough, he also holds the record for the most appearances for the Barbarians.
Anthony Joseph Francis O'Reilly was born in Dublin. He was educated at the Jesuit-run Belvedere College, and went on to study law at University College, Dublin.
If anything, his business career in the food industry was even more spectacular than his rugby career. He began life as a consultant, before joining, in 1962, the Irish Dairy Board as CEO (at the absurdly young age of 26). It was here that he established himself as a skilled marketeer, developing amongst other things, the Kerrygold brand. In 1966 he became head of the Irish Sugar Company (now Greencore).
O’Reillys’ food career really took off when he became head of Heinz UK in 1969. Two years later he was global senior vice-president, based in Pittsburgh. In 1973 he became President and rose further to CEO in 1979 and chairman in 1987 succeeding Henry John Heinz II. During his 20-year tenure, he grew Heinz from $900 million to $15 billion.Post Heinz, O’Reilly’s business interests and investments over the years made him reportedly Ireland’s first Billionaire and one of the richest men in the world.
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