UCC’s Entrepreneurs in Residence appointed as Adjunct Professors in the College of Business and Law

25 Nov 2024

University College Cork (UCC) has appointed its five Entrepreneurs in Residence as Adjunct Professors within Cork University Business School (CUBS) in the College of Business and Law.

The five experienced external entrepreneurs are:

• Deirdre Mortell - founding CEO of Rethink Ireland, and a serial social entrepreneur
• Donal Daly - founder, CEO, and executive chairman of various technology and consulting companies with a keen interest in sustainability
• Rick Livesey - neuroscientist and scientific founder and CEO of Talisman Therapeutics
• Liz Shanahan - life sciences entrepreneur with extensive experience advising leading global pharmaceutical and healthcare organisations
• Ray Alcorn – engineer, and CEO at Exceedence Ltd and renewable energy business specialist.

Their expanded roles as Adjunct Professors within CUBS will broaden the entrepreneurial advice, mentorship and experience available to students and staff of UCC who wish to launch or grow their new ventures. The quintet are all either former staff or alumni of UCC.  

Launched earlier this year in line with the University’s strategic goal of developing an innovative culture and entrepreneurial campus, UCC’s Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) programme supports the University in promoting and encouraging entrepreneurial activity among UCC staff, students and graduates. UCC has developed and is nurturing an entrepreneurial ecosystem that aims to encourage, create and support 50 new ventures in the next two years.

“We are delighted to welcome Deirdre, Donal, Rick, Liz and Ray as Adjunct Professors in Cork University Business School. With their combined knowledge and experience, we have already seen how the five Entrepreneurs in Residence have accelerated the translation of promising ideas into products and services that benefit society, and we look forward to seeing them thrive in their new roles” states Prof. John O’ Halloran, President of UCC.

"We are delighted to appoint these five distinguished Entrepreneurs in Residence as Adjunct Professors within the College of Business and Law.  Their extensive industry knowledge and entrepreneurial expertise will be invaluable to our students, enriching their learning experience and inspiring the next generation of innovators here at UCC" said Prof. Thia Hennessy, Head of College of Business and Law at UCC.

“Congratulations to UCC’S Entrepreneurs in Residence on their respective appointments as Adjunct Professors within CUBS. All five Entrepreneurs in Residence have been demonstrating their knowledge and expertise in establishing and scaling companies through our Entrepreneur in Residence programme, and we’re excited for this knowledge and experience to reach all students, both those studying in the College of Business and Law, and students in the wider University” states Dr. Sally Cudmore, Director of UCC Innovation.  

To learn more about UCC’s Entrepreneur in Residence programme, visit this link.