Purpose

The External Advisory Board to the President was established to support the mission of the President including the delivery of the core mission of UCC, providing an external perspective on strategy and vision; serving as a source of independent advice; advising and challenging on strategic issues; and establishing a two-way engagement.

Brendan Tuohy

Chair

Brendan Tuohy is Chairman of EirGrid, MAREI and TILDA (Longitudinal Study of Ageing). He also chairs the Finance Committee and Quality Council of the Kerry Education and Training Board and is involved with Dingle Peninsula 2030. Brendan is former Secretary General of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (200-2007). He holds a degree in Civil Engineering from University College Cork and postgraduate qualifications in environmental engineering and management from Dublin University, Trinity College.

Rosaleen Blair CBE

Founder and Chair at Alexander Mann Solutions

Rosaleen Blair CBE is the Founder and Chair of Alexander Mann Solutions, a pioneer in the global workforce solutions industry. She led Alexander Mann Solutions through huge geographic and revenue growth, a management buyout and four private equity relationships, the most recent being OMERS Private Equity in a deal that value the business she founded at more than a billion dollars. Rosaleen is recognised as an industry leader and entrepreneur, winning numerous awards including Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the Year and E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year. A serial entrepreneur and investor, Rosaleen is passionate about creating opportunities and helping people to make the most of them. She is committed to doing this both within Alexander Mann Solutions and externally through supporting various organisations including the Prince’s Trust, UNICEF, Modern Muse and more. She is the Chair of Everywoman and the London Irish Centre (LIC) as well as being a senior advisor to an investment firm.

Alistair Borthwick

Professor of Applied Hydrodynamics, University of Plymouth, Emeritus Professor, The University of Edinburgh, and Emeritus Fellow, St Edmund Hall Oxford

Professor Alistair Borthwick has more than 40 years experience in civil and environmental engineering. He was Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford before spending two years as Head of Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at University College Cork, where he was the Founding Director of MaREI. Alistair’s interests include environmental fluid mechanics, ocean and coastal engineering, and marine renewable energy. He was awarded an honorary degree by Budapest University of Technology and Economics in 2016, the Gold Medal from the UK Institution of Civil Engineers in 2019, and the YanYuan Friendship Award by Peking University in 2020.

Saranna Fanning

Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Brigham & Women’s Hospital

Dr Saranna Fanning is an Assistant Professor in Neurology at Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women’s Hospital. She received her undergraduate BSc and PhD degrees in Microbiology from UCC, performing her doctoral research at UCC, Columbia University, NY, and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh. Dr. Fanning performed her postdoctoral training at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, MIT, MA and joined the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham & Women’s hospital in 2017. Her lab focuses on understanding complex genetic interactions impacting disease and identifying therapeutic targets for Parkinson’s disease, one of which is currently in clinical trials.

Colin Hunt

CEO of AIB

Colin Hunt is Chief Executive Officer of AIB and an Executive Director on the AIB Board. He joined AIB in 2016 as Managing Director, Wholesale, Institutional & Corporate Banking Division. Prior to joining AIB, he was Managing Director at Macquarie Capital, Special Policy Adviser at the Departments of Transport and Finance, Research Director and Chief Economist at Goodbody Stockbrokers, Head of Trading Research and Senior Economist at Bank of Ireland Group Treasury and a country risk analyst at NatWest. He has a PhD in Economics from TCD and degrees in Commerce & Economics from UCC. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Economic Science from UCC in 2023 in recognition of his significant contribution to public life and private business. He served as a Non-Executive Director of Aer Lingus Group plc from 2008 to 2014. Colin is a Board member of Ibec, The Ireland Funds, Ireland Chapter, and was President 2021/2022 of the Institute of Bankers in Ireland.

Seamus Fives

Seamus Fives is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. He is a BComm graduate of UCC and has a diploma in Professional Accounting from Queen’s University Belfast. He also has a diploma in Process and Chemical engineering from UCC. Seamus was Vice President of global API Operations network for Pfizer since 2012. Prior to that he was Site Leader for Pfizer Cork operations. Seamus served on the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce from 2018 to 2024, holding the Presidental role in 2023. He was President of Biopharmachem Ireland in 2017. Seamus is a key exponent of the use of DMAIC & Lean Principles delivering operational excellence. He has a very keen interest in the Pharmaceutical sector especially in developing and promoting Research and Innovation capability in Ireland.  He has a passionate interest in both Sustainable farming and the Equestrian industry in Ireland.