Businessman and former Bord Gáis chief executive John Mullins has died suddenly after taking ill at his home in east Cork over the weekend.

A native of Blarney Street in Cork city, Mr Mullins, who was in his mid to late 50s, was group chief executive of Bord Gáis for more than five years. He was responsible for the company’s diversification from its core gas business into electricity, water and telecoms.

He set up Amarenco Solar in 2013 to source, structure, finance and asset manage large scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plants across Europe. The company has built up an installed PV and battery operating portfolio of more than 600MW.

Speaking to The Irish Times in 2019 about his career and the establishment of Amarenco, he said the company raised €5.3 million in the Irish retail market for a 12-megawatt plant in the south of France before moving on to complete 30 such deals.

“I was coming to the end of my contract as chief executive of Bord Gáis and had a choice: get another job or start a company,” he said. “In starting a company, I looked to the solar market as solar PV technology prices were decreasing rapidly and were becoming relevant in a European investment context.”

A graduate of University College Cork and University College Dublin, Mr Mullins also served chairman of the Port of Cork company and a director of Mainline Group and Wisetek. He was also a director of several charities.

A member of Fine Gael, Mr Mullins ran for the party in the Ireland South Constituency in last year’s European elections. He polled 33,281 first preferences but failled to take a seat in the five-seater.

He later sought a nomination to run for Fine Gael in Cork South Central, where the party was bidding to retain the seat held by former tánaiste, Simon Coveney, but he failed to get on the tickey. The seat was retained by Jerry Buttimer.

Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said: “It was an honour to know John, to soldier with him in politics, to canvass with him and I always found it a joy to be in his company.

“A GAA fan, a charity advocate, John was a true son of Cork. Whether it was through his chairmanship of the Port of Cork, his role as director of Páirc Uí Chaoimh, or his presidency of Cork Chamber of Commerce, his entire career was motivated by a desire to do right by his native city.”

Mr Harris extended his sympathies to Mr Mullins’ wife Siobhán, children Michael and Sarah, and parents Pat and Eileen.