Robin Barnett

Robin Barnett

Former Ambassador to Ireland, Dublin

Part of UK in Poland

24th September 2014 Dublin, Ireland

To Innovate or not to Innovate

It has been a hectic couple of weeks. Since returning from leave, I have already visited Wroclaw, Krakow and Gdansk. There have been two common themes: Innovation is GREAT and Culture is GREAT.

In both Wroclaw and Gdansk, I visited impressive technology parks that are creating the right environment to stimulate the development of both start ups and small businesses and are very focussed in providing added value for their clients. There is definite scope to build more strong innovation partnerships between British and Polish companies for mutual benefit. In Krakow, I saw such a partnership in action when I visited the impressive Medical Centre Motherhood, which operates together with the Oxford Academic Reproductive Partnership in the UK. The Krakow centre uses the very latest technology to provide innovative medical services and is a great example of UK/Polish collaboration.

On the cultural side, I greatly enjoyed Last Night of the Proms organised by the Krakow Industrial Society for the nineteenth successive year. Land of Hope and Glory and Rule Britannia in an historic Polish setting. In Gdansk, I participated in the opening of the new Shakespeare Theatre, located on the site of the former 17th century theatre, for which HRH the Prince of Wales is the honorary patron. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy a performance of Hamlet by the Globe Theatre in London but I was also greatly impressed by the new theatre itself, which combines a flexible performance space with the latest technology, including an opening roof. The British cultural week in Gdansk will continue to go from strength to strength with this impressive new venue.

I also toured the new European Solidarity Centre, another striking building. The exhibitions of life under Communism and Poland’s struggle to restore democracy took me back to my own first visit to Gdansk in August 1982 to witness the pro-Solidarity demonstrations there.

Next stop on our innovation agenda is an Innovation Summit here in Warsaw in late October of which more anon.

About Robin Barnett

Robin Barnett was British Ambassador to Ireland from 2016 to 2020. Between 2011 - 2016 he held the post of British Ambassador to Poland and his career has previously concentrated…

Robin Barnett was British Ambassador to Ireland from 2016 to 2020. Between 2011 - 2016 he held the post of British Ambassador to Poland and his career has previously concentrated on Central and Eastern Europe and multi-lateral diplomacy.

Robin began his career in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1980 as Desk Officer for Indonesia and the Philippines. In addition to Ireland, he has been posted to Vienna, New York and Bucharest, where he was Ambassador. He has also served as Director of UK Visas and Managing Director of the Business Group in UK Trade and Investment

Robin studied Law at Birmingham University. He has a son and a stepson and is a great admirer of Sir Alex Ferguson and a supporter of Manchester United.