University of Galway Business Summit 2026
The Business of AI
REGISTRATION IS NOW FULL FOR THIS EVENT
Friday, 27 March 2026
J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics at University of Galway is proud to host Business Summit 2026, centred on the theme “The Business of AI.”
This University of Galway flagship event features insights from global and local business leaders as well as cutting-edge case studies from researchers at University of Galway.
It is a core part of the School’s signature event series, Thinking Beyond: Thought Leadership for the Public Good. As a School with a clear mission “for the public good,” we are committed to shaping a future-focused, responsible, and resilient society.
Last year, over 400 business and thought leaders attended. More than 70% of attendees were CEOs, owners, directors, senior managers, and decision makers.
Event Details
Now in its fourth year, the University of Galway Business Summit 2026 will highlight how local and global businesses can navigate The Business of AI with a focus on artificial intelligence for the public good - democratising opportunities and catalysing business models - plus investors’ perspectives on AI ventures and AI in regulated markets such as healthcare, MedTech, and financial services.
Business leaders from national and international companies will provide examples and expertise about challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for artificial intelligence in enterprise.
This will be combined with current research insights from leading professors at University of Galway.
DATE:
Friday, 27, March 2026
TIME:
8:30am - 14:00pm (includes light breakfast & lunch)
LOCATION:
Bailey Allen Hall, University of Galway, H91 R6T6
Keynote Speakers
Majella Mungovan
Vice President of Financial Operations, Meta
Majella leads a world-class global organization of 400 FTEs and vendors across 10 countries from her base in Dublin.
With over 20 years of experience in finance, Majella has played a crucial role in Meta's rapid growth, helping the company reach $100 billion in revenue faster than any other in history. She is passionate about building a culture of innovation and diversity within her team, and is always looking for ways to incorporate new technologies such as Machine Learning & AI with traditional people skills and capabilities.
Majella is a B.Comm. graduate of the University of Galway.
John Clancy
Founder and CEO, Galvia AI
Galvia's mission is to make Artificial Intelligence accessible to any organisation, big or small; meaning that organisations don’t need huge resources to reap the benefits of AI-powered platforms; giving teams the freedom to focus on what matters most – value creation and customer engagement.
John is a board member of the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum to advise the Government of Ireland in driving industry adoption of Artificial Intelligence.
John's won numerous awards for innovation in AI, winning AI Person of the Year 2025.
John is a B.Comm. graduate of University of Galway.
Investor Panel
Norah Casey
Investor and Entrepreneur
Broadcaster, entrepreneur and philanthropist Norah Casey was formerly a Dragon in the popular RTE One television series, Dragons’ Den and is a well-known radio and television broadcaster. Norah’s business expertise is extensive having acquired and grown multiple businesses to multi-million euro global success stories, with a wide range of business investments in Ireland and internationally.
John O'Sullivan
General Partner, Act Venture Capital
John has worked in Company building and venture investing in technology for 25 years.
Act is a multi-stage venture firm, investing from Seed through to Series B with investments of €500k to €15m.
Professor Alan Ahearne
Economist and Academic
Alan Ahearne is a Professor of Economics at the University of Galway and a leading expert on international macroeconomics, housing markets, and economic policy. Alan previously served as Special Adviser to Ireland’s Minister for Finance and as a Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, D.C., and regularly contributes to public debate on economic policy in Ireland and internationally.
International Scaling Panel
Professor Faizan Ali
Established Professor of Marketing, University of Galway
Faizan is an accomplished academic and research leader with extensive experience in marketing, consumer behaviour, and service innovation. His research focuses on hospitality and tourism marketing, customer experience, and the role of emerging technologies in service industries.
He has published extensively in leading international journals and has received global recognition for his contributions to marketing and tourism research. At the University of Galway’s J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, Faizan leads research and teaching initiatives while collaborating with international scholars and industry partners to advance innovation in marketing and service management.
Deirdre Giblin
VP for Global Tech operations and site lead at Datavant Ireland
Datavant is the world leader in secure, compliant healthcare data exchange and has more than 10,000 employees.
