Research Ireland appoints Dr Diarmuid O’Brien as CEO
Research Ireland, the state agency responsible for supporting research and innovation, has announced the appointment of Dr Diarmuid O’Brien as its new chief executive officer. Dr O’Brien will take up the role in September 2025, succeeding Celine Fitzgerald, who will continue to serve in an interim capacity until then.
Dr O’Brien said: “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. I look forward to working with the Board, my new colleagues, and partners across the wider research and innovation system, as well as with the Minister [Minister for Further & Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science James Lawless] and the Department.
“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.”
Dr O’Brien brings 20 years of senior experience. He is a highly accomplished senior leader with a deep commitment to research and innovation. He joins from the role of Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation at the University of Cambridge in the UK and was previously chief executive of Cambridge Enterprise. Prior to that, he worked in a range of roles in Trinity College Dublin more than 15 years, including being Trinity’s first chief innovation & enterprise officer.
Dr O’Brien has extensive experience in leading a variety of research, innovation and cultural activities in partnership with universities, global companies, investors, high-potential start-ups, cultural organisations and government. This includes 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.
Commenting on the appointment, Michael Horgan, chairperson of Research Ireland, said: “On behalf of the Board, I am delighted to welcome Diarmuid as CEO. Diarmuid has a wealth of experience and an outstanding track record. He brings a deep understanding of the public research ecosystem across all disciplines, and of the wider national and international research and innovation environment. Together with the Board, I look forward to working with Diarmuid to develop and deliver our strategic priorities over time and wish him every success as CEO of Research Ireland.”
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