North East Somerset and Hanham
Paul MacDonnell

Expert in Digital Policy and Free Speech

Paul MacDonnell served as the Executive Director of the Global Digital Foundation, a technology-policy think tank he co-founded, from 2016 to 2024. His expertise lies in public policy related to the development and regulation of digital technology. Currently, he focuses on researching the impact of government regulations, organizational speech codes, and digital platform censorship on free speech.

Leadership in Policy and Innovation

Before establishing the Global Digital Foundation, Paul was the Head of European Policy at the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) in Brussels. His career also includes a significant role as Director of Regulatory Policy and EU Affairs at Insurance Ireland, where he worked for 12 years overseeing national and international insurance industry policies.

Contributions to Pensions and Economic Policy

In 2015, Paul initiated a workplace auto-enrolment pension scheme for all Irish workers, supported by the OECD. This project marked a significant advancement in pension policy. His career began at Hill & Knowlton’s government affairs division in London, where he advised Fortune 500 companies. In 2001, he co-founded Open Republic, an economic policy forum in Dublin that hosted events on pensions, taxation, and the EU, and published the Economic Freedom of the World Report in Ireland.

Media Contributions and Academic Background

Paul has extensive experience in broadcast and print media, contributing articles to prestigious publications such as The Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, The Critic Magazine, Economic Affairs, EurActiv, EU Observer, and Europe’s World. He holds a BA in Medieval & Renaissance English Literature and Philosophy from Trinity College Dublin, an MBA from University College Dublin, and a master’s degree in Classics from the University of Exeter.