Western Development Commission appoints Teresa Hooks as head of Connected Hubs network

Network now numbers over 400 hubs nationwide

Trade

Teresa Hooks

The Western Development Commission (WDC) has announced the appointment of Teresa Hooks as head of Connected Hubs and digital innovation. Connected Hubs, Ireland’s national hub network, is managed by the WDC on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.

Hook’s appointment comes at a significant time for the initiative, with the network having recently surpassed 400 hubs nationwide and its model now informing the development of similar networks across Europe.

Hook began her career in research before moving into more policy-focused roles, including work on the Irish Rural Development Programme with the CAP Network and as a Project Manager at Teagasc, prior to turning her focus to broader regional development.

She subsequently worked as a programme executive at the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, where she worked on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programme for the Northern and Western Region. Hook joined the WDC as Regional Development Executive in 2024 and played a key role in the delivery of a number of WDC initiatives, including the ongoing Landing Studio Pilot with CREW and AIM Innovation Hubs, securing EU Just Transition Fund (JTF) funding as part of the BIOCHAR project, and initiatives supporting the Creative Economy.

Allan Mulrooney, CEO of the Western Development Commission, said: “Teresa brings a rare combination of academic depth and practical experience in regional development to this role. Her background in rural sustainability together with her work on EU funding programmes and her time on our Regional Development team means she understands both the policy landscape and the communities that Connected Hubs serves. As the network continues to grow in scale and ambition, both nationally and now internationally, Teresa is very well placed to lead it into its next phase.”

Commenting on her new role, Hook said: “Connected Hubs has already made a real difference to how and where people can work across the country, and I look forward to building on that progress, working with hub managers, communities and partners across the Western Region and beyond to ensure the network continues to deliver for rural Ireland.”

TechCentral Reporters

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