Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn attends Business School Forum

The European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, will deliver a keynote speech at a special GMIT School of Business Forum titled ‘Gathering Four Decades of Innovation in Action’ in GMIT Galway on Monday, 4 March (2013).

The forum, marking Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology’s 40th anniversary, will be formally opened by the Mayor of Galway City, Cllr Terry O’Flaherty, at 10.35am in Theatre 1000 on campus. Ms Geoghegan-Quinn will then speak on the topic " "The importance of third-level colleges and businesses working together to keep Ireland and Europe competitive". Other speakers include Galway businessman Pat McDonagh, founder and Managing Director of Supermac’s Ireland, Frank Lohan, former Clare hurler and MD of Lohan Accounting, and graduates of the GMIT School of Business who are making their mark in business and industry at home and abroad.

Graduate speakers include Joe Cosgrove, founder and Chief Executive of Kingfisher Swimming and Health & Fitness Centres, Ireland; Mary Ann Fergus, MD of PEM Europe; Mary Frain, Áine O’Loughlin and Tony Gately, founders of the voluntary Reach Project; Ronan Byrne, founder of The Friendly Farmers; and Kevin McHugh and Dan O’Connell, founders of Tuam-based Galway Homoeopathics.

Millwall FC and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper David Forde, who attended the GMIT Business School in the late 90s, is also lined up to address the forum via video link from the UK.

As part of the one-day School of Business Forum, graduates of the School will take part in an exhibition in the New Foyer (beside Theatre 1000), showcasing their start-up ventures and successful businesses. Also on show will be student work from all disciplines across all GMIT campuses and from local industry. Information will also be available about GMIT’s two successful Innovation in Business Centres (IiBCs), at the Mayo campus and the Galway (Dublin Road) campus. Tours of the Galway campus Innovation Centre will be held as part of the forum.

As part of her visit to GMIT, the European Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn will visit the GMIT Business in Innovation Centre (IiBC) at the Dublin Road campus and meet with client companies and staff in the Centre.

Jim Fennell, Head of the GMIT School of Business, says the School has a long and proud history of graduates going on to set up and lead successful organisations at home and abroad. “Many of our graduates have forged successful careers in Finance and Banking, Management, Marketing, Agri-business and ICT.”

“We are delighted to showcase the School’s many achievements as part of our 40th anniversary, and look forward to the keynote address by the European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.”

The GMIT School of Business Forum ‘Innovation in Action’ is kindly supported by Udarás na Gaeltachta, Galway Bay Hotel, and CIPD.

For a full Schedule of Events see http://www.gmit.ie/business/docs/symposium-flyer.pdf