Martin Shanahan is Partner and Head of Industry and Foreign Direct Investment at Grant Thornton. He is also an Adjunct Full Professor at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business since 2019. Prior to taking on his role at Grant Thornton, Martin led two government agencies (IDA Ireland and Forfás) at the highest level and was integrally involved in the development and execution of industrial policy for Ireland over the past twenty years.
A Kerry native, Martin holds a BSc (Management) from Trinity College Dublin, a Master of Research (Education) from Lancaster University as well as an M.Sc and H.Dip (Hotel and Catering Management) from TU Dublin. He began his career in hospitality holding several senior management positions in the private sector in tourism and hospitality. He then moved to a leadership role in Fáilte Ireland – The National Tourism Development Authority.
Martin was CEO of IDA Ireland from 2014 to 2023. His primary role was to ensure a continued inward flow of foreign company investment and employment growth. In discussing his role and the role of the IDA in supporting employment growth he once stated “We don’t have alternatives [to trade and attracting investment] we don’t have natural resources other than the quality of our people and the fact that the grass grows greener than anywhere else”. Under Martin’s leadership of the IDA the number of multinational operations in Ireland increased from 1098 to 1691 (a 54% increase) and the number of direct jobs within the IDA client portfolio rose from 161,112 to over 300,000 (87% increase) and the economic contribution of FDI in Ireland increased significantly.
On leaving the IDA, Frank Ryan chairman of the board at IDA noted “Martin has steered IDA through some of the most difficult challenges that it has faced in its history, from driving economic recovery to international tax changes, the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, a global pandemic and more recent global geopolitical and economic challenges.”
Prior to his role at the IDA, Martin was CEO of Forfás – Ireland’s Policy Advisory Agency on Enterprise, Trade, Science, Technology and Innovation from 2010 to 2014. This was a very challenging time for Ireland economically post the financial crisis. In 2014, then Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton said, “Martin Shanahan is a senior executive of the highest calibre, with drive, energy and an impressive range of experience in both private and public sector. As CEO of Forfás he has been instrumental in driving the Action Plan for Jobs process, which has been crucial in restoring our competitiveness and supporting jobs growth. Martin is particularly proud of what he and his team achieved at Forfás given the significant economic difficulties the country was experiencing during that time.
Martin is also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, particularly LGBTQ+ rights. He has stated previously that he believes the most important thing that he can do is to lead by example as a gay man, not just in his own organisation but also across the Irish public sector & business community. He would like to see a situation where everyone’s sexual orientation is unremarkable in a work context. He has dedicated himself to helping to create a business culture in Ireland that has openness, inclusivity, and welcome for diversity as a key underpinning strategic pillar. Martin expressed the importance of a ‘yes’ vote, in the 2015 same-sex marriage referendum, in demonstrating that Ireland is an open and welcoming society. In 2016, he became an LGBT+ Diversity Ambassador for the Gay & Lesbian Equality Network and has spoken at public events nationally and internationally to promote LGBT+ diversity. His leadership in promoting culture and diversity at work has been recognised, including in the Outstanding Global Listings of LGBTQ+ Role Models.
For his significant contributions to economic development and employment and his work in developing a more inclusive workplace, the Irish Academy of Management is delighted to confer Martin Shanahan the Irish Academy of Management TK Whitaker Award for 2023.
In 2009 the Irish Academy of Management instituted the Irish Academy of Management Whitaker Award and its first recipient was Dr T.K. Whitaker, after whom it is now named and who has been described as the most influential public servant in the history of the State both during his professional career and in retirement. He is most remembered for his inspirational paper Economic Development in 1958, out of which grew the First Programme for Economic Expansion. This was a paper that gave new hope to an Ireland from which young people were fleeing in their thousands after years of a stagnant economy and mounting unemployment.
With over four decades of experience across some of the most important public service roles, Josephine Feehily has demonstrated substantial managerial and leadership qualities in what is a most distinguished career.
A native of Clarina, County Limerick, Josephine is a graduate of the National College of Ireland, Trinity College Dublin. She was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Economic Science by the University of Limerick in 2016, and a Distinguished Fellowship by Griffith College in 2019.
Josephine Feehily’s has undertaken a most wide ranging of positions across the Irish public service. From several roles in the Department of Social Welfare, the Pensions Board, and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners to being appointed as the first female chairperson of Revenue in 2008, a role she held until early 2015.
If taking on such a role wasn’t sufficiently trailblazing on its own right in 2011 Josephine was elected chair of the World Customs Organisation. This independent intergovernmental body represents 183 Customs administrations, responsible for about 98% of world trade. Further to this, late 2012 saw Josephine selected as Chair of the OECD Forum for Tax Administration which meant that she was the first individual to chair both of these key global organisations simultaneously.
Josephine continued this trend of firsts when in 2015 she was appointed by the then Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald as the inaugural Chairperson of the Policing Authority. In her nomination to this role, she was described by Minister Fitzgerald as “a woman of unimpeachable integrity and unquestioned ability”, traits that were evident in how the Policing Authority challenged many aspects of An Garda Síochána and its culture which several commentators believe were key to the recent and ongoing evolutionary reforms Ireland police force. She completed her term as Chairperson in December 2019.
In late 2020, she was asked to Head up a new Commission on Pensions to make recommendations to the Irish Government on the matters including, for example, the age that people will quality for the State pension, contribution rates, eligibility requirements; a body of work that I’m sure many of us will take great interest in!
Josephine has also been a real champion for gender equality and has served in several State bodies focused on improving gender balance in the workplace. Josephine Feehily has been a strong supporter of higher education and continuous learning as evident from a very active role on several Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taxation offerings at the University of Limerick, along with co-chairing the 10th European Conference on eGovernment in 2010 there.
For her leadership and significant contributions to public service in Ireland, it gives us the great pleasure to present Josephine Feehily with the Irish Academy of Management TK Whitaker Award 2021.
Dr Chris Horn being presented with his award by IAM Chair Dr Felicity Kelliher
One of Ireland’s leading entrepreneurs and investors Dr Chris Horn is a well-known name in business in Ireland. Chris graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 1978 and subsequently completed his PhD in the Computer Science Dept. in 1983. He then spent a year working as a civil servant and advisor in Brussels for the European Commission’s ESPRIT programme. Following a return to Ireland he worked in the faculty of the Computer Science Department of Trinity College until 1991.
He then co-founded and became CEO of the well-known Irish software company IONA Technologies. Starting with an initial investment of just €1,250 each, Chris in his role as CEO, along with 2 colleagues grew IONA, into a real Irish success story. The company had a slow steady growth fuelled by winning EU research grants and had to deal with being turned down by local venture capitalists before an investment in the company by Sun Microsystems, as well as a landmark technology deal with Boeing, propelled the unassuming founders into the business stratosphere.
In 1997, Iona became the second ever Irish technology company to go public on the NASDAQ exchange, the fifth largest IPO in NASDAQ history at that time, raising US$137m in the process. At its peak in 2000 Iona, which was leading the world in the development of middleware for large enterprises, was worth US$1.75bn and had an annual turnover in excess of US$100m. IONA was one of the largest top ten software companies by revenue in the world, having over 1,200 staff in 22 offices worldwide. Chris retired as CEO and Chairman in 2000, but subsequently returned as CEO from 2003 until 2005 to rebuild the company. He then stayed in a non-executive role on the Board until company was sold in 2008 for over $160 million.
Chris however is not one to retire as is evident in his significant contributions through board chairman positions and memberships to many companies including Cloudsmith, SOPHIA, Atlantic Bridge Ventures and Kastus Technology.
He was the inaugural chair of the Science Gallery at Trinity College Dublin in 2006. This was the world’s first science gallery. He remained in that role until 2012 when several other cities and universities worldwide adopted the concept. He then became inaugural Chair of the Science Gallery International, a position he held until very recently. He is also a former director of Science Foundation Ireland, and a former chairman of the Irish Management Institute and of UNICEF Ireland. Dr Horn regularly contributes to debate on Ireland’s high-tech industry and was a member of the ICT working group at IBEC and was the founding chairman of the Ireland China Association.
