By Business & Finance 
Irish Rugby Team Head Coach Joe Schmidt with President Michael D. Higgins ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
Joe Schmidt to receive Outstanding Contribution to Brand Ireland Award at Business & Finance Irish Business Awards 2018
Joe Schmidt, Head Coach of the Irish Rugby Team, is to receive the Outstanding Contribution to Brand Ireland Award at the 2018 Business & Finance Awards in association with KPMG, following an incredible year leading the Irish Rugby team to a Grand Slam as well as a triumphant tour of Australia, which saw the team ranked as second in the world.
Schmidt’s career has seen him move from his native New Zealand to Ireland via France. Formerly a schoolteacher before moving into coaching, he coached in New Zealand and France before heading to Ireland as Leinster Head Coach in 2011. While there, he guided the Leinster team to their second Heineken Cup title in his first season. Since becoming Head Coach of the Irish Rugby Team, Schmidt led the team to three Six Nation Championship wins in five years. It is due to this unwavering leadership and unparalleled commitment that Joe Schmidt is awarded the 2018 Outstanding Contribution to Brand Ireland Award.
The 2018 Outstanding Contribution to Brand Ireland Award continues a longstanding legacy of the Business & Finance Awards programme in recognising and hosting some of the most outstanding business, political and social leaders of our time including former President Clinton, Sir John Major, former President Mary Robinson, Kofi Annan, President Michael D. Higgins, former Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Senator George Mitchell and Sir Bob Geldof among others.
Former President Mary Robinson
This announcement follows on from recent announcements that former President Mary McAleese has been awarded the TK Whitaker Award for Outstanding Contribution to Public Life and José Manuel Barroso will receive the inaugural Sutherland Leadership Award at the Business & Finance Awards, in association with KPMG, in December 2018.
The 2018 Business & Finance Awards will be hosted at the Convention Centre Dublin on Thursday, December 13th in the company of over 1000 business, political and social leaders. For further information please see www.businessandfinanceawards.com.
