Trinity Business School Centenary (1925 - 2025)

Welcome to the centennial celebration of Trinity Business School, a monumental milestone that marked 100 years of excellence in business education and leadership development. Since its inception in 1925, Trinity Business School had been at the forefront of cultivating innovative thinkers and transformative leaders who made significant contributions to the global business landscape. In 2025 we came together in many ways to honour our rich legacy, reflect on our impactful journey, and look ahead to a future of continued success and advancement.

Together, we celebrated a century of empowering minds and shaping the world of business.

Events

Thank you to our students, staff, alumni, and partners for helping to make the centenary a truly memorable celebration from start to finish. Highlights included:

• A giant formation of 100 on the Trinity Rugby Pitch, bringing together students, staff, alumni, and friends

• The official centenary launch and greening of our foyer, attended by former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson

• The Trinity Business Summit, Leading for Good in Sport and Business, uniting leaders from sport and industry

• The launch of Marching in Time: 100 Years of Trinity Business School and Economic Transformation by Dr Emmet Oliver, alongside a public lecture with Professor Frank Barry

• Welcoming our centenary year graduates into the alumni community at the October commencement ceremonies

• The installation of a Time Capsule in our foyer containing 155 messages from students and staff, to be opened in 2075

• The Centenary Gala Dinner, hosted with Trinity Business Alumni, which premiered the documentary Trinity Business School at 100 and awarded Meghan Platt with the Business Student of the Year Award, presented by TBA President Eithne and Dean Laurent Muzellec.

Gala Event Images

History: 100 Years of Transformation at Trinity Business School

The story of Trinity Business School began with the establishment of the School of Commerce in 1925. While early examples of independent business schools can be traced back to 1759 with the Aula do Comércio in Lisbon and ESCP Business School in Paris in 1819, business schools as part of a university system only truly emerged in the first half of the 20th century. Oxford and Cambridge, for example, established their business schools after World War II.

In this context, Trinity can be seen as a forerunner. Trinity began experimenting with business-focused programmes as early as 1906, offering a Diploma in Economics and Commercial Knowledge. At the time, Irish universities placed little emphasis on formal business education, viewing business skills as vocational, best learned in the workplace or within family firms.

The Dublin Chamber of Commerce played a pivotal role in advocating for formal business education. In 1920, John Good, Chamber President and Managing Director of J. & P. Good, championed the establishment of Trinity’s School of Commerce. By 1925, the School was founded, offering afternoon lectures to accommodate working professionals. The first graduates of the Bachelor in Commerce (B.Comm) emerged in 1928, supported by the expertise of the Economics Department and led by renowned economist Charles Francis Bastable.

Although gender parity was not a significant consideration at the time, it is notable that two of the first four B.Comm graduates in December 1928 were women. Among them was Mabel Olive Richardson (later Olive Smith), a prominent figure in Irish musical life who founded the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland and the Music Association of Ireland. Constantia Elizabeth Maxwell, one of the first women admitted to Trinity in 1904, also played a significant role in the School’s early years. She later lectured in economic history at the Business School, a remarkable achievement during a period when female academics were rare.

Much like today, the School employed professional teaching staff, including senior managers from Ireland’s largest rail firm, the Great Southern Railways (later CÍE). At the time, the Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm) focused on disciplines such as economics, geography, statistics, history, and law. However, by the 1950s, management emerged as a dedicated subject, marking a significant shift in the curriculum. The School also collaborated with the Irish Management Institute (IMI) to modernise and reshape its offerings. In 1962, the School of Commerce was replaced by a new entity—the School of Business and Social Studies—where the Department of Business Studies was established. The traditional B.Comm was phased out and replaced by the Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS), reflecting the evolving focus on business education.

Trinity’s business programmes continued to progress through the 1960s. A major milestone was reached in 1964 with the launch of the MBA programme, one of the first of its kind in Europe. The innovative programme combined studies in business administration and public administration, placing a strong emphasis on recruiting international students and faculty to broaden the School’s global reach. Its design was highly innovative, reflecting a mould-breaking era. For instance, the programme had no fixed syllabus; instead, each year’s content was shaped by the freshest contemporary management thought.

In the 1970s, Charles McCarthy was appointed the first Professor of Business Studies. His influential writings and research on Irish industrial relations and society contributed significantly to the academic prestige and thought leadership of the School during this period. Following the lifting of the Catholic student recruitment ban in 1970, the School also saw a notable increase in student diversity, reflecting a more inclusive academic environment.

Despite economic challenges in the late 20th century, the School thrived under the leadership of Professor John Murray in the 1980s. He transformed the curriculum, expanded international exchange opportunities, and introduced innovative master’s programmes. By the mid-2000s, Trinity Business School underwent a period of restructuring as part of the university’s broader consolidation efforts. While the Global Financial Crisis in 2008 brought further uncertainty, it also set the stage for a renewed vision and strategic growth.