It is making the world’s health data secure, accessible and actionable. Datavant’s vast and diverse health data exchange in the U.S. serves as a “network of networks,” enabling seamless, privacy-preserving data exchange between life sciences, payers, and providers through its platform.
Datavant Ireland is a global R&D centre for the corporation in Galway.
Deirdre is known for building high-performing teams and delivering technology solutions that scale globally.
Joe Power
Senior Director, Digital Finance Transformation, Medtronic
Joe is an accomplished finance leader with over 30 years of experience spanning global organizations such as GE Capital, Avery Dennison, PwC, and Johnson Controls.
Throughout his distinguished career, Joe has held a variety of pivotal finance roles, demonstrating deep expertise in financial management, tax, and transformational leadership.
In his current role, Joe drives strategic digital initiatives that enhance financial processes and enable business growth across Medtronic.
Medtronic engineers groundbreaking healthcare technology solutions for the most complex and challenging conditions. It has 95,000-plus people in over 150 countries.
Nicola Flannery
Partner, Technology & Transformation, leading Digital Trust & Privacy, Deloitte
With 16+ years' experience across industry and professional services, Nicola has a diverse global client portfolio. Nicola has led Deloitte's largest privacy and internet regulation engagements, supporting clients with privacy, emerging technology, and strategy. An expert in Trust by Design, she advises on operations, maturity assessments, and redesigning frameworks. She holds a Masters in Commercial Law and is a Fellow of IAPP and CIPPE. Nicola is a strategic leader placing team culture and wellbeing at the forefront.
Research Frontiers: Informing the Business of AI
Fergal O’Connor
CEO and Founder, Buymedia
Fergal O’Connor is the founder and CEO of Buymedia, a data-driven, AI‑powered advertising platform that helps businesses make smarter decisions to maximise ROI. With 25 years’ experience in media and technology, Fergal combines commercial insight with AI innovation and a clear mission to democratise advertising. He has redefined how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) access, manage, and measure advertising. His vision, strategy and innovation lead growth across international markets with the goal of making advertising smarter, fairer, and more effective for all. Founded in Galway in 2015, Buymedia recently announced its expansion to the UK, launching a head office in Manchester in late 2025. Buymedia has earned numerous accolades, including being ranked as the 4th fastest-growing tech company in Ireland by the Deloitte Fast 50, and 73rd in the Deloitte EMEA Technology Fast 500.
Professor Karyn Morrissey
Karyn is an accomplished academic and research leader with extensive experience in environmental economics, public policy, and regional development within higher education and international research networks.
Throughout her distinguished academic career, Karyn has led and contributed to numerous interdisciplinary research initiatives, demonstrating deep expertise in environmental policy analysis, socio-economic modelling, and evidence-based decision making.
Her work has informed government policy, regional development strategies, and sustainability initiatives across Ireland and Europe, supporting stronger links between research, policy, and societal impact.
In her current role at the University of Galway, Karyn advances innovative research and teaching while collaborating with policymakers and industry to address complex environmental and economic challenges.
Dr Noel Carroll
Noel is an accomplished academic and digital transformation expert with extensive experience spanning industry collaboration, applied research, and higher education leadership.
Throughout his career, Noel has led a variety of impactful research and innovation projects, demonstrating deep expertise in digital transformation, enterprise systems, and emerging technologies in business and healthcare environments.
His work focuses on bridging academia and industry, supporting organizations in leveraging digital technologies to enhance operations, improve decision-making, and drive innovation.
In his current role at the University of Galway, Noel leads research and teaching in business information systems while collaborating with industry partners to advance digital strategy and technology-enabled transformation.
Galway Chamber
Karen Ronan
CEO, Galway Chamber of Commerce
Karen is a dynamic and highly regarded leader with a proven track record in business and sports tourism, stakeholder engagement, and economic development.
She has played a pivotal role in driving national and regional strategies, with a strong focus on ESG and sustainable work practices.
Network Ireland, the business networking organisation for women, recently named Karen as its National President for 2026.
Look back at University of Galway Business Summit 2026
"Attending Business Summit 2025 was a refreshing and inspiring experience. The quality of the panels and speakers was truly impressive. Thank you for organising such an enjoyable learning experience"
Attendee - Business Summit 2026