About me  -  Robert Cochran

Robert Cochran has over 30 years experience in the software field, in a wide variety of roles. He has founded and managed several software houses as well as managing specialist software units within larger organisations; being an senior advisor to Government, the European Commission, the OECD and other bodies; developed many innovative software systems, as well as being project manager for many R&D and new product development teams - many of these funded by the European Commission, European Space Agency and by various Government agencies. He has served as a member of several specialist international technical committees. He was the Director of the Centre for Software Engineering in Dublin for twelve years and earlier in his career was Director of R&D at the National Software Centre and Head of the Software/IT section of the National Board for Science & Technology.

He is a Fellow of the Irish Computer Society: a Chartered (Software) Engineer and Member of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland; a Chartered Statistician and Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society; and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is also a member of the IEEE and of the international Industry Advisory Board for IEEE Software (and previously Chair of that Board).

A considerable part of his business experience was related to the issue of improving the management of software development. Customers and project partners were from Ireland, UK, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Greece as well as North and South America. He has  worked with the Irish Government, several state agencies, the European Commission, the OECD, UN and other international bodies, and well as a wide range of small and large commercial companies. Catalyst has experience of bringing several advanced software products from conception through to market, as well as participating in and managing over 15 EU funded technology projects. 

Prior expereince included senior management roles in a variety of organisations, in the areas of software/computing, statistics, strategic planning, etc. He has also managed a variety of charitable and voluntary organisations, providing both specialist social servcies and also related advocacy activities.

Given this varied background, Robert Cochran has acquired a strong base of expertise in a wide variety of management roles, which he now seeks to apply to assist other organisations, especially in the not-for-profit sector (charities, voluntary service organisations or other socially progressive groups).