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James Kennedy
Email kennej33@tcd.ieBiography
N.Cert Eng, B.Eng (Plas), B.Eng (Poly), H.Dip, MBA, MSc (Mgmt.), PhD, C.Eng. IntPE (Irl), FIEI
James is an adjunct assistant professor and module leader for the Consultancy Research Project on the MSc in Management Programme in Trinity Business School. With over 27 years of experience across academia, industry, and professional services, he is a distinguished engineering, science, and business executive.
James currently serves as Chief Technology Officer and Board Director at a global cleantech company, where he leads commercial and research strategy, IP development, global operations, and investment activities, supporting multiple funding rounds and international expansion. His earlier career includes senior roles in R&D tax consulting, advanced manufacturing, innovation management, and the establishment of a profitable self‑funded applied research centre that completed over 1,400 projects from startups to multinationals.
James has supervised 24 postgraduate students, published over 130 works including 67 peer-reviewed articles, six book chapters, and 3 patents, and maintains an h-index of 32 and i 10 - index of 56. He founded and directed a self-funded, industry-focused research centre, delivering strategic consulting to over 300 companies across 1,400 projects.
His sectoral expertise spans biotech, medtech, cleantech, pharma, polymers, manufacturing, energy, operations and R&D financial and technical services. James has been funded by EU (H2020), EI, RI, Interreg, private and VC funding (~ 19 million) and was PI for 2 centres (~ 52 million). He is also a grant reviewer for EI and has sat on several national and international committees and provided mentorship to new start-ups.
He holds two first-class honours degrees in engineering, alongside four postgraduate qualifications including an MBA, MSc in R&D Tax and Innovation from Trinity College Dublin, and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. A Chartered Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Ireland, James has also completed advanced CPD in project management, innovation, leadership, and AI productivity.
At Trinity, James focuses on experiential business education, industry engagement, and developing future leaders with strong analytical, consulting, and implementation skills.