Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, Chief of Staff of Óglaigh na hÉireann, the Irish Defence Forces, is the guest speaker at tonight's RCSI Institute of Leadership Lecture Series: ‘Lessons in Leadership'. The lecture will be delivered to more than 100 health professionals at 6pm in the Albert Lecture Theatre, RCSI, 123 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2.

Vice Admiral Mellett's talk will focus on leadership in a military setting and developing leadership talent in the officer ranks. He will also discuss his career journey from a naval officer to Chief of Staff. This is one of his first public engagements following his appointment by the Irish Government as Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces on 29 September. He is the first naval officer to be appointed to this position.

Professor Ciarán O'Boyle, Director of the RCSI Institute of Leadership said: "We are delighted to welcome one of the Defence Forces' most experienced leaders - Vice Admiral Mark Mellett to deliver this evening's 'Lessons in Leadership' lecture. As a change leader in the Irish Defence Forces for more than two decades, contributing to the ongoing transformation of the forces, we look forward to hearing his insights into the importance of developing strong leadership talent during times of change, which is highly relevant to those who work in a healthcare setting."

Prior to his current position, Vice Admiral Mellett was the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces where he had responsibility for materiel and support functions, including personnel, finance and logistics in the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service. He has thirty eight years' service, much of it seagoing, including three naval commands. In addition to citations for service in Afghanistan (2004) and Lebanon (1989), in 1994 he was decorated by the Irish State, receiving ‘The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM)’ for intercepting a major maritime narcotics shipment.

Vice Admiral Mellett is a founding and governing authority member of the Irish Maritime and Energy Resource Cluster (IMERC) which acts as a stimulant for enterprise and job creation in the maritime and renewable energy spheres. His qualifications include a PhD in Political Science from the National University of Ireland, Galway and he is a distinguished graduate of the US Naval War College. He has a keen interest in research and has been a member of the European Security Research Innovation Forum (ESRIF) and has published on innovation, security, governance and maritime affairs.

The RCSI Institute of Leadership Lecture Series is free of charge but online registration is essential in order to guarantee a place. You can join the conversation online, at 6pm this evening, on Twitter at #RCSILeadership.

The RCSI Institute of Leadership is Ireland's only third level institution dedicated exclusively to developing the leadership and management capacity of health professionals. While the Institute is an academic institution, it maintains close connections with the world of healthcare delivery. Its Masters programmes are characterised by flexibility, speed of response, customer service and a blended learning approach that allows students to learn while continuing to work. The Institute has campuses in Dublin, Bahrain and Dubai and it also delivers programmes in Abu Dhabi, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Sub-Saharan Africa.