Colin Hunt, Aib CEO , Professor Valeria Andreoni, Professor John O'Halloran, President , UCC. Pic Credit Tomás Tyner UCC.
On Thursday October 12th University College Cork (UCC) welcomed AIB CEO Colin Hunt to campus for a special event to mark the appointment of Professor Valeria Andreoni, the university’s new AIB Professor in Sustainable Business.
A leader in the field of sustainable business practices, Professor Andreoni will play a pivotal role in advancing research, education and engagement initiatives that focus on promoting sustainability within the business sector. Her inaugural lecture, held yesterday on campus, was titled ‘Sustainability for Teaching and Research: Past Experiences and Future Perspectives’.
The AIB Professor in Sustainable Business will be based in UCC’s Cork University Business School (CUBS). Speaking about the appointment, Professor Thia Hennessy, Head of the College of Business and Law, UCC said; “We are very fortunate to have secured support from AIB for this Professorship and to have secured a leading academic of Prof Andreoni’s calibre. The concept of sustainability has become central to all aspects of business development and leadership, I look forward to Prof Andreoni leading our teaching and research on this important theme and helping to shape more responsible leaders for a sustainable future.”
Professor Andreoni’s appointment is made possible thanks to AIB’s generous support and is reflective of Colin Hunt’s commitment as group CEO to driving sustainability initiatives at the Bank. Earlier this year, AIB was included in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook, making it one of the top 15% of companies for sustainable business practices.
Speaking before Professor Andreoni’s lecture, Colin Hunt commented; “Sustainability is a key strategic priority for AIB and we are delighted to support the appointment of Professor Andreoni as UCC’s new AIB Professor in Sustainable Business. We believe that educating the next generation of business leaders about balancing the needs of people, planet and prosperity is key to ensuring a sustainable future for the island of Ireland and beyond. I would like to congratulate Professor Andreoni on her appointment and wish her every success in her new role.”
