New Senior Community Manager joins Catalyst

Catalyst has announced the appointment of a new senior community manager who will have responsibility for enhancing the innovation community in its campuses across Northern Ireland.

Catalyst is an independent, not-for-profit organisation focused on fostering entrepreneurship and innovation, supporting transformative businesses and developing Northern Ireland’s tech industry. 

It has campuses and buildings in Titanic Quarter in Belfast, at Fort George in Derry-Londonderry and at the Ecos Centre in Ballymena.

Today it announced that Neil Allen has come on board to take up the newly created post of senior community manager, after relocating home from Dublin, where he was responsible for managing member engagement for global co-working provider WeWork. He has also worked for Apple and in the music world, running his own tour and artist management company.

In his new role Neil will work to build the Catalyst community while maximising the impact its campuses have in the wider community. 

Elaine Smyth, Director of Innovation Community at Catalyst, said: “We’re really excited to have Neil join us and bring his experience of community building to each of our campuses. Catalyst exists to help its tenants thrive, to encourage innovation and as a result to help the local economy grow. 

“In the post Covid-19 world, with restrictions easing, we really want to put the focus back on the benefits of being part of this community, of collaboration and of helping grow the clusters that can help make this region truly world leading.” 

Neil said: “I am a people person at heart and have always worked hard to make people feel valued, so wellbeing is going to be a big focus from day one. I can’t wait to re-build what it means to be part of the Catalyst Community and to learn more about what our members do and what makes them tick so we can plan a post-Covid experience they will enjoy. I want to have a positive impact on Catalyst, its members and anyone with a touchpoint with Catalyst.”

In the coming months Catalyst will be running a number of exciting programmes, including INVENT, Co-Founders and Generation Innovation.