Dr Ciarán Seoighe has been announced as the new Deputy Director General of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI).
Joining SFI from Accenture, Seoighe will start in the position in mid-January. He comes from Accenture with 17 year’s experience working in management consultancy across the globe.
Seoighe is a former Trinity student, securing both his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from the university. He graduated with a degree in natural science and a PhD in quantum physics.
Speaking about the appointment in a press statement, Prof Mark Ferguson, the Director General of SFI and Chief Scientific Adviser to the government, said that he was “delighted” to welcome Seoighe to SFI. “Ciarán brings significant international leadership and industry expertise, as well as experience in corporate strategy, transformation and business development, to Science Foundation Ireland”, he said.
Leaving his role as Managing Director of Retail, Industrial and Travel sectors at Accenture, Seoighe comes to the organisation with extensive experience in both the Dublin and South African markets. He returned to Ireland in 2014 after spending eight years in South Africa working in the automotive, industrial and retail industries. His work with Accenture saw him responsible for client delivery and growing the business in a variety of areas including strategy and technology.
SFI will play an important role in the coming months, as Irish universities begin to navigate the UK’s exit from the EU. Many universities are hoping to attract some of the UK’s best researchers and state support for research will play an important role in achieving this.
