Research Ireland appoints Cambridge Enterprise exec as CEO

The new CEO has two decades of experience in senior positions, including as the first chief innovation and enterprise officer at Trinity College Dublin.

Former pro-vice-chancellor for innovation at the University of Cambridge, Dr Diarmuid O’Brien has been appointed as Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland’s new CEO.

O’Brien, who will take up his new position in September, was also previously the chief executive of Cambridge Enterprise, prior to which he was Trinity College Dublin’s first chief innovation and enterprise officer.

He will be taking over from Celine Fitzgerald, who was appointed as the interim CEO of the organisation last August when it was established. O’Brien’s appointment follows an open competition run by the Public Appointments Service.

The new Research Ireland CEO has two decades of senior experience, including managing research institutes, developing new university campuses, creating accelerator programmes, forming large-scale industry research partnerships, creating cultural centres, implementing new translational research infrastructure, raising venture capital funds, licensing intellectual property and scaling new company creation.

“It is a great privilege to have been appointed to this position. The formation of Research Ireland creates a huge opportunity for Ireland, and I am excited to play a central role in its development,” O’Brien said.

“By working collaboratively, we will build Research Ireland into an agency that supports talented researchers, shapes Ireland’s research and innovation landscape, and delivers outcomes that contribute to a sustainable and prosperous future for Ireland’s economy and society.”

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless, TD, welcomed O’Brien’s appointment and said: “Taighde Éireann is central to the delivery of the Government’s research and innovation strategy – Impact 2030. At this time, it is crucial that Ireland capitalises on all available opportunities.

“We must leverage our strengths in people, connectivity and curiosity by continuing to support the development of new knowledge, talented researchers and innovators. This focus will enable us to address the challenges facing our society and economy and seize emerging opportunities across all areas of research and innovation.”

Earlier this week, Minister Lawless told the Irish Universities Association that his department will be placing a stronger emphasis on higher education, research and skills as the “foundational pillars” of its economic strategy.

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