His commitment to learning is evident in the fact that in 2006 he was founding chairman of the Science Gallery International. This is the world’s only university network dedicated to public engagement with science and art. And Science Gallery International provides the services, tools and resources to power and expand the network.
The IAM are delighted to announce that this year’s IAM Whitaker Award recipient for 2022 is Siobhan Talbot in recognition of her leadership of Glanbia and its growth to become a global food group with revenues worth €4.2bn.
Associate Professor Margaret Heffernan, DCU presenting Siobhan Talbot with the IAM Whitaker Award
Máire Anne Geoghegan-Quinn being presented with her award by IAM Chair Dr. Felicity Kelliher
Máire Anne Geoghegan-Quinn is one of Ireland’s most successful politicians. She has had a distinguished career in politics and has played a leading role in placing research and innovation centre stage in Europe. Maire began her political career in 1975, becoming a Fianna Fáil TD for Galway West. She was appointed Minister for Gaeltacht in 1979. Importantly, she was the first female cabinet level Minister since Constance Markievicz. Subsequently she held Ministerial office in the Departments of Tourism and Sport, and the Department of An Taoiseach. One of her major contributions to Irish life came when Marie was appointed Minister for Justice in 1992 and spearheaded the passage of the Act that decriminalised homosexuality in 1993 (which is 25 years ago this year). Reflecting on the implications of that vote she has said that it was the “end of the beginning” for a societal shift that would usher in a very different Ireland. After a distinguished 22 year career in the Dail she retired from domestic politics at the 1997 General Election. However, Maire was not one to retire from public life, as this time marked the beginning of her European career. Marie was appointed by the Irish Government as a member of the European Court of Auditors in 2000, serving for 10 years. The work of the European Court of Auditors involves improving the EU’s accountability towards citizens for the use of public funds. Maire was then appointed by the Irish Government as Ireland’s European Commissioner in February 2010. She was allocated the role as Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science and she served in this role until November 2014. Her stated goal was to push research and innovation further up the political agenda, and to direct research funding towards important challenges in policy areas. Her success in achieving these goals are clear. Today, research and innovation are at the heart of the Europe 2020 strategy, and EU leaders set the Europe 2020 Research & Development investment target at 3%. In 2014 in recognition of her remarkable contribution to the European project she was awarded the French Legion d’Honneur by the French Government. More recently, in July 2015, she was appointed to chair an independent panel to examine gender equality in Irish 3rd level education. The proposals of that expert group continue to have significant implications for third-level institutions. And in April 2018 in recognition of her extensive national and international experience she was appointed to the Board of Science Foundation Ireland. On announcing the appointment Minister John Halligan said Máire brings a wealth of experience and international insight to the Board of Science Foundation Ireland which will assist in delivering the goals to make Ireland a global innovation leader. For her significant contributions to business and the wider community of current and future scientists in Ireland and beyond, it gives us great pleasure to present Maire Geoghean Quinn with the Irish Academy of Management TK Whitaker Award 2018.
Mr. Jerry Kennelly being presented with his award by the IAM Chair, Prof. Margaret Linehan
One of Ireland’s leading entrepreneurs as creator of Stockbyte, Newsfax and now Tweak, Jerry Kennelly is undeniably a leading force in the digital imagery world. Prior to being sold to Getty Images in 2006, Stockbyte operated directly with users throughout the world from its base at the Kerry Technology Park in Tralee as well as 130 partners in 70 countries and its photographs were published on the covers of global publications such as Time magazine and Newsweek. In recent years, Jerry’s entrepreneurial instincts drew him to Tweak – an online platform, which brings agency standard design, photography and copywriting to small businesses throughout the world.
Jerry’s contribution to Irish life is not confined to the realm of business. He has collaborated the Press Photographers Association of Ireland in documenting the work of the charity GOAL’s work abroad and using those creative images to spread their messages through the media, exhibitions and calendars. He is also dedicated to the development of a sustainable business community in Ireland and he set up Endeavour in 2009 with his co-founders, a not-for-profit technology accelerator in Kerry. The 20 participating companies now have a value of in excess of €100m. He is also the founder and curator of the Kennelly Archive, Ireland’s largest contemporary historical photo archive.
Jerry has long called for more focus on entrepreneurship in Ireland’s education system and he and his team founded the Young Entrepreneur Programme in which 5,000 secondary and third level students learned about entrepreneurship and created business plans, meeting some of the world’s most famous entrepreneurs face-to-face. He is also Chairman and a co-founder of the Junior Entrepreneur Programme, an initiative aimed at promoting entrepreneurship at primary level. Every child learns about entrepreneurship, discovers their own skills and presents their idea to the class. Local entrepreneurs help them select the best idea and the class breaks into five teams to handle production, sales and marketing. Every child invests their own money and reaps a return at the end. To date, over 40,000 primary school children in every one of the 32 counties in Ireland have taken part. In 2017, the 13, 000 pupils achieved combined sales of €320,000 and shared in the profits of €230,000.
For his significant contributions to business and the wider community of current and future entrepreneurs in Ireland and beyond, Jerry Kennelly was conferred with the Irish Academy of Management TK Whitaker Award for 2017.
Mr Martin Naughton, recipient of the 2016 award
Martin Naughton is one of Ireland’s most successful entrepreneurs and is also an accomplished engineer and thinker, who has a subtle and well-thought out philosophy of management. His first business, Glen Electric, began in 1973 with ten employees and borrowings of £60,000. Within four years he had bought out Dimplex, the leading British brand in the electrical heating market. This was just the beginning of acquisitions, which have led to Glen Dimplex becoming the world’s largest manufacturer of domestic heating appliances, employing 8,000 staff and with twenty-two manufacturing facilities throughout Europe and North America. Though sales are now in excess of €1.6 billion he was quoted in 1987, when he was Business & Finance’s Businessman of the Year, as saying that “turnover is vanity, but profit is sanity”. Profitability is something which has always been associated with his company. He runs a privately owned world-class business which he has carefully built up by thoroughly analysing businesses throughout the world and by acquiring the best. He has done this without wanting to be celebrated publicly and he is rarely seen in the media.
Martin sees his role as looking after people, employees and customers as well as making sure his company invests strongly in research & development to make its products the best in the world. He said in a 2002 Sunday Business Post interview that “To me, the one key word in management is caring…when you care about your business, you won’t let anything happen to it”. Another thing he has cared about is the profession of engineering, as a former President of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, and he has consistently helped young people to enter that profession by funding substantial scholarships. He and his wife Carmel have been extremely generous with their time and money in helping charities and various colleges throughout Ireland and this led them to being named Philanthropists of the Year in 2016. He is a very hard-working man who has done a great deal for his community both economically and personally. To any budding entrepreneur there are two very relevant quotes from him, on risk-taking and how he views his work:
On risk-taking: “Everything in life is a gamble and business is risk-taking. It doesn’t suit everybody…You need to look in the mirror and ask the one person who knows if you can do it. There are risks, but some are worth taking.”
On work: “It has been, for me, great fun… I have been terribly lucky over the last 15 or 20 years. I do it now because I want to do it, not because I have to do it.”
Martin Naughton has been so successful not because of luck but because of great ability and generosity, and so he was conferred with the Irish Academy of Management Whitaker Award recipient for 2016.
Dr. Margaret Downes (Honoris Causa) receiving the TK Whitaker Award from the Chair of the IAM, Dr. Margaret Linehan
Dr. Margaret Downes was born into a family of retailers in Ballina, invaluable experience for when she received her B.Comm from UCD, qualified as an accountant and later became a partner with the firm of Coopers and Lybrand. Her career has been a sequence of superlatives. She was one of the first women to be appointed to the board of a major Irish bank when she was appointed to the Court of Directors of the Bank of Ireland. She was then appointed as Deputy Governor of that board.
