Owen Brennan graduated in agriculture from UCD in 1982 and with an MBA in 1992. In 1987 Owen led a team to acquire Devenish and under his leadership Devenish has evolved into a Global Research Development and Innovation (RDI) business, employing over 800 people and operating in more than 50 countries with its Head Office in Belfast.

The Devenish Strategy “One Health from Soil to Society” aims to optimise nutrient utilisation in soil, plant, animal, environmental and human health, key components of the food value chain. In 2018 Devenish in partnership with Moy Park, Skea Eggs and Waitrose completed trials with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland proving consumption of chicken and eggs naturally enriched by omega-3 feed developed by Devenish reduces risk of heart attack, stroke, dementia and depression.

The Devenish Research Farm and Global Innovation Centre at Dowth, county Meath together with Teagasc has produced the world’s first calculation of on farm carbon sequestration by trees and hedges an important step towards carbon neutral farming in a ruminant landscape.