In 2015, the School adopted a transformative vision under Dean Andrew Burke’s leadership. The “Growth & Development” strategy resulted in significant achievements, including rapid progression in Financial Times rankings across multiple programmes, triple accreditation (EQUIS in 2018, AACSB in 2021, and AMBA re-accreditation), a 178% revenue increase from 2015 to 2023, and the financing of an €80 million near zero energy building opened in 2019. The School also introduced ten new postgraduate degrees, featuring innovative programmes like the MSc in Business Analytics, Financial and Risk Management, and Ireland’s first online flexible MBA.

The School is now implementing an ambitious strategy to “Transform Business for Good,” reflecting its commitment to sustainability, ethics, and innovation. Under the stewardship of Dean Laurent Muzellec, it is integrating climate action into teaching, research, and operations, alongside a dedication to social inclusion through initiatives like the Trinity Access Programme. Recognising the need for continuous adaptation to evolving market realities, the School fosters innovation through its programmes and research centres, such as the Trinity Centre for Social Innovation, the Centre for Digital Business and Analytics, and the Corporate Governance Lab. With record student numbers, a global outlook, and a steadfast focus on sustainability, innovation, and excellence, the School continues to shape the future of business education.

Centenary Book

A defining moment in our centenary journey with the launch of 'Marching in Time: 100 Years of Trinity Business School and Economic Transformation', authored by historian Dr Emmet Oliver. The publication charts the school’s evolution from modest beginnings with just 17 students in 1925 (when classes were only held in afternoons to accommodate the students’ work commitments) to the current enrolment of 2,800 students, from more than 60 countries.

The book is available to purchase at the Trinity Library Shop.

Documentary: Trinity Business School at 100

In this short documentary commissioned by Dean Laurent Muzellec, academics, alumni, and students share the history of Trinity Business School and their vision for its future.

Support: Pathways to Business

As we celebrated the 100 year anniversary, we reflected on the countless opportunities Trinity Business School has provided to its alumni, staff, and students. These experiences shaped careers, fostered lifelong connections, and inspired innovation. All funds raised from the 100 year events supported our Pathways to Business initiative, ensuring that even more students could benefit from the transformative power of education at Trinity.

Pathways to Business is a collaboration between Trinity Business School and Trinity Access Programmes (TAP), dedicated to offering financial, academic, and career support to TAP business students. It also encourages second level students from underrepresented areas to pursue careers in business through TAP school outreach.

Trinity Business School is renowned for producing ethical business leaders who are equipped with exceptional skills and knowledge and who lead with integrity and social responsibility. Support for this initiative helps ensure that this legacy continues and will empower the next generation of ethical business leaders.

For more information on how you or your company can support, please contact catherine.coughlan@tcd.ie.

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Past Events

100 Formation Kick-Off

20 January 2025

We began our centenary celebrations with a striking show of unity as students and staff assembled on the Trinity Rugby Pitch to form a giant “100”.

This memorable moment honoured the generations who have shaped Trinity Business School over the past century and celebrated the vibrant community leading us into the future.

Centenary Launch with Mary Robinson

27 January 2025

Our official centenary launch welcomed former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, to unveil the year-long programme of events.

Attended by students, alumni, faculty, donors and friends of the School, the launch marked 100 years of business education at Trinity. The day included a preview of our sustainability-driven campus landscaping and the announcement of our partnership with Pathways to Business, a Trinity Access initiative supporting underrepresented students in business education.

“As we celebrate this milestone, our Transforming Business for Good strategy drives us forward, focusing on climate action, innovation and social inclusion.”

– Professor Laurent Muzellec, Dean

Trinity Business Summit: Leading for Good

12 March 2025

In collaboration with Trinity Sport, this flagship event explored the parallels between elite sport and business leadership under the theme Leading for Good in Sport and Business.

Highlights included a keynote by Chancellor Mary McAleese and contributions from renowned figures across both fields such as Jamie Heaslip, Annalise Murphy, Joe McCarthy and Benjamin Kayser.

We also celebrated Ireland’s Special Olympics athletes, Lorraine Whelan and Donal Brennan, who returned from the World Winter Games with an impressive medal collection. Panels were led by Trinity Business School faculty including Eimear Nolan, Andrew Burke, Sinéad Monaghan, David Collings and Wladislaw Rivkin.

Keynote with Alannah Weston: Finding Purpose

20 May 2025

Alannah Weston, former Chairman of Selfridges Group and sustainability pioneer, joined us for a compelling keynote on purpose-driven leadership.

She shared insights from initiatives such as Project Ocean and Project Earth, and her experience hosting the podcast How to Lead a Sustainable Business. Alannah also spoke about her foundation’s support of the Weston Scholarships at Trinity, enabling MSc study in Responsible Business and Sustainability for underrepresented students.

Geopolitics and Business Today

26 June 2025

In this virtual discussion, Frank Sixt of CK Hutchison Holdings and Bill Cockrum, formerly of Becker Paribas Inc., examined shifting geopolitical landscapes and their influence on global markets.

Dean Laurent Muzellec provided a Trinity-focused response, reflecting on the implications for Ireland’s economic future and the evolving role of business education.