How a tech giant’s entrance paved way for budding entrepreneur

Des Murphy, co-founder and managing director of Touchcom POic: Fergal Phillips

Google’s arrival in Ireland in 2003 proved a turning point for Des Murphy, co-founder and managing director of Dublin company Touchcom.

Murphy had started his career in the emerging mobile phone market a decade earlier as the first employee of direct marketing outfit Phones Direct. He acquired the company in 2002, aged 27, rebranding as Touchcom in 2009.

“Back in 2007, Google asked us if we could offer them a managed service,” said ...