Professor Graham Heaslip appointed Head of GMIT School of Business

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Graham Heaslip as Head of the GMIT School of Business, commencing February (2016).

Prof. Heaslip comes to GMIT from the University of New South Wales, Australia, where he held the post of Associate Professor of Logistics. He was formerly Deputy Head of the School of Business in Maynooth University.

Prior to entering academia, Graham spent fourteen years working in the Irish Defence Forces both at home and abroad in a variety of logistical appointments, as well as spending time seconded to Humanitarian agencies in a logistical capacity.

Graham is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (FCILT) and a Chartered Member of Engineers Ireland (C. Eng).  He has a doctorate in Supply Chain Management from the University of Hull, an M.Eng. Sc. degree from the National University of Ireland, Galway, a P.G. Diploma in Higher Education from Maynooth University, a P.G. Dip. in Research Training from the University of Hull and a B.E. from the National University of Ireland, Galway. 

Graham was awarded the James Cooper Memorial Cup for best Ph.D. by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). His research has also been recognised by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) where it received a highly commended ranking.

Graham’s research interests are broadly in the intersections between global logistics / supply chain management, humanitarian logistics and organisational management development. His research-based teaching brings together themes of complex systems theory, innovation, resilience and risk with practical management disciplines such as supply chain management, operations management, and business continuity.

He is widely published in various management, logistics and educational journals and international conferences over the past few years. His research and consultancy interests span mainstream commercial, defence and other public service contexts examining supply chain management, and operations management issues which impact on organisational effectiveness or innovative practices.

Graham is a former captain of Connacht rugby, leading Connacht to the quarter finals of the European Challenge Cup in 1997.  Graham also has the distinction of leading Connacht to the first competitive win by any Irish province in France in European competition.

Prof. Heaslip succeeds Dr Sean Duignan as Head of the School of Business. The School has a community of some 900 undergraduate students and 40 staff over two departments; Management, and Accounting & Information Systems. The School offers a range of bachelor, honours degree and post graduate programmes. For further information, please visit our website.

In welcoming the appointment, Dr Fergal Barry, President of GMIT said: “I welcome this senior academic appointment, which signals another step forward for GMIT as we move towards a Technological University. I am confident that Prof. Heaslip will make significant contributions to the growth and development of the School of Business, GMIT, and to the development of a Technological University for the Connacht Ulster Region in the years ahead.”