Our people

Eunan Friel was appointed Managing Director of Healthcare Management in August 2016. Health Management brings together the Institute of Leadership with a Healthcare Outcomes Research Centre and Quality & Process Improvement Centre (QPIC). These three units combine to enhance RCSI’s role in supporting health service delivery across the dimensions of education, research and service.

Previously, Eunan was Managing Director of Surgical Affairs at RCSI, a role he held since October 2010. Prior to joining RCSI, Eunan was Managing Director of Johnson & Johnson Medical, one of the largest suppliers of medical devices to the Irish market. He has also held positions at Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company in the US and in Ireland.

Eunan holds a Bachelor of Commerce from University College Galway and a Masters in Business Studies from University College Dublin.

Sara McDonnell was appointed Executive Director at the RCSI Institute of Leadership in August 2017.

Sara is responsible for the implementation of the Institute’s strategic plan across three locations in Ireland, Dubai and Bahrain.

Sara has over 20 years experience in education management. Prior to joining RCSI Institute of Leadership, she held the positions of Executive Vice President and Director of Operations at Hibernia College. As co-founder, Sara was instrumental in taking the college from SME to Ireland’s first and only, accredited online, third-level institution.

A science graduate of Trinity College Dublin, with graduate qualifications in marketing and training and development, Sara joined Boston College in the US post-qualification. There she had responsibility for the development and delivery of US government-funded executive programmes to senior business leaders and politicians in support of economic growth and peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland.

Robert McMurray was appointed Professor of Organisation & Management in January 2021. As Academic Director, Robert works with Institute of Leadership colleagues to deliver the very best in healthcare management teaching, research and practice.

Robert has worked at the Universities of Durham, Leeds and York where his responsibilities included Deputy Dean, Director of Executive and Online MBAs, and Faculty Ethics Chair. Robert’s work is published in a range of leading management journals including Human Relations, Work Employment & Society, Public Administration, Organization and Social Science & Medicine.

Working with colleagues Robert has published a research monograph on The Dark Side of Emotional Labour, is co-editor of a book entitled The Management of Wicked Problems in Health and Social Care, and joint editor of the Routledge Focus series on Women Writers in Organization Studies.

Robert's research interests and doctoral supervision include: healthcare organisation, emotional labour, inter-organisational collaboration, dirty work, visual and immersive methods.