Waterford native and Executive Director of Walton Institute for Information and Communication Systems Science, South East Technological University (SETU), Kevin Doolin joined the board of the Waterford Chamber in 2021 to deepen the relationship of research and industry within the city and county. On Tuesday 27th September, Kevin was elected as Vice President.
“I am delighted and honoured to have received the nomination and subsequent election to the position of Vice President. I very much look forward to embracing this position and engaging with the Chamber leadership team, regional stakeholders, our business community and of course SETU in this role”
Research and innovation in the south east
Kevin is a trailblazer for research and innovation in the south east, joining Walton Institute (formerly TSSG) in 2004 following an impressive career with Ericsson and IDA Ireland. Endeavouring to bring his knowledge of software and commercial engagement to his home region, Kevin was part of the ecosystem in TSSG, WIT and regional stakeholders to put Waterford on the map as a tech region.
ICT investment
While there is clear economic uncertainty at the moment, Kevin’s aim, with the support of his fellow board members, is to communicate the potential of Waterford to business of all sizes and to encourage ICT investment in Retail, Tourism, Energy, Agriculture, Transport and Smart Cities.
“These core industries have been highlighted by the European Commission as growth areas warranting significant investment. The EU have a multi-billion research budget which is available to companies and research organisations throughout Ireland and Europe. As Vice President I hope to encourage organisations in Waterford to apply for this funding which will result in a direct positive impact in the city and county”
Remarkable track record
Along with a family history of retail in the city, Kevin (and the Walton Institute) has a remarkable track record in engaging with regional, national and international businesses and ecosystems, the lengthy list of companies includes MSD, UPMC, Murphy Larkin, Total Wireless, Errigal, Klearcom, Uber, MIT Professional Services, Inkel Health, Intel, IBM, John Deere, Huawei, Microsoft and more.