Diarmuid will take over from current Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Andy Neely OBE, whose term of office finishes at the end of February. He takes up his role in April, and will remain in his current capacity at Cambridge Enterprise for one day a week to provide continuity and connection.
Diarmuid, who has a PhD in Physics from the University of Sheffield and a degree in Materials Science from Trinity College Dublin, joined Cambridge Enterprise from Trinity College Dublin, where he was Chief Innovation Officer. At Cambridge Enterprise he has led a new strategy which has supported activities such as the establishment of Innovate Cambridge, the formation of Founders at the University of Cambridge, the launch of IE Cambridge, the integration and renewal of ideaSpace, and the commencement of the Technology Investment Fund to support the development of University intellectual property.
Diarmuid replaces Professor Andy Neely, who has served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations since March 2017, and received an OBE for services to University/Industry Collaboration in 2020. Professor Neely’s achievements as Pro-Vice-Chancellor included leading the University’s Recovery Programme helping the University respond to the coronavirus pandemic, overseeing the establishment of the Change and Programme Management Board, as well as building far stronger links with the local and regional innovation community through important initiatives such as Innovate Cambridge.
There are five Pro-Vice-Chancellors at the University of Cambridge. Their role is to work in partnership with senior administrators to help drive strategy and policy development. The Pro-Vice-Chancellors also support the Vice-Chancellor in providing academic leadership to the University. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation is broadly the same role as the current Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations role, but with an enhanced focus on industry, enterprise and innovation.
The University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice welcomed Diarmuid to the role and thanked Professor Neely for his service.