The 39th annual Business & Finance Awards for Irish business were attended by over 1,000 guests at The Convention Centre, Dublin this evening.
Five companies and executives were honoured with awards for their contributions to the Irish economy and success in business throughout 2013.
The winners of the Business & Finance Awards 2013 are:
- Enterprise of the Year: Integrity Solutions
Established in Sandyford, Co. Dublin in 2005, Integrity Solutions is the trusted security advisor for some of the largest companies in Ireland and the UK.
The shortlist for Enterprise of the Year included: Apex Fund Services, Brandtone, ePubDirect, Keohane Seafoods and Slainte Healthcare.
- Company of the Year: Smurfit Kappa Group
One of the leading producers of paper-based packaging in the world with around 41,000 employees across 32 countries, Smurfit Kappa Group continued to perform strongly throughout 2013. In July, shares in the Group rose to the highest price in six years, as the company’s second-quarter results beat analyst expectations and drove shares up.
The shortlist for Company of the Year included: Paddy Power, Glanbia, Ryanair, Sky Ireland, Grafton Group, Intel Ireland and PCH International.
- Business Person of the Year: John Moloney, former Group managing director, Glanbia Group
As Group managing director of one of Ireland’s largest food producers for more than 10 years, John Moloney served as a key driving force behind Glanbia phenomenal growth. During Moloney’s final year at the helm, the Group reported record growth of 22%, a substantial increase in revenue; an investment of €400 million in the domestic dairy sector and the creation of new 1,600 jobs.
The shortlist for Business Person of the Year included: Liam Casey, Cathriona Hallahan, Louise Phelan, Eamonn Sinnott and Owen Killian.
Outstanding Contribution to Ireland Award
Senator George Mitchell was recognised on the night for his tireless work as the chairman of the peace negotiations in Northern Ireland. Having previously been the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, Senator Mitchell played a key role in helping to broker the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
Outstanding Achievement in Business Award
Sir Terry Leahy was recognised at this year’s ceremony for his outstanding achievements in business. During his tenure as CEO of Tesco, Leahy played a key role in helping the company to triple its profits to £3.5bn, making it the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues.
Also on the night, Intel Ireland was awarded a Global Innovation Award for its continued investment in Ireland. Intel has chosen Ireland to design its next major chip processor line, beating off global competition from Israel, Malaysia and the US. It is the first time that a major product from a global tech firm has been designed here in Ireland.
Sports stars Katie Taylor and Brian O’Driscoll were also in attendance and received awards for their Contribution to Brand Ireland throughout 2013.
The Business & Finance Awards programme have been recognising excellence in Irish business for over 30 years and is the longest running and most coveted business awards programme in Ireland. This prestigious awards programme has celebrated the outstanding achievements of individuals such as JP McManus, Neville Isdell, Michael Smurfit, Tony Ryan, Dermot Desmond, Liam O’ Mahony, Willie Walsh, Philip Lynch, Peter Sutherland, T.K. Whitaker and Denis O’ Brien as recipients of the Business Person of the Year Award.
Business & Finance Awards 2013 Gallery
