In 2012, following the establishment of a mutually successful relationship with SCG Chemicals Co. Ltd, Dermot was instrumental in creating the SCG-Oxford Centre of Excellence for Chemistry (CoE) on which he serves as the Director. This is a unique collaboration between SCG and the University of Oxford with dedicated laboratories in the Department of Chemistry focusing on the research and development in the area of Nanomaterials and catalysis. It has employed forty-five people over 49 projects with total committed funds of over £19 million.

The establishment of the CoE itself has strengthened scientific and commercial ties between the UK and Thailand leading to Professor Dermot O’Hare and SCG's presentation to HRH Princess Sirindhorn at the British Embassy, Bangkok in 2016, which was a tremendous honor. Also in recognition of the creation of the CoE he received an Impact Award from the University of Oxford.

In 2016 he was awarded the RSC Tilden for his creative work on the synthesis, reactivity and advanced characterisation of molecular inorganic compounds and materials spanning organometallic chemistry to framework and layered materials. In 2019 the SCG-Oxford Centre of Excellence for Chemistry (CoE) was awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry Academia-Industry Prize.