Dublin City University has announced the appointment of Brid Horan – former executive director and deputy chief executive of ESB and co-founder of the 30% Club Ireland which promotes gender balance including opportunities for women to study for careers in STEM – as the new chancellor of the university. 

President of DCU Professor Daire Keogh said: “Brid Horan has an exceptional record of leadership and service to Irish society, industry, education, equality, and the arts. She has championed the values of DCU throughout a distinguished career, and her experience provides her with unparalleled insight into the opportunities and challenges facing Irish universities. I am delighted to welcome Brid Horan as chancellor, confident that her leadership will advance DCU’s mission to Transform Lives and Society. 

Brid Horan and president of DCU Professor Daire Keogh 

"I also want to take this opportunity to thank Brid’s predecessor, Dr Martin McAleese, for his tireless work on behalf of DCU, during a decade as chancellor of the university.”

Brid Horan has more thanr 30 years’ experience in executive, non-executive, and voluntary roles in leading private and public sector organisations and a distinguished record of service and advocacy in NGOs and the arts.

Senior executive positions with ESB

She held senior executive positions with ESB as executive director and deputy chief executive; she is chair of the Irish Cancer Society and co-founded the 30% Club Ireland, which promotes gender-balance, including opportunities for women to study for careers in STEM. She has served on the board of IDA Ireland, and recently completed a term as a board member of the Dublin Theatre Festival.

Horan has also served as a member of DCU governing authority from September 2014 to June 2021, on the Audit Committee from 2014 to 2016 and as committee chair from 2016 to 2021.

Prior to joining the authority in 2014, she was also appointed by the Minister for Education and Skills as an external member of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education in Ireland (generally known as the Cassells Group).

In 2016, she was appointed by the Higher Education Authority as chair of an International Expert Panel to undertake a review of Ireland’s Higher Education Funding Allocation Model. This determines the allocation of funding across higher education institutions including universities and institutes of technology.

Key role

Chancellor Brid Horan said: “Higher education makes an immense contribution to Ireland's social and economic well-being and success. Dublin City University plays a key role in this by providing life-changing, and lifelong, learning opportunities, rooted in excellence in teaching, impactful research, innovation, and broadening access.

"I'm grateful to the president and governing authority of Dublin City University for the honour of being appointed as chancellor. I look forward to working with all in DCU who are passionate about providing a first class university experience for our students and to supporting our community, society, and the economy.”

The role of chancellor involves working closely with DCU’s governing authority to ensure good governance, integrity and accountability across the university, exercising oversight of the university’s strategic direction, approving the strategic plan and ensuring its successful implementation. The role also includes ceremonial and ambassadorial duties, including the conferring of degrees at graduation ceremonies.

The chancellor's appointment was made at the first meeting of DCU's new governing authority which is gender balanced, includes representatives from the world of Education, Industry and the Arts and reflects the values and needs of the university. The full list of members can be viewed here.  

Chancellor Brid Horan succeeds Dr Martin McAleese who has served two terms as DCU chancellor since 2011.