Cathriona Hallahan
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
HONORARY CONFERRING OF CATHRIONA HALLAHAN
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President, Graduates, Colleagues, Honoured Guests
Ireland today is at the cusp of a unique opportunity. One of our largest industrial sectors, information technology, has seen enormous growth over the past 10 years and particularly during the pandemic. Digital technologies such as Teams and Zoom have become part of our daily lives.
From a modest start Ireland has become the second largest exporter of computer and IT services in the world. With a highly educated, creative and talented workforce, and an open economy Ireland has successfully attracted eight of the top 10 global information technology companies.
Global giants such as Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Apple Intel, IBM, and Dell Technologies have built huge presences in Ireland, firmly positioning the country as the internet capital of Europe.
Today’s honouree is one of the architects of this success, leading the development of this revolution, which has created so much hope for Ireland’s future and the role which digital technologies can play in supporting prosperity.
As the former Managing Director for Microsoft in Ireland, Cathriona Hallahan was responsible for driving Microsoft’s commercial business on the island of Ireland. In addition to directing the continued growth and expansion of the business, Cathriona also represented the company in Ireland on all strategic policy, corporate affairs and communications mattersincluding overseeing a number of community, education and innovation programmes.
Ireland was a very different place in 1986 when Cathriona joined Microsoft. In the grips of a perennial recession, with Hurricane Charlie hitting the country and internationally the Chernobyl Catastrophetaking place - optimism was in short supply.
However Microsoft did believe in Ireland’s future and established operations in Dublin, with Cathriona joining as one of its first employees. Working ina variety of senior roles in both Finance and Operations. Cathriona has managed large teams with regional and global responsibilities across a range of functions including global responsibilities for Microsoft Business Services and Enterprise Services, as well as directing Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Customer Care and IT & Financial support for Europe, Middle East and Africa.
In addition to her Microsoft responsibilities Cathriona has also served on a number of Boards including; UCD Advisory Board, IBEC Board, IBEC Finance & Audit Committee, IBEC National Council, Trinity Business School Advisory Board and the DanceSport Federation Board of Ireland. Cathriona has chaired IBEC’s Innovation, Science and Technology Policy Committee. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum, the Institute of Directors, the Institute of Accounting Technicians and is a fellow of ACCA. Cathriona is a qualified Executive Coach and is passionate about Change Management and Leadership Development.
In June 2015 the Women’s Executive Network inducted Cathriona into its Hall of Fame following three successive years of recognition as one of Ireland’s Top 25 Most Powerful Women. She was awarded CEO Businesswoman of the Year 2014 by Image Magazine, O2 WMB Businesswoman of the Year in 2009, Business & Finance Person of the Month during 2013, and honoured with the Praeses Elit Award from Trinity College Dublin 2017. In 2018, Cathriona was recognised by the Ireland Chamber of Commerce USA with the Sir Michael Smurfit Business Achievement Award, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Chamber with the Business Leader of the County Award and the Women of Concern Honouree Award.
Cathriona’s achievements in business are singular: building Microsoft Ireland to become one of the state's largest businesses with annual sales of more than 40 billion euro and employing more than 2,000 people. In 2018 Cathriona led the development of Microsoft'snew Headquarters in Dublin, the One Campus, representing an investment of more than 130 million dollars in its future Irish operations. Embedded in this new campus is Dream Space, a centre championed by Cathriona underlining her dedication to supporting inclusivity and diversity in education for schoolchildren in science, engineering, technology and maths.
In 2017 UCD and Microsoft became strategic partners, with Cathriona and the former President, Professor Deeks launching collaboration in Talent Development, Research & Innovation and Corporate Social Responsibility. One of the first fruits of the partnership was the establishment of a scholarship fund in support of the UCD Professional Diploma in Education Studies (Computational Thinking) programme, jointly run with the UCD School of Education and School of Computer Science, to educate secondary school teachers to teach computational thinking. In 2019 Cathriona committed Microsoft to partnering with UCD to develop the country’s first academic digital policy programme to support education, research and public policy.In addition UCD and Microsoft have also established aPartnership Internship Scholarship in Computer Science to support the next generation oftalented students in the UCD School of Computer Science.
We are proud of Cathriona’s achievements, in business, her empathy for her colleagues, and her drive in leading Microsoft In Ireland which has created so many opportunities for others.
To conclude: The honorary doctorate is awarded to distinguished individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the university and society.
UCD is honoured and privileged to recognise Cathriona’’s outstanding contributions by awarding this Honorary Doctorate.
I am proud to call on the Acting President of UCD Professor Mark Rogersto award the Degree of Honorary Doctor of Science.