Appointments of governing body Chairs to Belfast Metropolitan College and North West Regional College - pen pics

Mrs Jacqueline Dixon MBE

Jacqui Dixon is a highly experienced former local government Chief Executive with circa 25 years of experience at a senior leadership level. As former Chief Executive of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, she successfully led the Council through the Review of Public Administration amalgamation process and has a track record of transformation and the delivery of effective and efficient public services.

Through leadership, partnership working, empowerment and a focus on outcomes, Jacqui led the delivery of the Council’s Corporate Plan which provided improvements in the environment, the health and well-being of local residents and economic opportunities.

She holds a Masters of Business Administration and has a sound understanding of all aspects of corporate governance.

From June 2020 to June 2021, Jacqui was Chair of Solace (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) Northern Ireland.

In 2023, Jacqui was appointed MBE for services to Local Government and the Community in the King’s New Years Honours List and was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for County Antrim in January 2024.

In October 2023, she was awarded the Van Coulter Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association of Public Service Excellence for her exceptional Leadership and contribution to Local Government.

In recognition of outstanding service to the Council, and her special contribution to the development of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Jacqui was awarded the Freedom of the Borough by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council in January 2024.

Jacqui is currently a board member of the NI Housing Executive since 1 June 2025 for five years, with a remuneration of £7,207 per annum. 

Professor Malachy Ó Néill

Professor Malachy Ó Néill is Director of Regional Engagement at Ulster University and a member of the University Senate. He is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Academy and was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2019, the highest accolade in UK higher education for pedagogy.

Professor Ó Néill is a specialist in Irish Language and Literature, particularly in relation to the Ó Néill dynasty, and was awarded a Personal Chair in Irish in 2020, having served as the inaugural Head of School of Irish Language and Literature, 2012-17.

Appointed Provost of the Magee Campus in 2016, Professor Ó Néill played a key role in various aspects of the expansion of HE provision in Derry, including the inception of a graduate-entry School of Medicine and the development of a range of key innovation projects through City Deal. He has represented the University in the development of the North West Tertiary Education Cluster (since 2018), bringing together the work of the FE and HE partners in the cross-border North West city region.

Professor Ó Néill is Principal Investigator (Northern Ireland) in the c.€4 million ‘Atlantic Futures’ research collaboration funded by the Shared Island programme.

Professor Ó Néill completed his BA and PhD at Ulster University and was Head of Irish in St Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt, before returning to the University as Lecturer in Modern Irish in 2008.

He was editor of the An tUltach journal (2008-10) and was appointed by the Irish Government as a member of the Review Board of the Irish Language Standard (published 2017).

He enjoys close ties with the Donegal Gaeltacht and spent many years in Machaire Rabhartaigh and Gaoth Dobhair facilitating courses for teenagers and adult learners of Irish.

Professor Ó Néill is in his second term as a member of the Irish Language and Celtic Studies Committee in the Royal Irish Academy.

He is a member of the Armagh Diocesan Education Committee of CCMS (non-remunerated) and is a board member of both the Causeway and Derry Chambers of Commerce.

Professor Ó Néill has been a member of the Governing Body of NWRC since June 2017 and served as Temporary Chair since May 2023, while also chairing the sector-wide College Employers’ Forum (CEF).

Professor Ó Néill does not currently hold any other public appointments in Northern Ireland.