Qualcom appoints Fergal Flattery to grow AI practice

Qualcom has appointed Fergal Flattery as Senior AI & Automation Engineer as the Irish IT and cybersecurity provider expands its AI practice.

Flattery will work with customers to identify where AI and automation can be applied to business processes, with a focus on practical adoption and secure implementation. His work will centre mainly on Microsoft products, including Power Platform, Copilot Studio and Azure.

The appointment adds to Qualcom AI, a recently launched unit focused on helping Irish businesses adopt Microsoft AI tools. Qualcom has committed €500,000 to the practice to support customers from initial readiness work through to post-deployment governance.

Flattery joins from Australia-based Simplyai, where he worked as a Senior Consultant with large banking and insurance organisations. Earlier in his career, he was a Software Engineer at McKesson, working on chatbot development and process automation. Before that, he spent five years at Glanbia as a Test Engineer and RPA Developer.

The move reflects growing demand from businesses for support in applying AI tools to routine operations while maintaining oversight and controls. For Qualcom, the hire also signals a push to build specialist expertise in automation and Microsoft-based AI systems.

Ken Ryan, Managing Director of Qualcom, outlined the rationale for the appointment.

"Businesses are increasingly looking for practical ways to embrace AI. Fergal brings a strong understanding of how organisations can use AI and automation to address real business challenges while ensuring new technologies are introduced safely and securely. His appointment strengthens our growing AI practice and enhances our ability to support customers throughout their AI implementation journeys and help them achieve tangible business outcomes," said Ryan.

Qualcom operates across the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, and has been in business for more than 30 years. It describes itself as a strategic technology partner to organisations across multiple sectors, providing IT and cybersecurity services.

Its new AI practice sits within a broader market shift as technology service firms respond to customer demand for advice on introducing generative AI and automation into existing workflows. In Qualcom's case, the emphasis appears to be on combining implementation with governance and security oversight, particularly for businesses adopting Microsoft tools.

For Flattery, the new role marks a return from several years in Australia and a move into a position that combines customer advisory work with technical delivery. His background in robotic process automation, chatbot development and digital transformation gives him experience across several areas now converging in enterprise AI projects.

Flattery explained his reasons for joining the company in a statement on the appointment.

"Qualcom prioritises helping businesses adopt technology in an ultra-secure manner. As an AI and automation specialist, this was a major attraction for me. Joining its growing AI practice is an exciting challenge in a rapidly evolving area, and one I feel qualified to take on given my experience. I look forward to working directly with Qualcom's customers to understand their requirements and identify solutions that deliver tangible results for them," he said.