ENTREPRENEURS JOIN DCU RYAN ACADEMY

Almost two hundred of Ireland’s leading entrepreneurs have been made Fellows of the DCU Ryan Academy of Entrepreneurship.

Among the group of 174 leading entrepreneurs are Denis O'Brien, Chairman of Communicorp and winner of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 1998, and recent winners of the award, Anne Heraty, CPL Group and Aidan Heavey, Tullow Oil. The entrepreneurs are all finalists of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 1998-2006 and have been invited to join the Fellowship as part of the Academy's partnership in the Ernst & Young programme.

LEADERSHIP SERIES

The Ryan Academy is a joint initiative between Dublin City University (DCU) and the family of Dr Tony Ryan. Over the next five months Ryan Academy will be hosting the inaugural Strategic Leadership Series for its Fellows in conjunction with Ernst & Young. The series of one-day master-classes will cover topics such as strategic branding, growth and financing and will be hosted at the Academy by leading academics from DCU and international business schools. At the ceremony recently, CEO of the Ryan Academy, Professor Terri Scott said, "we are building an active community of Ireland's most successful businesspeople who are exemplars to budding entrepreneurs and a catalyst for entrepreneurial growth throughout the island of Ireland and beyond."

Enda Kelly, Partner-in-charge, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year programme said, "we are delighted that the Ryan Academy is recognising their achievements through this fellowship and we welcome the opportunity to help share our ten years experience working with some of Irelands leading entrepreneurs to plan with the Ryan Academy their inaugural strategic leadership series for its fellows."

Jerry Kennelly(left) founder of Stockbyte, which sold for $135 million in 2006, standing with co-founder of Kingspan Century Gerry McCaughey	Patrick Munden, director SEBIC, Sarah Newman, entrepreneur, Enda Kelly, partner, Ernst & Young
Aldagh McDonagh, director of Alternatives, with Brian Power from Ulster Bank	Aidan Heavey (left), Terri Scott chief executive Ryan Academy, entrepreneurs Denis O’Brien and Anne Herarty, Enda Kelly, Ernst & Young
Denis O’Brien, serial entrepreneur, with Anne Herarty, managing director of CPL Resources	Sean Melly, entrepreneur who founded Powerscourt Investment with Brody Sweeny, CEO of O’Brien’s Sandwich Bar
Anne Marie Slevin, OPT 2 Vote, with Chris Scott, DCU Ryan Academy	Entrepreneur Maree Morrissey, founder and editor of Irish Entrepreneur, with serial entrepreneur Denis O’Brien
Darragh Sheridan, DCU, Jim Miley, CEO Myhome.ie, Ron Immink, operations manager INVENT DCU	Collette Henry, director of Centre for Entrepreneurship Research, Dundalk Institute (left ), Jennifer Pepper, DCU Ryan Academy, Angela Short, Dundalk Institute (right)
Bill Cullen, entrepreneur behind Renault Ireland, Aidan Heavey, entrepreneur behind Tullow Oil, and Terri Scott, chief executive Ryan Academy