Tom Kelly has responsibility for developing and implementing Enterprise Ireland’s strategy for the cleantech, electronics and life sciences sectors. He also has responsibility for leading Enterprise Ireland’s Lean Business and Environment and Green Technologies programmes. Based at Enterprise Ireland’s headquarters in East Point, Dublin, Tom is a member of Enterprise Ireland’s Business Committee, Finance Committee and Growth Fund Committee.
Prior to taking up his current assignment Tom was senior manager within the Scaling Division at Enterprise Ireland, where he lead a team of specialists in business development and innovation management, working directly with a select group of fast-growth client firms.
Tom has held a number of senior positions within Enterprise Ireland, including Head of Enterprise Ireland’s Technology Development Division, where he had responsibility for a wide range of technical support, consultancy and R&D services to industry. In this role, Tom’s brief was to assist firms to adopt best manufacturing and business practices, and to foster innovation through new product and process R&D and technology transfer.
Tom’s earlier career included the role of Director of IFI Joint Ceramics Research Centre, a joint undertaking with the University of Ulster. The Centre was part funded by the International Fund for Ireland and involved working closely with firms in all parts of Ireland to develop new and improved products and processes. The Centre was an active participant in different EU Framework Programmes.
Tom is originally from Ballinasloe, Co. Galway and was awarded a PhD in Chemistry from University College Galway, for work on the catalytic properties of zeolites. He holds Masters degrees in Materials Technology from the University of Sheffield and Industrial Engineering from University College Dublin. He is the author of several articles that have been published in the scientific literature, spanning traditional and advanced ceramics as well as surface engineering technology.