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By Tom Webb, Chief Executive Officer, Element Communications

David McCourt, (center), technology, media and telecommunications entrepreneur, has been appointed as Adjunct Professor to support the School’s national and global leadership ambitions in Artificial Intelligence. He is joined by (l-r) Tim Wray, Director of UCD Smurfit Executive Development; Professor Anthony Brabazon, Dean of UCD College of Business; Professor Federica Pazzaglia, Director of UCD Smurfit School; Icon Full Professor of Business Analytics Mike O’Neill, UCD College of Business.

20 March 2024, DUBLIN: UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School has announced that technology, media, and telecommunications entrepreneur David McCourt has been appointed as an Adjunct Full Professor to support the School’s national and global leadership ambitions in Artificial Intelligence. 

As founder and CEO of worldwide investment firm Granahan McCourt Capital and the Chairman of National Broadband Ireland, McCourt is described by The Economist as possessing "incredible credentials as a telecom revolutionary". Having spent his 30-year career at the intersection of public policy, business and society, McCourt has led major collaborations between private sector corporations and Governments, as well as bodies including the United Nations. 

As Adjunct Professor, McCourt will deliver a number of lectures on AI, technology, entrepreneurship, and leadership to students across all levels and will also provide guidance in programme development, thought leadership and industry engagement.

Professor Anthony Brabazon, Dean of UCD College of Business said, “David has been at the forefront of technology, media, and telecommunications for over 30 years and has been responsible for pioneering many industry firsts. His abilities and experiences as a leader, as an entrepreneur, and as a visionary in connectivity and technology will be invaluable in supporting the School in advancing our educational and thought-leadership activities in the area of Artificial Intelligence. The impact of digital technology will be transformative for global society and business and in line with the School’s mission to ‘lead transformative change’, I am delighted that David will be working with us to achieve this ambition.”

David McCourt, technology, media and telecommunications entrepreneur, has been appointed as Adjunct Professor to support the School’s national and global leadership ambitions in Artificial Intelligence. As founder and CEO of worldwide investment firm Granahan McCourt Capital and the Chairman of National Broadband Ireland, McCourt will deliver lectures on AI, technology, entrepreneurship and leadership to students across all levels and will also provide guidance in programme development, thought leadership and industry engagement.

Commenting on his appointment, David McCourt added, “It is an honour to join UCD as an Adjunct Professor and I am especially pleased to contribute to the School’s vision for AI. As a media commentator, I have been a vocal advocate for Ireland taking a more prominent role on the world stage to help lay the foundations for using AI for good. To support this, this summer we are launching a landmark series of events called “The AI Wealth of Nations” and Ireland will proudly host the first leg of a global tour, bringing together some of the most preeminent thought leaders in the world.  

“Ireland has an enviable position hosting almost every big tech brand which have made the country their European home, plus we have an unrivalled track record of introducing bold and pioneering policy decisions, from electrification, to our road network, to free education, to same-sex marriage, to making it a birth right for every man, woman and child to have access to high-speed broadband with the National Broadband Plan. 

“As Ireland will quickly become the most connected country in Europe, it’s an exciting opportunity for leading institutions like UCD to help shape the future of AI, which will touch all of our lives.”