By Business & Finance Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, and Minister for Research and Innovation, Seán Sherlock TD, have today formally appointed three members to the Board of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). Ann Riordan has been appointed chairperson of the Board of SFI and will be joined on the Board by Geraldine Ruane and Aidan Donnelly.
Minister Bruton said: “Ann Riordan will bring considerable strength to this role based on an impressive track record in delivering within the areas of Science, Technology and Innovation combined with her experience and knowledge of Board governance. Geraldine Ruane and Aidan Donnelly will also bring excellent experience and skills to the Board. I would like to thank Professor Patrick Fottrell for his hard work and dedication in the role and wish Ann, Geraldine and Aidan every success in their new positions.”
Minister Sherlock added: “The appointments of Ann Riordan, Geraldine Ruane and Aidan Donnelly will further strengthen the board of SFI and bring fresh industry perspective to the important work performed at Board level in order to enable SFI to meet its ambitious Agenda 2020 objectives.”
Commenting on her appointment Ann Riordan said: “I am particularly excited about the role SFI can play in enabling Ireland to gain international global advantage in the areas where Ireland has research and industry strengths and further potential. As an early evangelist of the economic benefits that knowledge based industries can contribute to the country’s prosperity, I am committed to working with the Board, the Executive and the Government to realise SFI’s vision.”
An experienced board member, Ann Riordan has held a number of senior positions in the ICT sector. Notably she established Microsoft Ireland in 1990 and was instrumental in establishing the Fastrack to IT (FIT) initiative which has to date trained over 12,000 long-term unemployed people. She has served on the Information Society Steering Committee and the Irish Council for Science, Technology & Innovation. Since her retirement from Microsoft she has served as: President of the Institute of Directors in Ireland; Chairman of the National Standards Authority of Ireland; Chairman of Tourism Ireland; Chairman of the Dublin Regional Tourism Authority and as a public interest director of the EBS Building Society.
