Professor John McHale assumes his new position as Director of the Whitaker Institute

We are delighted to announce that John McHale, Established Professor and former Head of Economics at NUI Galway, has been appointed as the new Director of the Whitaker Institute. Professor McHale is also more widely known for having served as Chairman of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council since July 2011.

On accepting the position, John extended his appreciation to Professor James Cunningham who has moved to Northumbria University to take up a professorship at Newcastle Business School. In thanking James, John commented that his “task is made immensely easier owing to the strong structures and reputation James has built. While continuing to build these supports, part of my task will be to increase the Whitaker’s presence in national and international research-led policy debates”.  John has been meeting with research cluster leaders over the last few weeks and says the broad vision he has been discussing with members are in line with themes that motivated Dr. Whitaker’s own career, “making our sum even more impressive than our parts”.   John has outlined three themes that stand out as being consistent with Dr. Whitaker’s work and with the research strengths the Institute already displays: Business, innovation and Economic Development; Public Sector Innovation and Reform; and Sustainable and Inclusive Societies.  “Many of our research clusters could fit into more than one of these themes – and indeed some cluster leaders have expressed interest in them all.   It is an exciting agenda, and I look forward to working with all of our stakeholders to make this vision a reality in the years ahead”.