She was also the first, and is still the only, woman president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and was President of the Federation of European Accountants. Her list of directorships are many and vary from the Kilkenny Design Workshop in the mid-Seventies to Ardagh, the Mothercare/BHS group, Gallahers and Bupa Ireland. These indicate her substantial status in Irish business.
For many years she was regarded by many in the business and in the media as the foremost Irish businesswoman. Irrespective of her gender, in her own right she has been a leading force in Irish business. It is easy to forget, given current legislation and given the awareness of diversity and inclusiveness, how difficult it was for her to become a leader of the accounting profession. In doing so she was a trail blazer and she paved the way for what many women take for granted in modern Irish business circles. She also has had a long involvement in the arts. She served as trustee of the Chester Beatty Library and director of the Douglas Hyde gallery. She has links with the Irish Museum of Modern Art and has chaired AXA’s international piano competition. Margaret Downes has had a distinguished career in Irish business and has served as an important role model for Irish women in business.
Mr. Denis Brosnan receiving the Whitaker Award from the Chair of the IAM, Dr. Margaret Linehan
Denis Brosnan is one of Ireland’s leading and most respected business men. He was the founder, chief executive and, until 2003, chairman of Kerry Group Plc. Set up by a group of Kerry farmers in 1972, Kerry Group has become a global food and specialist ingredients Group worth more than €7bn, and employs over 25,000 people worldwide. Denis has contributed significantly to the development of the South West region, and to Ireland as a whole, through his innovative leadership at Kerry Group and beyond. His influence on Irish life includes his work establishing the Irish Horse Racing Authority in 1994 and his subsequent role in the development of the horseracing industry in Ireland. In terms of social responsibility, Denis Brosnan chaired the Limerick regeneration taskforce in the wake of the Dell job losses and worked with partners in the Shannon Consortium and in Limerick Institute of Technology to try and bring a jobs and growth stimulus to Limerick. Denis’s deeds and business practice have inspired many business people and entrepreneurs and have shown the way for many future generations to come. For his record of achievement, his tireless contribution to the wider community and his leadership skills Denis Brosnan is the 2014 recipient of the Irish Academy of Management’s Whitaker Award.
Senator Fergal Quinn being presented with the award by IAM Council Members
It is easy to provide a long list of Senator Feargal Quinn’s achievements and contributions as his business career and time in public service have been highly lauded and successful. He was head of one of the more innovative Irish businesses of the last fifty years, Superquinn, which introduced, amongst many other things: meat traceability for its customers, the first Irish supermarket customer loyalty card and a very strong customer focussed organisation, evident from his 1990 publication “Crowning the Customer”. In addition, he brought a commercial sensibility as chairman of An Post, which had previously been part of the state’s joint post and telegraphs provider. His contribution to this ensured that the fledgling state organisation focussed more on providing customer relevant processes and products.
He was first elected to the Seanad in 1997 and has been re-elected ever since. He has been an extremely active member and at present he is campaigning for the Seanad’s retention. Since his first election he has been a regular producer of social and commercial legislation and his membership of the upper house of the Oireachtas has made a discernible difference to its operations. He seems to prefer quietly building a consensus and so is popular amongst many in that part of the Oireachtas. There have been many other awards, including honorary doctorates from UCD and the NUI, but what stands out most about Feargal Quinn is his personal impact on others.
A former Superquinn worker, Aideen Pollard McManus, quoted recently in journal.ie, said that:
“I worked in Superquinn part time in the early eighties …. We were very well treated and the pay was good. Feargal was a great boss who made a great effort to get to know his staff. I worked in Northside, as did my sister, and I’ll always remember at the time of the Stardust tragedy how he treated staff and customers with such compassion and dignity. He promised everyone who was injured that their jobs were safe until they were able to come back. He even gave jobs to siblings of staff who were injured to ensure that there was some income coming into their homes.”
This is the mark of the man; humane, considerate and aware of commercial goals not exclusively grounded in profits. This sense of public service continued in Feargal Quinn’s aptly named television series “Feargal Quinn’s Retail Therapy” which helped local businesses compete with much larger rivals and also when he worked with a team of experts to help local economies in the series “Local Heroes – A Town Fights Back”.
What stands out most about Feargal Quinn is that in every aspect of his life he has made a sustained and immense contribution to those around him. Without his generosity of spirit the lives of many workers and many citizens would not have been as good. These are just some of the many things he has done for Irish business and society and for this he is deemed very worthy of being the 2013 recipient of the Irish Academy of Management’s Whitaker Award.
Mr. Kieran Mulvey after receiving the award
The Whitaker award is the highest honour the Irish Academy of Management can bestow. It is not simply a lifetime achievement award but is for someone who has made unique, substantial and ongoing contributions to management in Ireland and is named after its first recipient T.K. Whitaker
From what I’ve researched about Kieran Mulvey I think these are key aspects of the man; he is diplomatic, realistic and knows well how to deal with people of different political, trade union and business backgrounds. He was one of the key architects behind the Croke Park Agreement which many say has provided a foundation for the state to correct the imbalance in its public finances.
Kieran Mulvey has been able to do this because he has a basic understanding of people, gained as this was from his background, education and work in the trade union movement. I’d like to talk about these briefly to give you an idea of the man.
After UCD he began a career in the trade union movement and on his 24th birthday he became the youngest General Secretary of a national trade union when heading up the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT).
His ability to build consensus was obviously one of the reasons he was appointed as the first Chief Executive to the newly established Labour Relations Commission in 1991. A mark of the esteem and respect in which he is held by all political hues is in the fact that over the past twenty years he has been reappointed by governments comprised of all parts of the political spectrum, and is now in his fifth term of office.
When the current economic malaise led to the demise of the national social partnership process he stepped forward once again to suggest an imaginative and pragmatic solution, the Croke Park Agreement, which has become a fundamental mainstay of the international agreement with the troika of the IMF, EU and ECB.
Kieran Mulvey has worked consistently and tirelessly to ensure that Irish society has moved away from what often was an adversarial and fractious industrial relations climate to one which is significantly more consensual, imaginative and embraces much of the best of modern Ireland.
Kieran Mulvey has made a profound difference to our society and so he is and extremely fitting recipient of the Irish Academy of Management’s Whitaker Award. Therefore I would like to call on the Chair of the Academy, Dr Alma McCarthy, to present Kieran Mulvey with the IAM’s Whitaker Award 2012.
Dr. John Teeling being presented with the award by Dr Joe MacDonagh, Vice Chairman of the Irish Academy of Management.
Dr. John Teeling is a leading Irish entrepreneur and is best known as the Founder and Chairman of Cooley Distillery. He is a leading pioneer of Irish industry, holding stakes in a number of industrial ventures, as well as being the founder of the only independent Irish whiskey distillers, Cooley Distillery.
John established Cooley Distillery in 1987, with a clear vision to restore some of the ancient brands of Irish whiskey and to create more choice for consumers through innovation and the revival of old distilling techniques. Cooley was the first new whiskey distillery to be established in Ireland in over 100 years, ending a monopoly in the production of Irish whiskey and bringing much needed competition into the industry. Cooley’s whiskeys are now sold in 45 countries and exports are continuing to expand, particularly in the US, where there is a strong revival in consumption of Irish whiskey. Following the sale of Irish Distillers (owners of Jameson, Paddy and Powers) to the French multi-national firm Pernod Ricard, and the subsequent sale of Bushmills to the UK multi-national Diageo, Cooley today is the only Irish owned whiskey distillery.
John is also a veteran in the natural resources sector, dealing in gems, mineral and oil exploration. He has established numerous companies in the sector, several of which are quoted on the London Stock Exchange. He is the founder and chairman of Petrel Resources, Minco, African Gold, Persian Gold and West African Diamonds all listed in London. He is also the founder and a former director of Kenmare Resources and a former director of Arcon. West African Diamonds.
