To ensure you understand how business development and commercialization work in the real world, it helps to learn from practitioners—what we sometimes call a “pracademic” approach.
Our New Ventures School was established with this idea in mind. The program consists of free evening lectures and training modules for entrepreneurs taught by experts including KAUST staff, adjunct faculty, international practitioners and representatives from leading Saudi-based organizations.
About Brian Hayes
Brian is founder of RDiL (Research, Development, Innovation and Learning) Labs, Enterprise Innovation Advisor (Dublin City University) and Chair of GRC Technology Center.
He was Managing Director of Citibank Europe plc (CEP) from 2000 until the end of 2013. He was the architect and founder of Citi’s first innovation lab (originally named RDiL) and was a member of Citi’s Global Innovation Council based in New York. During his time at Citi, he had extensive senior P+L leadership roles as Treasurer, Senior Corporate Finance Officer and as MD of the Global Transaction Services businesses. Following his departure from Citi, he set up RDiL Labs at the DCU (Dublin City University) Innovation Campus. RDiL works with a number of startup companies who are looking to develop and scale new technologies. Brian also undertakes various innovation projects, business consulting, senior executive coaching and training programs as well as working closely with DCU as an enterprise innovation advisor. He was Chairman of the DCU Educational Trust (the funding body for the university) for 8 years. He was appointed by the Irish Government to an advisory board tasked with prioritizing state funding for research and he also chairs a Government-funded governance, risk and compliance technology center. He is a member of the US-based Keiretsu angel network which funds new ventures. Brian has an MSc in Investment and Treasury (MIT) from DCU, C. Dip A.F. from the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants and is an IIMR associate. He also lectured on the MIT program for number of years. Functional Areas: sales, product management, operations, business modeling, startups and innovation, with specific experience also in banking and financial services, financial technology, service industries, new ventures (cross-industry).
* A KAUST ID or official visitor pass is required to attend this event. If you are a visitor, register as “Non-KAUST member” then contact entrepreneurship@kaust.edu.sa to arrange for your access to campus.