ULSTER University Business School has named Niall McKeown, founder and chief executive of digital transformation agency Ionology, as a visiting professor for a four-year period.
Regarded as one of Northern Ireland’s leading digital thinkers and practitioners, he created Ionology in 1999. It is the world’s only evidenced-based, peer and academically reviewed digital transformation framework with clients in the UK, Ireland, Europe, Asia and USA.
Niall, who is an alumnus of Ulster University, already had a strong association with the university, including ongoing research collaboration and delivering key outputs on the digital marketing module on the BSc marketing programme, and the BDI digitising marketing module on the MSc marketing course.
Professor Mark Durkin, executive dean of the Ulster University Business School, said: “The role of visiting professor brings considerable value to the Business School both in helping to reinforce classroom theory and curriculum design for our students but also in bringing expertise to the school at a strategic level.”
“We look forward to working with Niall as he helps us drive our digital agenda across all faculties within the Business School.”
Accepting the honour, Niall said: “I feel privileged to have been offered this position and look forward to creating closer formal ties with the Ulster Business School.
"Ulster University has been instrumental in helping us to develop and test the Ionology digital transformation framework and I believe this deeper relationship between us will serve to inspire, challenge and spark creativity and innovation on both sides as we share our experiences of applying our knowledge and frameworks with the school and the students.”
Ulster University Business School has a cohort of more than 40 visiting professors representing a wide range of competencies and industry expertise.
