UCD_BC_Cover Story 12-15.qxd 25/8/08 16:41 Page 12
COVER STORY
‘The liaison between
business and universities
is the driving force
behind any knowledge
economy’
development and expertise. We have huge potential to produce the
gurus of the coming decades, and those gurus attract the best calibre of
students, they create the best interaction and debate and can really
stimulate what Richard Florida [bestselling author] would call the
creative economy. Centres of excellence like the UCD Smurfit School
will be key to achieving that potential.”
Government too has a major role to play, says Quin. “Not just in
terms of the funding of fourth-level education, but in terms of the facil-
itation of investment in education by individuals and corporations. I’m
not just talking about philanthropy here — although that is a very
important part of it — I’m talking about encouraging lifelong educa-
tion by facilitating access to education both financially and in practical
terms. And of course the Government itself is part of the process in
terms of the application of excellence in academic theory to the
processes of governing the country, so it’s a two-way street.”
Quin says she was greatly honoured by her selection as Alumnus of
the Year by her alma mater. “For it to come from the UCD Smurfit
School was an enormous honour. It’s a university that’s in my
blood because I did both my undergraduate and postgraduate study
there.”
On completion of a degree in psychology, Quin completed a FÁS
course in human resources and spent four years with Lansdowne
Market Research before joining the Irish Trade Board where she
in the easterly docklands. A tremendous fillip recently was the remained for another four years before returning to UCD to study for
announcement of the €700m investment by Arnotts in the Northern an MBA in Business Administration in 1988. There followed a very
Quarter. When you add to that the development planned for the successful stint with the Rehab Group, where she was involved with
Carlton site on O’Connell Street, with its mixed use of retail and the setting up of Gandon Enterprises before being approached in
residential, and the planned move for the National Theatre to the 2000 to become CEO of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.
Docklands, the development of Parnell Square and that whole area, I Her time on the MBA programme is one she clearly remembers
think there’s a fantastic future for Dublin.” fondly. “I really enjoyed my time there. It is such an intensive pro-
The key, she says, is to keep forging ahead with such development. gramme that you really build up a strong relationship with fellow
“We have a great opportunity over the next few years, while things are classmates, and over the years you keep reconnecting with these peo-
a little quieter on some fronts, to make this development happen, and ple in different ways. That has been fantastic.”
then we’ll be strongly positioned for our next phase of growth.” Her Alumnus of the Year award clearly delighted this energetic
Dubliner. “The names that go before me are hugely impressive, and I’m
The creative economy genuinely very honoured to be included in their midst. It has been a
Quin says her whole philosophy in life is around collaboration and fantastic experience and wonderfully executed by everybody involved.”
building relationships, and nowhere is this more important than On awarding her the honour, Dean Tom Begley described Quin as a
between business, academia and Government. “The whole liaison worthy recipient whose “remarkable business acumen and powerful
between business and universities is really the driving force behind any networking capabilities” he hoped would inspire students to strive to
knowledge economy, and that is going to be our economy of the future. emulate her rigour. Only the second woman to grace the famous hall of
“And it’s not just about research in the areas of science, technology portraits of former illustrious recipients, when you meet with Gina
and pharmaceuticals,” she adds. “Ireland has built up an enormous Quin it is not hard to see what he had in mind.
expertise around logistics management, management skills them-
selves, online business services and all these are key areas for further Ann O’Dea
14 UCD BUSINESS CONNECTIONS
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