Celebrating 50th Anniversary of Ulster University Business School
In this edition of Graduates in the Spotlight, we are celebrating 50 Years of the Ulster University Business School! Featured in this edition are a small selection of inspiring alumni from the School who have gone on to interesting and diverse career paths since graduating and are making a real impact in their field. Read their testimonials below as they share their personal stories of how their time at the Business School helped shape their futures.
Paul Givan, NI Education Minister
BA Hons Business Studies
"Completing the BA (Hons) Business Studies degree at Ulster University, with a key focus on marketing, has played a significant role in shaping how I approach my work in political office.
The course offered a strong grounding in the principles of marketing - not just in creating the right product or service, but in how to communicate effectively. The degree also covered core areas such as management, finance and strategic planning and I’ve consistently drawn upon the skills I developed throughout my career.
Whether it’s managing a consistency office, overseeing the work of a department, or making strategic decisions, the principles I studied have remained relevant.
Following my degree, I completed an Advanced Diploma in Management Practice and this qualification has been particularly valuable in strengthening my capabilities in leadership, human resources, and general business administration. Together, these experiences have equipped me with a range of transferable skills that continue to serve me well across the various roles I’ve held in public life."
Julie Hastings, former Marketing Director at Hastings Hotels
PG Diploma Marketing
"For more than 35 years I have been an integral part of my family’s very successful hotel business, Hasting Hotels. As Marketing Director I worked alongside my father, brother and two sisters. Our collection of hotels included the world-famous Europa, the first 5 star in Northern Ireland Culloden, and the most recent opening the Grand Central in Belfast City centre. I think I am best known for introducing the iconic Hastings Hotels duck collection of which there are hundreds of thousands still in people’s homes through the world!
It all started when I commenced a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing in 1987, which I attended alongside my full-time job. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at what was the University of Ulster at that time, learned so much and met so many people who became very relevant to me both in business and personal life. Many I still see, and we have in the main retired now but still talk about our time at Ulster and the successes we all enjoyed thanks in large part to what we learned during our PGDip.
In 2013, I was invited to become a visiting Professor in the Business School, a position I had the pleasure to hold for 12 years until this year. As well as giving the students practical advice I also reiterated to them that they must love the jobs they choose; a lesson I learned from my father, Sir William Hastings, who always advised "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”. I now offer bursaries to talented students to whom this could make a big difference to their future, one in culinary arts and one in marketing.
I retired in 2023 but remain on our company board of directors. I was honoured to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from my hospitality colleagues at the LCN magazine at their annual awards dinner in 2023.
In addition, I do charity work encouraging young athletes as a board member of the Mary Peters Trust, and I am also an ambassador for Co-operation Ireland where I mentor future leaders.
I feel my time at Ulster University gave me an excellent and rounded view of the world at the start of my career, loving my job, helping, and encouraging others both in work and in sport."
Dominic Kearns, Co-Founder & CEO Fibrus
BA Hons Accounting
"I did an accounting degree but never wanted to be an accountant."
From an early age, Ulster University accounting graduate Dominic Kearns knew he wasn’t built for a 9 to 5 job. He had bigger plans and a session with his careers teachers in school set a path that would stand him in good stead today.
His plan was to be an entrepreneur and build a business of significance. When he spoke with his careers mentor the advice he got was to study accounting as a degree as 60% of the world’s most successful CEOs came from that background.
Today, Dominic has executed his plan which has seen him be involved in founding and running some very successful starts up, the biggest by far is local broadband company Fibrus. Fibrus is investing over £800m in new broadband infrastructure in partnership with large financial institutions and government.
Alongside this he has several other interests through his investment vehicle Carsena Investments in sectors including telecommunications, renewable energy and EV charging. Across all his companies he employs over 1000 people in Northern Ireland.
His story is one that highlights the importance of having a vision and a plan. The next stage is execution and the foundation of accountancy as a core competency of running a business is a powerful message for budding entrepreneurs or business leaders.
John Crean, Luxury Hospitality Executive
MSc Executive Leadership
"Returning to study at Ulster University Business School after decades in executive leadership was humbling and energising. Over the last 27 months, the MSc in Leadership, Management, and Organisation provided a unique opportunity to step back from the fast pace of senior leadership and reflect deeply on how I lead in today’s complex business environment.
As a 35-year executive in private golf and country clubs within high-end gated residential community businesses, the programme allowed me to re-examine how culture, governance, and strategy intersect in service driven organisations. One of the many standout elements of the course was completing a module at Boston College; an experience that blended a global academic perspective with practical leadership insight.
Despite being based in Florida at the time, I regularly joined live classes online at 3:30 a.m. and would also periodically fly to Ireland to attend class on campus at Ulster University when required; challenging but a true reflection of how relevant and engaging the learning was, and provided me the opportunity to see my family. The course sharpened my strategic thinking, deepened my understanding of transformational leadership, and strengthened my ability to align business outcomes with long-term purpose.
Modules such as Corporate Governance, Executive Coaching, and Leading for Transformational Change helped me bridge academic theory with decades of executive experience. It’s been a rigorous, rewarding journey reaffirming my belief in leading with purpose, curiosity, and a commitment to lifelong learning."