John was an academic for 20 years as a lecturer in Business Administration at UCD. He holds degrees from UCD (B. Comm, M. Econ. Sc), Wharton Business School (MBA), and a doctorate from Harvard Business School.
Dr John Teeling has been a sustained entrepreneur who has contributed directly to Irish business and to education of future entrepreneurs in his time as a researcher and educator.
For his entrepreneurial spirit, for his contribution to Industry in Ireland, and for his success in diverse businesses which have brought credit to Ireland, the Irish Academy of Management believes that John Teeling fully demonstrates the personal and professional qualities that are honoured by the Whitaker Award.
Dr Miriam Hederman-O’Brien being presented with the award by Minister Batt O’Keeffe TD
Dr. Miriam Hederman O’Brien is an outstanding figure in national and European public affairs who has given decades of expert and committed service to a wide range of institutions, governments and civic programmes. In the words of Donal de Buitléir and Frances Ruane ‘a common thread of her work has been a restless dissatisfaction with the status quo and a passionate desire to make things better’. She has held the posts of Chancellor of the University of Limerick and she has said that a university’s mission: “it is a goal of the University …to offer [its] facilities to those who are pursuing knowledge, truth and understanding”. One of the hey aspects of her career has been to bring greater truth and clarity
She is a barrister whose Ph.D in Political and Economic Science is from Trinity College, Dublin. Her career has spanned the areas of Social Partnership, the Civil Service, The Media, Freedom of Information legislation, the judicial system, Health Services, Homelessness and the Arts. She is particularly known for trying to bring clarity and equity to our Taxation system in a manner that echoes Oliver Wendell Holme’s remark that “taxation is the price we pay for a fair society”.
Her substantial contribution to the promotion of European ideals, her vision of Europe as a ‘family to which Ireland belongs’ as she terms it, has been a continuing interest. Dr Hederman O’Brien contributes to a range of European organisations: previously Chairman and President of the Irish Committee of the European Cultural Foundation, and Vice-President for almost twenty years of European Movement-Ireland. These examples provide some measure of the enormous scope of Dr Hederman O’Brien’s involvement in a range of public affairs to which she has generously given of her time, energies and professional expertise.
Her distinguished service in the political and cultural life of Ireland and Europe includes membership of the Top-Level Appointments Committee for Senior Posts in the Civil Service between 1992 and 1998; Director of Music Network 1995-2007, membership of the National Council for Economic and Social Affairs 1984-1990 and chairman of the Foundation for Fiscal Studies between 1989 and 1998.
She has also found time to be a Director of the Dublin Grand Opera Society
Committees and Tribunals, those familiar features of Irish political life, have frequently called upon the informed leadership and widely-respected integrity of Dr Hederman O’Brien. Her chairmanship of the Commission on Taxation between 1980 and 1985 resulted in a series of publications on Direct and Indirect Taxation, Special and Environmental Taxation and Tax Administration that remain landmark publications
Recognition of this dedication to the public good has already been shown by several authorities: the Gold Medal for service to Poland (1992); the European Order of Merit (1984); Honorary Doctorates from the Pontifical University of Maynooth (1997), the National University of Ireland, Dublin (2001) and the University of Ulster (2002). Membership of the Royal Academy of Ireland was conferred upon Dr Hederman O’Brien in 2005.
It strikes me that she has made a very profound contribution to Ireland in every respect, and is someone whose selfless dedication has tried to make this country as good as it can be. I will leave the final words to de Buitléir and Ruane, who said of her: she is ‘a rare and exceptional person in the breadth of her interests and the quality of her contribution over so many fields’. For these reasons and more Dr Miriam Hederman O’Brien is the 2010 recipient of the Whitaker Award.
Dr. TK Whitaker being presented with the award now named in his honour by Minister Éamon Ó Cuív TD
Thomas Kenneth Whitaker was born in 1916 in Rostrevor, County Down. He has been described as a great Irishman whose “vision, training, warm humanity and unflagging zeal ensured that the administrative apparatus of the state was applied to the country’s economic transformation at a critical juncture” (Ó Muircheartaigh, 1997: xxii).
His achievements span a lifetime of commitment and dedication to: outstanding public service; the promotion of a economic policy agenda that brought path breaking change to Ireland; the advancement of a political agenda dedicated to engaging with the Northern Ireland question; supporting the artistic and cultural life of Ireland.
He joined the Irish Civil Service in 1934 and had what has been described as a “meteoric rise”. In 1956 Whitaker was appointed Secretary at the Department of Finance at the age of thirty-nine, becoming the youngest ever person to hold this senior position. He served in this capacity for 13 years. Economic development and trade liberalisation became the hallmarks of his efforts in this role. His appointment took place at a time when Ireland’s economy was in deep recession. Whitaker believed that free trade, with increased competition and the end of protectionism, would become inevitable and that jobs would have to be created by a shift from agriculture to industry and services. He formed a team of officials within the Department of Finance who produced a detailed study of the economy. This detailed study and analysis culminated in the First Programme for Economic Expansion. This programme became a landmark in Irish economic history, primarily for its brave new ideas around industrial policy and trade liberalisation. It resulted in a radical shift in the developmental trajectory of the Irish economy, away from protectionism towards a policy dedicated to securing FDI for Ireland. Economic growth accelerated as a result of these and related initiatives which he presided over. He served as Governor of the Central Bank from the period 1969 to 1976.
During his period in the Central Bank, he remained policy advisor to Jack Lynch on matters concerning Northern Ireland. In 1977 Lynch nominated Whitaker to the Seanad, where he served as an independent senator from ‘77 to’81. In 1981 he was re-nominated by Garret FitzGerald, where he served until 1982. Whitaker also served as Chancellor of the National University of Ireland from 1976 to 1996. In 1991, the then President, Mary Robinson, appointed Whitaker to the Council of State. From 1995–1996 he chaired the Constitution Review Group, an independent expert group established by the government, which published its report in July 1996.In 2001, he was voted “Irishman of the 20th Century and in 2002, voted “Greatest Living Irish Person”.
T.K.Whitaker has made the most profound difference to the development of Ireland both as a society and as an economy and his lifetime of service to Ireland means that he is the most deserving of recipients of this award.
Alma McCarthy holds the position of Professor of Public Sector Management at the University of Galway, where she also serves as the Dean of the J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics. She commenced her journey at the university in 2002 as a Lecturer and Researcher in the Discipline of Management, subsequently assuming roles such as Head of the Management Discipline at NUI Galway and Programme Director for the MBA. Originating from Labasheeda in Co Clare, Alma completed both her undergraduate and PhD studies at the University of Limerick.
Alma’s research interests encompass a wide spectrum, including public sector leadership, human resource development, training, work-life balance, and 360º feedback. Her scholarly contributions are evident through publications in esteemed international peer-reviewed journals such as Public Administration Review, Human Resource Management Journal, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Human Resource Management Review, Advances in Developing Human Resources, and the Journal of Managerial Psychology. Moreover, she has authored numerous governmental reports, books, and chapters in edited volumes.
Beyond her academic accomplishments, Alma’s research has had a notable impact on public policy in Ireland. She spearheaded an evaluation project focused on senior civil service leadership development, commissioned by the Department of Expenditure and Reform. Additionally, she serves as the Principal Investigator for a Science Foundation Ireland-funded project examining talent management in national science foundations, collecting data across Ireland, New Zealand, Finland, the US, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Her research into remote working’s effects during the COVID-19 pandemic provided critical insights and influenced the Irish Government’s National Remote Work Strategy published in December 2022.
Alma is deeply committed to the advancement of the west of Ireland in particular. Her teaching, research, and previous role as MBA Chair underline her efforts to foster collaboration between the university and local businesses, propelling innovation and economic growth. Furthermore, Alma has displayed active involvement and leadership within the Irish Academy of Management. She has contributed as a member of the editorial board of the Irish Journal of Management, served as Chair of the IAM Council, and organised the IAM conference in 2015. Her continued support and generosity towards the IAM community, including supporting this years event, demonstrate her commitment even after her time on the IAM Council.
