About

Who we are

The Networking Institute is comprised of a committed group of individuals who have decades of experience working in the core areas of Philanthropy and Fundraising, Diaspora Engagement, and Speaking and Presenting. In all of these areas, networking is the glue that made everything possible. Collectively we have been exposed to a wide range of business experiences, spanning many geographies, helping us to develop depth in best practice and to define what success looks like in each of these critical areas of business success.

Our Team

Kingsley Aikins

CEO

Dublin born Kingsley Aikins is an Economics and Politics graduate of Trinity College Dublin who has worked in six countries around the world. He returned to live in Ireland in 2011 and established The Networking Institute. For ten years he worked for IDA Ireland and The Irish Trade Board and was based in Sydney. While there he established The Lansdowne Club – now one of the biggest Irish business networks outside Ireland. He then ran Ireland’s largest diaspora organisation, The Ireland Funds, and was based in Boston. During his 21 years with The Ireland Funds over a quarter of a billion dollars was raised for projects of Peace, Culture and Charity in Ireland.

Since returning to live in Ireland he has worked extensively with other countries helping them develop successful diaspora strategies. He authored a Global Diaspora Strategies Toolkit which was launched by then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington. With his colleague Dr. Martin Russell he has worked with over 50 countries in the rapidly growing field of diaspora engagement and has established with Martin The Diaspora Institute in Ireland whose mission is to be a world leading centre of training, research and solutions on diaspora engagement

Martin Russell

Diaspora Advisor

Dr Russell completed his PhD, Diaspora Strategies and Conflict Transformation, at the UCD Clinton Institute where his research focused on diaspora media, diaspora philanthropy, and diaspora politics. He was previously a visiting fellow at UNU - MERIT and founder of Global Diaspora Insights. He currently serves on the Transition Assistance Practice Group (TAPG) at the Institute for Integrated Transitions, is an advisor at The Networking Institute and sits on the Board of Directors of Ireland Reaching Out.

He has a rich and varied publication record across academic, operational, and policy landscapes on diaspora engagement including numerous diaspora policies, strategies, and implementation plans for public, private, and third sector clients. His most recent publication was Diaspora Philanthropy: Unlocking New Portals for Diplomacy and Development in the first edition of the Routledge International Handbook of Diaspora Diplomacy. He has keynoted and contributed to flagship global convenings on diaspora engagement over the past decades.