Dr Suzanne Kelly

Overview

Suzanne Kelly is a Lecturer in Services Marketing at Ulster University Business School. Her background combines academic research with practical business experience. Before entering academia, she worked in marketing, communications, and digital strategy across various sectors, including retail, hospitality, and consultancy. These roles provided a strong foundation in business innovation and stakeholder engagement.

Suzanne joined Ulster University in 2020 as a Teagasc Walsh Scholar, funded to complete a PhD exploring how social capital supports innovation in agri-food business support programmes. In 2023, she was named Teagasc Walsh Scholar of the Year. Her research has been presented at international conferences and focuses on rural enterprise, knowledge exchange and innovation.

She began teaching in 2021 at Ulster’s Derry~Londonderry campus within the Department of Global Business and Enterprise. In 2023, she moved to the Belfast campus, where she now teaches across the Business Engagement Unit and the Department of Management, Leadership and Marketing. Suzanne delivers modules on entrepreneurship, innovation, marketing, business development and intrapreneurship. Her teaching approach is interactive and applied, drawing on real-world examples and industry collaboration.

Suzanne has experience working and collaborating in Ireland, the UK, the United States and Australia. Her international links, especially in rural innovation and food systems, contribute to research, student engagement and wider university partnerships.

She is a Fellow of AdvanceHE (FHEA) and has completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice. Suzanne is also a member of the British Academy of Management. Her current research interests include rural enterprise, social capital, innovation and small business management.

Suzanne is a member of Ulster University’s ELEVATE AI research team and the Food and Drink Business Development Centre, supporting research in digital innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable agri-food strategies.