L-R John Healy (Ex-officio member), Conor Murphy (Minister for the Economy),
Robert Hill (Matrix Chair) Professor Helen McCarthy (Ex-officio member)
Matrix Chair Robert Hill welcomed Conor Murphy, Minister for Department for the Economy NI to the recent plenary on behalf of the panel, providing an opportunity for the Minister to engage in a roundtable discussion. The Minister noted that “research reports produced by Matrix are helping to harness science and technology as key drivers for economic development across the north”.
John Healy OBE was warmly welcomed to the panel as a newly appointed ex officio member representing Invest Northern Ireland and Peter Simpson as a recent panel member.
The panel also heard an insightful presentation from Sian Thornthwaite on the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI), highlighting the opportunities it offers to drive innovation in NI.
Looking ahead, the panel discussed the Matrix future work programme, ensuring we remain at the forefront of supporting innovation and research across key sectors.