Endorsing her qualities of collaboration, academic rigour and integrity, Professor Tom Garavan, Alma McCarthy’s PhD supervisor and research collaborator, remarked, ‘Alma was my first PhD student. She was and continues to be the epitome of pragmatism and organisation. We established a wonderful relationship that is as strong 20-plus years later as it was then. We have published many papers together due to a very synergistic skill set. Alma is fantastic on detail, identifying the key issues, and she is an exceptional collaborator.’
Alma’s impressive work ethic, collaboration skills, and mentorship qualities have earned her high esteem from colleagues and students alike. All colleagues comment on her hard work and dedication. She is also seen as a great role model and mentor for female colleagues with a colleague and former PhD student Maureen highlighting that “she has high expectations for everyone she works with but her highest expectations are reserved for herself. Alma is unashamedly ambitious and she assists others in achieving their ambitions. While her workload is heavy, Alma always keeps her commitments.” These work values are deeply rooted in her upbringing and the values instilled by her parents Mary and PJ growing up in Clare.
In recognition of her remarkable achievements as a distinguished scholar, mentor, and IAM contributor, Professor Alma McCarthy is a truly deserving recipient of this year’s Fellowship of the Academy.
The IAM are delighted to announce this years IAM Fellowship award recipient is Professor Nola Dundas Hewitt. This award is in recogntion of her significant contribution to both academia and practice. Her research is multidisciplinary, examining business development and economic prosperity, with a focus on the inhibitors and facilitators of R&D and innovation in SMEs and the consequences of this for their performance. Nola has been a strong supporter of the Irish Academy of Management having served as a council member and hosting the conference in 2007.
Professor Mary Brennan with Professor Margaret Heffernan.
Niamh Brennan is Michael MacCormac Professor of Management at University College Dublin and Founder/Academic Director of the UCD Centre for Corporate Governance.
Niamh is a UCD Science graduate, a qualified chartered accountant, Chartered Director of the Institute of Directors and obtained her PhD from the University of Warwick. She has held several visiting academic appointments at institutions including University of Sydney, University of Canterbury, Rotman School of Management, Auckland University of Technology to name just a few examples.
Niamh is a prolific scholar as evidenced by her 100+ publications, a h-index of 30 and more than 6,500 citations according to Google Scholar. She has been awarded numerous best paper and conference paper awards across her stellar career. In 2018, Niamh received the British Accounting & Finance Association Distinguished Academic Award and in 2019, she was inducted into the Interdisciplinary Accounting Research Hall of Fame. Niamh was also made an Inaugural Honorary Fellow of The Institute of Directors in Ireland and an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Actuaries in Ireland. Last year Niamh was elected to the Royal Irish Academy which is considered Ireland’s highest academic honour.
Niamh is Associate Editor of the British Accounting Review, Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal and Accounting Forum, and has received several best-reviewer awards.
Not only a world class researcher, she is a noted lecturer as exemplified by a UCD Alumni survey putting Niamh in the top three lecturers for the 2000s onwards.
Niamh’s input and impact is also evident outside of academic corridors and networks being a Former chair of the National College of Art & Design and of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. She also holds or has held several non-executive directorships including with the Children’s Hospital Ireland, the Health Service Executive, Ulster Bank, Co-operation Ireland, Coillte (State forestry company), Lifetime Assurance (Bank of Ireland’s life assurance subsidiary) and several private companies. She chaired the Irish Government’s Commission on Financial Management and Control Systems in the Health Services and was Vice-Chair of the Irish Government’s Review Group on Auditing.
Given the impact of Niamh’s research, contribution and quality of teaching alongside her exceptional service to the academic and wider non-university community, it is with great pleasure that the Irish Academy of Management welcomes Prof. Niamh Brennan as a Fellow of the Academy.
Dr Joe Mac Donagh being presented with his award by IAM Chair Dr Felicity Kelliher
It was with great pleasure that the IAM inducted Dr Joe MacDonagh of Technological University Dublin as the 2019 Irish Academy of Management Fellow. Dr Christine Cross, IAM vice-chair delivered Joe’s citation, while Dr Felicity Kelliher, IAM Chair presented the award.
Dr MacDonagh is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society and lectures in the College of Business at the Technological University of Dublin. He comes from a long line of those committed to serving others. He is the grand-nephew of one of the signatories of The Proclamation. His granduncle Thomas MacDonagh was executed in Kilmainham Gaol in May 1916. Joe’s service to both the academic and the wider community is evident in his commitment to a variety of organisations. Joe served as President of The Psychological Society of Ireland from 2003 to 2004. He was appointed as a member of the Life and Ethical Committee of the Royal Irish Academy in 2018; he is Honorary Secretary of the History and Philosophy of Psychology Section of the British Academy of Management and he has been a member of the Research Ethics Board of St James Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital for many years. Additionally, Joe has been involved with the EU Commission’s Research Directorate since 2007, a role which involves reviewing, assessing and allocating research funding to individuals, groups and institutions from various countries within the EU.
Joe has demonstrated his leadership skills through his long-standing service and contributions to the Irish Academy of Management. He was an IAM council member from 2004 to 2016; he held the role of Vice-Chair of the IAM Council from 2011 to 2016 and held the Acting Chair role in 2012. Joe had special responsibility for and acted as Chair of the Awards Sub-Committee from its inception, which he was instrumental in initiating in 2009. This committee receives, considers and finalises nominations for Fellowship, the Whitaker Award and the Business Journalist Award. Finally, Joe was instrumental in leading the complex two-year long process that brought the IAM to incorporated status, as a Company Limited by Guarantee.
Professor Edel Conway being presented her award by IAM Chair Dr. Felicity Kelliher
Professor Edel Conway is Head of the HRM and Organisational Psychology Group at DCU Business School. Edel is an organisational psychologist with expertise in the areas of Human Resource Management and Organisational Change.
Edel’s reputation as a leading national and international scholar in the HRM field is evidenced by her successful forging of numerous international collaborations and national and international research projects. She has a strong track record in the pursuit of excellent research in world-leading and internationally renowned peer-reviewed journals. She has forged successful collaborations with leading international scholars and is Associate Editor of Human Resource Management Journal and is a member of the editorial board of Personnel Review. A strong element of Edel’s work is her ability to build strong networks and research initiatives. At a wider national level, her reputation as a leading scholar is evidenced by her engagement with practitioners via appointments to advise both civil and public-sector bodies in Ireland. Her approach to collaborating with and mentoring of junior researchers in both DCU and the Irish Academy of Management is an indication of how she views her role in academia.
Edel has demonstrated her excellent leadership skills through her long-standing service and
contributions to the Irish Academy of Management. She was an IAM council member from 2004 to 2017; IAM conference chair in 2008; the Associate Editor of Irish Journal of Management between 2010 and 2012; and the Co-Editor of Irish Journal of Management from 2013 to 2016.
For her commitment to and for her efforts in promoting and developing the study of Human Resource Management and the advancement of the Irish Academy of Management it is with great pleasure that the Irish Academy of Management welcomes Edel Conway as a Fellow of the academy.
Prof. Mary Keating being presented her award by the IAM Chair, Prof. Margaret Linehan
Professor Mary Keating has had a long career, dedicated to the development of the Human Resource Profession in Ireland and beyond. An occupational psychologist, Mary is a Fellow of Trinity College Dublin, a Research Fellow of the International Institute for Integration Studies (IIIS) at TCD and a Fellow of the Salzburg Seminar. Her research Interests include: Cross-cultural Management with a focus on International Human Resource Management and Leadership and Human Resource Strategy and Practices. Mary’s significant professional contributions to management encompass a long history of publications in renowned academic journals, alongside key leader roles including chairperson of the Irish Association of Industrial Relations (2006), the Irish Country Coordinator for GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organisational Behaviour Effectiveness) Project and as Programme Director, MSc in International Business at TCD, ranked 5th in Western Europe for International Management (Eduniversal 2017). As a teacher and mentor Mary Keating has had a major formative influence on countless HR practitioners and others active in business and public life in Ireland and beyond. Her influence on the early careers of a number of senior HR academics and members of the IAM has also been profound. A major part of her legacy to the field and to the academy will be through her selfless and inspirational work as teacher, mentor and role model. It is with great pleasure that the Irish Academy of Management welcomes Mary as a Fellow of the academy.
