Quick Facts
Biography
Mary Curtis is a TV executive who became the most senior woman in television in Ireland when she became head of UTV in 2014.
Career
Mary Curtis is the eldest of nine children from Tinryland in County Carlow. Because her mother and aunt were teachers, Curtis went to St Patrick’s Teacher Training College in the 1980s and worked as a teacher for three years. However she took a career break and got involved in television production.
Initially she got a position as a researcher, predominantly working on The Late Late Show. However she also trained as a producer. Since then she has gone on to be head of Saorview and deputy director of programming at RTÉ Television. She was also Director of Digital Switchover with responsibility for RTE's digital strategy. Curtis left RTÉ in 2013 and went on to become the head of UTV Ireland in 2014.
When she left UTV, Curtis was appointed to the board of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.
Since leaving RTE Curtis has also run a set up a consultancy business working with state bodies and businesses.
Personal life
Curtis is married to Jim Duggan, owner of Screen Scene. They live in Donnybrook, Dublin with their three children.