Ian Marshall has over 35 years’ experience working in the agri-food industry and rural business. He previously worked in the Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) at Queens University Belfast, linking research and development with the industry across themes of food integrity, agricultural and environmental resilience, nutrition and preventative medicine, enabling technologies, and data Information.

He was elected as an Independent Senator to the upper house of the Irish government, serving in Seanad Eireann from 2018-2020.

He attended Greenmount College and later completed an MSc in Agri-Food Business Development at Ulster University and Babson College, Boston, USA. He also completed training as a Professional Member of the Institute of Agricultural Management through the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester.

As a former President of the Ulster Farmers Union, and member of the Agri-Food Strategy Board Ian has worked extensively between Belfast, London, Dublin and Brussels representing agriculture and the rural economy.

Over a long career in business and public life he has served on a significant number of organisations and public bodies.