Richard Kennedy is Chairman of InterTradeIreland and former Chief Executive of agri-tech company Devenish. In 2019, he was the winner of EY Entrepreneur of the Year Ireland and a finalist for EY World Entrepreneur of the Year.
Richard began his commercial life growing up on the family-owned Livestock Mart in Aclare. He went on to secure a B.Agri.Sc from University College Dublin.
Richard’s passion for farming and food was at the core of Devenish’s One Health, from Soil to Society strategy. Having held several senior roles within the company, he drove a forward-thinking vision and attitude throughout the business. This saw Devenish transform from a trading company focused on the Northern Ireland market to an international research, development and innovation business trading in over 50 countries.
Richard became an InterTradeIreland Board member in December 2020. He was appointed InterTradeIreland’s Chairman in December 2021. He is a purpose-driven entrepreneur with a desire to innovate for the greater good, while providing an environment for the people around him to express their ability and be the best they can be.