Declan Kirrane is the Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science, the chairman and managing director of the science Summit at the United Nations General assembly, and co-founder of Medicines for Future (MAF). He has over 25 years of experience as a global senior adviser to governments and industry on science policy and related regulation.

With Financial Times, he was the launch editor of CORDIS, the European Commission’s research information Service. He was Editor of the Commission’s Innovation and Technology Transfer Newsletter and CORDIS focus. His expertise covers ICT, Health, Defence, Space, Science Policy, GPRD legislation, EU R&D and Innovation policies, programmes and funding instruments. He has worked extensively on science policy evaluation methodologies and technology options for policy, and decision-makers use investment in science for broader economic development and competitiveness. With the Office of Science in the US Department of energy, he Launched the Ford Foundation Bellagio process on science policy evaluation methodologies.

He is closely involved in EU-Africa science and innovation relations and investments, particularly the EU’s investment strategy for Africa. The was closely involved in the South African government’s bid to host the Square Kilometre Array Radio Telescope, the SKA, South Africa and its partner countries succeeded in securing the rights to build the SKA in South Africa. He manages the Africa-Europe Science and Innovation Platform, AERAP.

Declan has been actively promoting a more significant role for science within the context of the United Nations General Assembly since 2010. This has culminated in the annual Science Summit within the context of the General Assembly. The current edition - SSUNGA8 - takes place from 12-29 September 2023.