Michelle Olmstead appointed as new Chief Innovation and Enterprise Officer

Posted on: 31 May 2023

Trinity College Dublin has appointed Michelle Olmstead as its Chief Innovation and Enterprise Officer. Prior to her new appointment, Michelle held positions at executive level in research universities including, Colorado State University, Global Campus, Oxford University (Press), and Leiden University. She holds a Doctorate of Jurisprudence and a Master of Business Administration. Michelle will be responsible for the strategic oversight of Trinity’s innovation and enterprise strategy, aligning closely with Trinity’s research and education.  

The appointment of the Chief Innovation and Enterprise Officer coincides with recent restructuring which has seen the establishment of two distinct areas, replacing Trinity Research & Innovation (TR&I). These two areas are: (i) Trinity Research, led by the Dean of Research, Prof. Sinéad Ryan, and currently consisting of the Research Development Office and the Office of the Dean of Research, and (ii) Trinity Innovation & Enterprise, led by the new CIEO, Dr Michelle Olmstead, and currently consisting of the Contracts Office, Office of Corporate Partnership & Knowledge Exchange, Learnovate, Portal, and Tangent.

Congratulating Michelle on her appointment, Provost Linda Doyle said: “I want to extend a very warm welcome to Michelle as our new Chief Innovation and Enterprise Officer. This is a key role in Trinity and I look forward to the creativity, experience and enthusiasm which Michelle will bring. 

“A culture of innovation - in its broadest and richest sense - is fundamental to how Trinity achieves impact. We now have a great opportunity to build on the work already achieved, while also looking to new ways of expressing our innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.”

Speaking about her appointment, Michelle said: “I very much look forward to working within Trinity and its stakeholders, supporting people in creating innovative ideas and sustainable enterprise that are unimaginable to those around us. Innovation and enterprise supports those who are brave enough to take action, test things, fail, get up, smile and keep moving forward.”

• Tags:
• Innovation
• Research
• Sustainability