John Lonsdale

Dr John Lonsdale has been the CEO of CeADAR, Ireland’s Centre for AI at UCD, since September 2024. CeADAR is an Enterprise Ireland and IDA funded technology centre established to support businesses and other organisations to understand, adopt and leverage the benefits and value of AI and Machine Learning (ML). John has combined experience of working in industry in technical and commercial roles and extensive commercial experience in a university environment. Consequently, he has a deep understanding of the differences between commercial and academic environments and how to bridge them. John has extensive senior leadership experience in university innovation and enterprise, in roles including Director of Innovation and Enterprise at the University of Central Lancashire (2007-2018), and most recently as Head of Enterprise at the University of Edinburgh (2019-2024). Before moving into the Higher Education Sector he worked in commercial roles for Rolls Royce Power Group and the National Nuclear Laboratory. He holds a Doctorate of Business Administration based on his research into academic entrepreneurship.