By Business & Finance 
Professor Anthony Brabazon, College Principal and Dean of UCD College of Business
Last week, University College Dublin (UCD) announced the appointment of Professor Anthony Brabazon as College Principal and Dean of UCD College of Business.
In his new roles, Professor Brabazon will oversee the strategic development of the UCD College of Business. He will also join the University Management Team (UMT). The College of Business includes four constituent parts:
- UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business
- UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School
- UCD Smurfit Executive Development
- UCD Business International Campus
In total, the College of Business provides 10,000 students with undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education courses, among others.
In taking over as College Principal and Dean I’m particularly conscious of the important role the College of Business plays in developing current and future leaders who can impact positively on business and society both in Ireland and overseas.
— Professor Anthony Brabazon
UCD College of Business – a top 50 global business school
Professor Brabazon will assume this position in a key time for the UCD College of Business. The school is looking to become recognised as a top 50 global business school. A number of its programmes are already ranked in the top 50 globally.
Last Tuesday, UCD Smurfit Executive Development was ranked 48th in the world for the second consecutive year by the Financial Times for its Executive Education Open Enrolment programmes.
UCD Michael Smurfit School of Business and UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business
Speaking of Professor Brabazon’s appointment, Professor Andrew Deeks, President, UCD, said:
Professor Anthony Brabazon has shown the leadership and ambition we sought to advance the global top 50 strategic vision for UCD College of Business. Tony combines the academic credentials and energetic management capabilities with a deep understanding of the quality and ethos of our business schools.
Niall FitzGerald, KBE, Chair of the Advisory Board of UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, also congratulated Professor Brabazon:
I am confident that in the appointment of Professor Brabazon we have that exceptional leader who can elevate the status of UCD College of Business further to ensure it is truly an international leader in the provision of business education.
From KPMG to Principal and Dean of UCD College of Business
Professor Brabazon completed his BComm and Dip. Prof Accounting studies at UCD before qualifying as a professional accountant with KPMG. Subsequently he undertook postgraduate studies at a number of universities including Trinity College Dublin, Heriot-Watt, Kingston and Stanford.
Professor Brabazon’s previously-held positions in UCD included Interim Dean, Associate Dean and Director of UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business; Vice-Principal of Research and Innovation for the College of Business and Law; Head of Research for the School of Business; and Programme Director for the Master of Accounting Degree. He was also academic project director for the design and construction of the undergraduate UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business.
His primary research interests span the development of natural computing theory and the application of natural computing algorithms to real-world problems.
He is co-founder and co-director (with Professor Michael O’Neill) of the Natural Computing Research and Applications Group at UCD. Professor Brabazon has published in excess of 200 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers. He has also authored or edited sixteen books.