Dr. Leo Smyth, recipient of the 2016 award
Dr. Leo Smyth’s background is in psychology, as applied to business and the world of work. He was a founding member of the Psychological Society of Ireland, the professional body for psychologists in Ireland, and he sat on its first Council. He gained his Masters degree in psychology from University College Dublin and his doctorate from the University of Utrecht. After several years in industrial relations and HR he joined the staff of NUI Galway where he was a Visiting Scholar on the Negotiation course at Harvard Law School and then introduced negotiation courses to NUIG at undergraduate and MBA level. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution at the University of Missouri-Columbia and is on the editorial panel of the Negotiation Journal. Though he is retired from NUIG he still maintains a significant interest in developments within the Faculty of Business and the University as a whole, by supervising postgraduate students and through lecturing at undergraduate and MBA levels. Most of all he is an educator who has inspired generations of students, researchers and those who now lecture with him.
For the Irish Academy of Management he did a great service in organising the first IAM conference in 1998. This was a very important stepping stone, which has led to where the IAM is now. He was described as a “very deserving” recipient of Fellowship and by colleagues as “a really good colleague and advisor” and thus was deemed very worthy to receive Fellowship of the Irish Academy of Management.
Prof. Roy Green being presented with his award by the IAM Chair, Dr. Margaret Linehan
Professor Roy Green is a former Chair of the Irish Academy of Management and is currently Dean of the Business School at the University of Technology Sydney. He graduated from the University of Adelaide and gained his PhD from the University of Cambridge, where he was also a Research Fellow. He has worked in universities, business and government in Australia and overseas, including as Dean of the Macquarie Graduate School of Management and here in the Business School at the National University of Ireland, Galway.
Roy has advised governments in Ireland and Australia, and published widely, on areas including innovation policy and management as well as trends in business education. He has undertaken research projects with the OECD, European Commission and Enterprise Ireland. In particular, he recently co-ordinated an 18 month Australian Government funded project by the Australian Business Deans Council on The Future of Management Education.
He has played a substantial role in the development of the understanding of the role of business and of management education in Ireland’s and Australia’s economies and much of the material you read about him highlights this.
But it his personal qualities which stand out when I mention him to academics from different institutions. Most noticeably, that he is a person of great vision, who is able to create waves, positively, in dreaming up big ideas and big projects. One example of many is his asking the world renowned architect Frank Gehry to design the striking new Business School in the University of Technology in Sydney. Most of all he is regarded as someone who has had a profound effect on all who have worked with him. His contribution to management teaching, research and policy has been exceptional and so that is why Professor Roy Green is the 2015 recipient of Fellowship of the Irish Academy of Management.
Dr. Noel Harvey being presented with his award by the IAM Chair, Dr. Margaret Linehan
Dr Noel Harvey of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) received the 2014 Fellowship Award. Noel has a substantial record of service to the Irish Academy of Management, and has been on the Academy’s Council or worked as our Treasurer since soon after the Academy was founded. He has carried out his roles with generosity and courtesy and the IAM now has the healthiest finances in its history. Noel is a highly regarded Senior Lecturer at GMIT, where he has supervised many postgraduate students in his research area of industrial relations. He has been published by the LRC, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, and others. He is the Chairperson of the Irish Association of Industrial Relations and has organised the Countess Markievicz annual lecture and James Connolly Memorial Seminars. He has organised two very successful Irish Academy of Management annual conferences at GMIT, thus setting a precedent, which has been followed by many other conferences in recent years. Noel is a dedicated, honest and passionate individual who is a great ambassador for his college, for his research area and, especially, for the Irish Academy of Management. He is generous with his time and advice, and his courtesy in carrying out his duties is a model for all in his profession and it gave great pleasure to the Academy to award Noel a Fellowship of the Irish Academy of Management 2014.
Professor Mike Morley, recipient of the 2013 award
Mike Morley is currently Professor of Management at the University of Limerick. He is a scholar of international repute who has contributed to the active and high impact research culture in his university. He has co-authored or edited fifteen books and over 100 journal articles and book chapters. Among his recent books are International Human Resource Management and International Assignments, (Palgrave Macmillan, 2006), and New Directions in Expatriate Research (Palgrave Macmillan, 2006). In addition to his own research he makes generous contributions to scholarly publications around the world. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Managerial Psychology, and is a member of the Editorial Board of nine other international journals.
As Mike is a proud and accomplished user of the Irish language part of the citation was delivered in Irish.
Is é atá tábhachtach a rá faoi Mike ná ní amháin go bhfuil saothar suntasach acadúil déanta aige, ar a bhfuil sé chomh umhal faoi, ach go bhfuil flaithiúlacht agus croí aige do dhaoine eile. Bhí sé seo soiléir in a chuid oibre daonnúla ar son na mbocht i Háití agus san Afraic Theas. Is duine é a fheiceann fulaingt a chomharsan agus a dhéanann a dhícheall cabhrú leis. Is duine freisin é atá an-fhial leo siúd atá níos sóisearaí ná é féin agus i ngach eagraíocht lena bhíonn baint aige. Níl in Acadamh Bainistíochta na hÉireann ach ceann amháin de na heagraíochtaí sin. Anuraidh thug sé onóir ní amháin do Ollscoil Luimnigh ach do ghairm bainistíochta na hÉireann ar fad nuair a rinne se sár-eagrú ar chomhdháil Chónaidhm Idirnáisiúnta na nAcadamh Léannta Bainistíochta (IFSAM). Thóg sé roinnt blianta de phleanáil agus beidh tairbhe againn ar feadh blianta fada le teacht. San IAM thug sé seirbhís fhada iomráiteach i ngach post, mar Eagarthóir ar Iris Bainistíochta na hÉireann agus mar Chathaoirleach ar an Acadamh san áireamh. Tá sé diograiseach faoi gach rud a dhéanann sé agus chomh maith le bheith paiseanta faoin ár dteanga Gaeilge, ár n-ealaín agus ár gcultúr is duine é a spreagann iad siúd a bhíonn ag obair leis. Mar gheall air seo agus ar go leor cúiseanna eile is duine fíor-fhiúntach é chun Comhaltacht Acadamh Bainistíochta na hÉireann a bhronnadh air.
What is important to say about Mike is not just his substantial academic contributions, about which he is very modest, but rather his generosity and concern for those around him. This was evidenced by his humanitarian work on the profound poverty in Haiti and in South Africa. He is someone who thinks a great deal about the suffering of others and tries to do something about it. He is also very generous with those more junior than himself and in every organisation to which he gives his time. The Irish Academy of Management is but one of many. Last year he honoured not only the University of Limerick but the Irish profession of management as a whole by successfully hosting the International Federation of Scholarly Academies of Management (IFSAM) conference. It took years of planning and will benefit us for many years to come.
In the IAM he has had a long and distinguished record of service at every level, including as Editor of the Irish Journal of Management and as Chair of the Academy. He is deeply committed to everything he does and besides being passionate about our Irish language, art and culture he is someone who inspires those with whom he works. For this and many other reasons he is a particularly worthy recipient of Fellowship of the Irish Academy of Management.
