Rosaleen Blair CBE receives honorary doctorate from DCU
She joins noted figures from politics, sport, literature and industry in receiving this award from DCU, including Moya Brennan, Jim Gavin, Paula Meehan, President Bill Clinton, Joe Schmidt and Sonia O’Sullivan.
Rosaleen Blair was conferred in recognition of her contribution to entrepreneurship, education and gender equality. She was the founder and CEO for 23 years of Alexander Mann Solutions (AMS), revolutionising the way organisations approach workforce management and building a company that became a global leader in talent acquisition and business solutions. As a result of her visionary approach, she pioneered the concept of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO). Her innovative approach to RPO helped organisations worldwide to streamline their recruitment processes and optimise their talent strategies.
Rosaleen is a serial entrepreneur, investing in and advising numerous companies. Most notably, she is the Chair of AMS, a Non-Executive Director of Kainos Group and Chair of Everywoman, the global network dedicated to advancing women in business. She is also on several advisory boards, including Valuable500.
Beyond her entrepreneurial achievements, Rosaleen has been a guiding light in championing social responsibility and empowering under-represented communities, both within AMS and externally through supporting various organisations, including the Prince’s Trust and Malaika, the charity supporting girls’ education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In a citation delivered at the event by Professor Maura McAdam, full Professor of Management and the first Director of Entrepreneurship at Dublin City University, said:
“Rosaleen’s leadership, vision, and commitment to ethical business practices have had a profound impact on the business world, inspiring others to follow in her footsteps. Her accomplishments demonstrate that success can be achieved through hard work, determination, and a commitment to making a positive impact on the world. In that sense, she exemplifies DCU’s mission and values; a person who has worked tirelessly to transform lives and societies.”
Speaking at her conferral, Rosaleen Blair said
“I am thrilled and very overwhelmed to receive this honorary doctorate from DCU. I never imagined myself being part of DCU, but I always felt affinity for this amazing college up the road from my childhood home. I celebrate DCU’s commitment to diversity and inclusion; to Dublin, the northside and Ballymun; to tackling disadvantage and fostering social mobility. It is a college of great international renown.
“If I have succeeded as an entrepreneur, it is because I have managed to blend my own abilities from the coalface of life with the complementary skills of some of the most extraordinary, talented, purpose-driven people I have had the privilege to work with. DCU is a powerhouse of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit; I am humbled they have chosen to honour me.”
DCU President Professor Daire Keogh said:
“Rosaleen’s career and her ethos embody DCU’s core philosophy centred on People, Focus and Impact. Rosaleen has created a business model around people - empowering them to be the best they can be, giving them equal opportunities and a chance for their talents to shine. Today, we celebrate not just Rosaleen’s outstanding professional achievements and success, but her leadership, her commitment to empowering others, in business and beyond and we celebrate her vision and her impact.”
