Kingsley Aikins is the founder and CEO of The Networking Institute, a company based in Dublin that runs training courses, online and offline, on Networking, Public Speaking, Philanthropy/Fundraising and Diaspora Engagement.
Before that he was, for 17 years, the CEO of the Worldwide Ireland Funds based in Boston. The Ireland Funds is a global Irish Diaspora network and is active in over 30 cities in 12 countries hosting 100 events annually. The Funds have raised over half a billion dollars philanthropically and funded over 3200 projects of Peace, Culture and Charity throughout the island of Ireland
Prior to that he was, for 17 years, the Sydney based representative for Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland. He established the Australian Ireland Fund and the Lansdowne Club, now one of the largest Irish business networks in the world.
Kingsley has worked extensively internationally with governments, corporations and non-profits as well as multi-lateral agencies including the EU, UN, World Bank, USAID and IOM (International Organisation for Migration). He has written and spoken extensively on Diaspora Engagement and worked with over 30 countries, regions and cities helping them develop policies, programmes and projects to connect with their Diasporas. He has developed the concept of Diaspora Capital which is made up of three flows – flows of people, flows of knowledge and flows of money.
Kingsley is an Economics and Politics graduate of Trinity College, Dublin and former member of The Institutes of Export, Marketing and Linguists (French and Spanish). He is also a former Trinity College, Irish Universities, Vichy (France) and Leinster rugby representative.