Professor Aidan Kelly, recipient of the 2012 award
William Aidan Kelly was educated in UCD, where he gained his basic, masters and doctoral degrees before becoming a lecturer there and eventually becoming UCD’s Professor of Business Administration in 1987 and then Dean of the Faculty of Commerce from 1989 to 1995. As Dean of Commerce he helped develop Ireland’s first Diploma in Business Studies (DBS) programme for non-business graduates. He then became UCD’s Vice-President for Development in addition to being a Governing Body member and a member of their Board of Asian Studies. He has most recently been active in promoting and delivering UCD’s business programmes in Asia, especially in China. He is highly regarded not only in Ireland and has held visiting appointments at Berkeley, Melbourne, Hong Kong and Shanghai, amongst others. He has also provided management development programmes for the United Nations throughout Africa and Asia.
His research interests span the fields of human resource management and industrial relations and his work has been published extensively. For many he is best known for his seminal research on changing patterns of industrial conflict, undertaken with his friend, colleague and Fellow of the IAM Dr Teresa Brannick. Also highly regarded was his work on white collar unionisation. Very importantly he founded and edited the Journal of Irish Business and Administrative Research (IBAR) in 1978 before overseeing its transition to the Irish Journal of Management. IBAR was an important milestone for business and management studies in Ireland and has provided an important outlet for Irish scholarship over several decades.
Beyond his many academic achievements, Aidan Kelly is probably best known as a kind, generous, friendly, modest and unassuming man who has acted as mentor to many people who have subsequently made their mark in business and academia. He takes great satisfaction from the achievements of former students and great pride in his native city of Limerick. A long distance runner of some repute, Aidan ran marathons when there were just a handful of competitors.
Aidan Kelly has shown his passion for business and management education, and his contribution to advancing scholarship in business and management studies in Ireland has been substantial and far reaching. He is therefore a very worthy recipient of the award of Fellowship of the Irish Academy of Management.
Dr Tom O’toole, recipient of the 2012 award
Fellowship is the highest award we can bestow to an IAM member and few are more worthy than Dr. Tom O’Toole, Head of the School of Business in Waterford Institute of Technology. He has extensive management and research experience working within the higher education sector in Ireland and overseas. He is a graduate of NUI Galway and of Strathclyde University where he gained his PhD. He is an active and a researcher who is generous with his time and advice in mentoring colleagues, student and members of the community. A mark of his success has been the €10 million in funding he attracted to WIT in research and knowledge transfer funding from national and EU sources.
In his own research he looks at market relationships and networks and more specifically, the governance of inter-organisational relationships. He also looks at social exchange theory to examine collaborative governance modes and the strength of inter-firm cooperation strategies. He has actively fostered research networks and linkages both in Ireland and internationally and he is the epitome of best research practice. Though he is very busy with his administrative and research work he has been an active member and leader within the Irish Academy of Management, as a member of the editorial board of the Irish Journal of Management, as the Chair of the Council of the IAM and in many other parts of the Academy.
His Chairmanship of the IAM was characterised by great clarity and by a desire to make the Academy all that it could be. He brought it to a new and even better developmental phase, building on what had been done before. Though he is no longer on the IAM Council he is a very generous supporter of the IAM with his time and his advice and that is something for which we are very grateful. He has achieved with other professional bodies and is also a Fellow of the Irish Marketing Institute plus being an important member of the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing Group (IMP – International Research Group). An indication of the esteem in which he is held can be seen from his having been asked to work on a large number of government working groups and national research evaluation committees.
Looking at his academic and community work I see a keen desire to improve the lot of his region, the South East, by sharing his expertise so as to nurture enterprise development and to help those who want to create employment in his area. He is also a board member of the Kilkenny Arts Festival and anyone who has attended that festival knows that it has been of significant economic and personal benefit to people from that region and to all who have had the pleasure of attending.
But above all he is a person of integrity and everyone I asked about him said that he is very loyal and that he is a pleasure to work with. He is regarded with great affection by his colleagues, his students and certainly those who have worked with him on the IAM Council.He brings great professionalism to what he does as well as having great energy and passion for his research as well as for his friends and colleagues. Without him WIT would not have been what it now is and without him the IAM would not have been what it now is. He is a scholar and a person of the very highest standing and it is a great honour for me to be able to say that Dr. Tom O’Toole has been awarded Fellowship of the IAM.
Dr Terry Cradden, recipient of the 2012 award
One of the reasons for this is the commitment, generosity and imagination of those who founded the Academy.
One of those people was Dr. Terry Cradden, who is now retired but who has worked hard to ensure that the discipline and study of management grows and prospers both in the north and south of Ireland.
From the very earliest days of the Irish Academy he organised cross border and cross community initiatives such as our conference when, as one person told me, it was neither easy nor fashionable. He was brave and visionary in asking Derry Council for funding for the IAM conference he organised, in the belief that such funding would be an investment in the social and human capital for the region and the island as a whole. We can see from the peace, prosperity and progress in our island how important this has been. One person suggested to me that he is a “good citizen” and that “his work and dealings have been marked by a profound commitment to social justice”
As a lecturer at the University of Ulster he contributed significantly to the development of business education in Northern Ireland, which has expanded significantly in the last twenty years.
In terms of research he is a former editor of IBAR, a forerunner of the Irish Journal of Management. Without journals, and those who edit them, academia in particular and society in general would be an impoverished place and this alone has been a significant contribution to the academic community and society as a whole.
One of his major research areas has been labour history. Given the economic pressure exerted on labour rights and human resources there is more need than ever for labour historians such as Dr Terry Cradden as, in the words of George Santayana, “those who cannot remember the past are destined to re-live it”
Personally he has seemed from all those I have talked to to be a “very popular person” and has made a great difference to the lives of all those with whom he has come in contact.
For these reasons and more Dr Terry Cradden is awarded Fellowship of the IAM.
Professor Paul Teague, reciepient of the 2011 award
Paul Teague is the Martin Naughton Chair of Management in Queen’s University Belfast. His PhD is from the London School of Economics and has been a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Massachusetts.
A very well respected first-rate scholar and a kind and modest man, whose work has contributed to our understanding of the worlds of work and employment both in Europe and in Ireland, where he has undertaken important research in areas such as social partnership, workplace partnership and conflict resolution. He is at home in academia and in public policy, where his work has been influential.
He has written widely on the theme of the employment relations consequences of deeper European integration. His books on the subject include the first ever study of the impact of EU laws and policies on the British employment system and the first review of the social dimension to the European Union.
In addition to researching the dynamics of European integration, he has written extensively on the political economy of Northern Ireland, with a particular focus on the labour market performance of Catholics and Protestants. His book, with Paul Bew and Henry Patterson, Between Peace and War: The Economic and Political Future of Northern Ireland, was awarded Political Book of the Year by the Sunday Times in Ireland.
His current research activities concern social partnership and employment performance, and the role of Human Resources functions in dispute resolution during Recessionary times. He has worked with the Irish Government, the EU, plus foreign governments and labour organisations to develop policies and programmes in these areas.
Like Dr Terry Cradden Professor Paul Teague has retained a strong commitment to social justice throughout his career and his colleagues and his research field have felt the full benefit of his ongoing profound contributions. For this reasons and more Professor Paul Teague is awarded Fellowship of the IAM.
Professor Bill Roche, recipient of the 2010 award
Fellowship of the Irish Academy of Management is the highest honour the Academy can bestow on one of its members and in 2010 it is awarded to Professor Bill Roche.
Bill Roche is Professor of Industrial Relations and Human Resources at the School of Business, University College Dublin and Honorary Professor at the School of Management, Queen’s University Belfast. He is a graduate of UCD and completed his doctorate at the University of Oxford, where he was Heyworth Memorial Prize Research Fellow of Nuffield College. He graduated initially in sociology and this influence can be seen in much of his work. Some of his very many research interests include: Change in work and employment, Social Partnership and Union growth and decline. In the last year he was invited to deliver the 31st annual Countess Markievicz memorial lecture, in which he linked Sean Lemass’ contribution to public life to social partnership.
