DCU hosts inaugural MBA Alumni Conference

On Thursday February 9th 2017, DCU Careers Service, the Alumni office and the DCU Business School MBA team hosted inaugural DCU Executive MBA network conference. This half day event, exclusively for graduate and current DCU Executive MBAs, featured key industry speakers and academic speakers on current topics and debates of interest to our DCU Executive MBAs, with a particular significance for what is happening in Ireland and Internationally today, which impacts on their organisations.

DCU Vice President, Daire Keogh and Professor Theo Lynn, Associate Dean for Industry Engagement and Innovation at DCU Business School opened the event, bringing our MBA alumni up to speed on recent DCU achievements including the significant AACSB accreditation.

Gerry Collins, VP, Johnson & Johnson Supply Chain Strategy & Deployment and former Past President of IBEC, discussed the key challenges facing organisations today, with fascinating insights on the speed and foreseeable impacts of technology and change. DCU Lecturer in Economics Tony Foley focused on Brexit and its impact for foreign direct investment in Ireland. The bottom line advised by Tony Foley is do not make the mistake of applying logic to reading implications of either the Brexit or US political outcome.

Stephen McNulty, CEO and Co-Founder of AmbiSense provided an enlightening talk on the trials, tribulations and personal experiences of the start-up journey. These included building something customers love remembering your audience, the role of mentoring and the importance of grit and perseverance. Jeanne Bolger, VP Venture Investments at Johnson & Johnson Innovation, closed the day, with the anatomy of innovation and her tips on innovating for organisational agility.

“This was the first event of its kind for the DCU MBA. We were delighted to provide opportunity for DCU Executive MBAs to reunite with their old classmates and lecturers, and connect with the wider DCU MBA alumni community” said Dr Claire Gubbins, Executive MBA Programme Director and organiser of the conference. “Particular thanks to Yvonne McLaughlin, Director of DCU Careers Service and Padraig McKeon, Director of Alumni Relations, whose contribution made the day a great success. We look forward to strengthening our MBA network with even more events like these in the future”.