He has held visiting professorships at the University of South Australia, Adelaide and at the University of Melbourne. He was a Jean Monnet Fellow at the European University Institute, Florence. He is a member of the editorial boards of leading journals, including The British Journal of Industrial Relations; Industrial Relations; Human Resource Management Journal and Labour and Industry. He publishes in the very top four star, journals and is one of the most respected scholars in his field internationally. It was suggested to me by one person that “I do not know of another person with his standing in Ireland”
He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. He was the first Dean of the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business, where he was also Director of Research and Head of the doctoral programme. He is the author and editor of numerous books.
He has led or contributed to significant strategic reviews undertaken by such bodies as the Labour Relations Commission, The National Economic and Social Council, the National Centre for Partnership and Performance and IBEC. He has served on the Councils of the Economic and Social Research Institute and of the National Centre for Partnership and Performance and on numerous boards in UCD. He is a regular contributor to TV, radio and newspaper coverage of human resource and industrial relations themes.
He has also played an important role in aspects of business and management education in Ireland including a role in the early development of the IAM and the Irish Journal of Management. In fact he has been a consistent contributor to Irish journals and to debates in this country as well as publishing in high impact international journals.
In spite of his busy schedule he finds time, as a proud Wexford man, to coach a hurling team. One of his colleagues told me that, as a true business lecturer, he had identified the inefficiencies in the team’s performance and produced a manual to optimise their playing patterns.
He is talked about with affection; as someone who is generous with his time and who shows great respect for those around him.Ultimately he is a great contributor who has made a difference to the lives of those around him.
An outstanding academic, member of the community and of the IAM, Professor Bill Roche is the very worthy recipient of Fellowship of the Academy.
Dr Teresa Brannick, recipient of the 2009 award
Dr. Teresa Brannick was one of the first members of the Irish Academy of Management and was founding editor of IBAR. She is a past editor of The Irish Journal of Management and is currently its Editor in Chief. Her work as an academic editor of an important publication provided Irish academics with an outlet to share, and learn from, research experiences, ideas and interests.
Professionally, she was a Lecturer in Industrial Relations in UCD. What struck me when researching this citation was the great respect and affection in which she is held by her colleagues and by members of the IAM.
Professor Patrick Gunnigle, recipient of the 2009 award
Prof. Patrick Gunnigle was Professor of Business Studies and Head of the Department of Personnel and Employment Relations at the Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick. A graduate of University College Dublin and Cranfield School of Management, he has authored or co-authored 16 books and over one 100 refereed journal papers and book chapters. He is considered one of Ireland’s leading human resource management scholars and was a founding member of the Irish Academy of Management. A former Fulbright Scholar and current Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD), Paddy is former co-editor of the Irish Journal of Management, and current member of the Editorial Boards of the Industrial Relations Journal., the Human Resource Management Journal and Employee Relations: The International Journal. He holds Visiting Professor appointments at Paris II University and the University of Cadiz.
Professor Kathy Monks, recipient of the 2009 award
Kathy Monks is Professor of Human Resource Management at Dublin City University. Kathy was a founding member of the IAM and was one of its first Chairpersons. Her substantial contribution continued when she worked as editor of the Irish Journal of Management. She organised the first conference of the Academy at DCU in 1997 and has always displayed an outstanding commitment to the Academy in whatever role she has occupied.
Professionally she is Director of the Learning, Knowledge and Innovation and Knowledge Centre at DCU. She is responsible for the very strong research culture in this centre and in other places in DCU. I am told she is, as a senior and eminent researcher, very supportive of her colleagues and has mentored very many people to develop personally and professionally. Those who spoke to meet wanted me to mention her kindness, solicity and generosity.
Dr. Jim Walsh, recipient of the 2009 award
Dr. Jim Walsh was the founding Chair of the Irish Academy of Management and was instrumental in growing the Academy’s membership and extending the network to include international academics and researchers. The multi-national representation at this and previous conferences is a testimony to his foundational work. He has taken a keen interest in the work of the Academy and contributed to its development and standing in academic communities throughout Ireland and abroad.
He is a Senior Lecturer in UCC and is the Director of the MBA programme there and has made a significant contribution to the field of individual, executive and institutional learning. Personally he has been described to me as being witty and having a great joie de vivre and sense of humour. He has made a substantial contribution to the IAM, to his profession and during his time in business.
Most importantly, he has made a profound difference to the lives of many students, colleagues and those who have carried out research with him and his legacy is evident both in the IAM and in the significant influence of those who worked and studied with him. For these reasons and more he is awarded Fellowship of the IAM.
Congratulations to Dr Marta Rocchi, Assistant Professor in Corporate Governance and Business Ethics at DCU Business School who is the 2024 Irish Academy of Management Outstanding Business Educator Award winner. Marta’s innovative use of innovative Virtual Reality technology as a Learner Engagement tool to teach Business Ethics at DCU Business School was highly commented. The judging panel praised the use of extremely innovative VR technology to teach a crucial subject area around the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly considering the class size. The use of this type of technology has the potential to create much higher levels of engagement from students and to bring very positive change to how this subject area is taught.
The Academy established this Award scheme to help reinforce, promote, and encourage excellence in teaching and learning in Irish business and management schools and departments.
Our inaugural Awards scheme demonstrated so vividly that there are many excellent examples of fantastic and innovative teaching and student learning taking place across the island. This ensured that the judging panel’s job was very difficult. My thanks and well done to all who submitted an application, and you are encouraged to consider a further submission in the coming years.
My thanks to all three judges (Dr. Shirley-Ann Hazlett, Queen’s University; Professor Jimmy Hill, National College of Ireland; Professor Graham Heaslip, Atlantic Technological University) for giving up their time and expertise in this voluntary capacity. The judging process involved each independently reviewing all 14 applications for their alignment with the application criteria before then coming together in late March 2023 to discuss and agree a winner. They arrived at a decision to commend a runner up, in addition to having our overall winners.
Inaugural Outstanding Irish Academy of Management Business Educator Awardees
Carolanne Mahony and Andrew Pope, Cork University Business School, University College Cork
The following provides a short description of the context for the Award and the panel’s evaluation:
The MSc Design & Development of Digital Business (DDDB) delivers taught modules in analysis, design, strategy and implementation. The capstone project provides students with an opportunity to apply all of these skills to tackle real-world problems. Combining technical skills and a design thinking approach, the students work in groups across four design sprints to explore a problem domain and generate a digital solution to address user needs. Constant feedback and an agile workflow are hallmarks of the project’s success.
The panel was impressed with the thoroughness and detail provided in the application and supporting documentation and strong evidence was provided in relation to the two thematic areas being addressed (Innovative Teaching Approach and Innovative Learning Engagement). The design, development and integration of the capstone project module (on the MSc Design and Development of Digital Business) was an excellent example of drawing on current pedagogical thinking and maintaining academic rigour whilst combining creativity, and collaboration and practical relevance. The use of design thinking and the design sprint structure, broken down into 4 three-week sprint periods, were noteworthy, particularly in creating an innovative and supportive learning environment. In turn, this structure and approach allowed students to receive regular, timely and actionable feedback leading to positive impacts on their learning. Some very good evidence from both student and client perspectives were provided in relation to the impact of the project.
Runner-Up
Prof. Brian Harney, Dr. Baidyanath Biswas, Dr. Jamid Ul Islam, Dr. Orlagh Reynolds, Dr. James Byrne, Mr. Gerry Conyngham, DCU Business School, Dublin City University
This team submission presented very strong evidence of an innovative teaching approach and related student engagement in the design and delivery of BSc Digital Business and Innovation. It is noted in the application that this is the first BSc programme of its nature in Ireland, with the first cohort joining in the middle of the pandemic, 2021. The design and rationale for the programme and the focus on digital fluency are particularly well articulated and impressive throughout the application. The ‘thematic learning journey’ moving from digital foresight in year one, to insight in year 2 to digital-in-action during the work placement and final year of study was noteworthy. The panel was impressed with the thoughtfulness noted in the key design and development decisions, including co-creating the curriculum with industry, as well as innovative and ‘transformative assessment’.
