By Business & Finance 
Hugh McGuire, CEO of Glanbia, is our Business Person of the Month for February 2026, in association with KPMG. Glanbia is a nutrition company which specialises in nutrition supplements.
By Héloïse Chaudot
Hugh McGuire
McGuire joined Glanbia in 2003 and advanced through several senior leadership positions. From 2008 to 2023, he served as CEO of Glanbia Performance Nutrition (GPN), overseeing a period of strong growth. He has been on the Group Operating Executive since 2013 and was a board member from June 2013 to April 2019.
Before Glanbia, he worked at McKinsey & Company, Nestlé, and Leaf. He holds an M.Sc. in Food Science from University College Dublin and a Diploma in Accounting and Finance from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in Ireland.
He was appointed CEO of Glanbia in 2024.
Glanbia
Glanbia, the nutrition supplement company, saw revenues climb despite tough market conditions. For the year ending 3 January 2026, sales rose 2.3%, reaching $3.9 billion, up from $3.8 billion the year before.
Earnings per share saw a sharp increase of 19.7%, rising to 73.15% from 63.21%. Meanwhile, EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation) fell by 9.4% to $499.1 million, down from $551.3 million.
SlimFast, Glanbia’s US weight management brand, was sold in September to Heartland Food Products Group. The US company produces the Splenda range of low-calorie sweeteners as well as drink mixes, coffee products, and nutritional beverages.
Glanbia had acquired SlimFast in 2018 for $350m. The 50-year-old brand is built around low-carbohydrate diet products, but consumer preferences have shifted in recent years. At the same time, the growing popularity of weight-loss drugs has disrupted the wider diet market. Since 2022, SlimFast has experienced a decline in sales.
The company returned around €197 million to shareholders through its share buyback programme during the year. In addition, the Board has approved a further €100 million in buyback authority.
Business Person of the Month
The Business Person of the Month Award, in association with KPMG, recognises outstanding leaders in Irish business. It especially acknowledges those who have made significant contributions to the business community of Ireland.
Recipients of the award are automatically put forward as candidates for the prestigious Business Person of the Year Award at the annual Business & Finance Awards. For any inquiries, please contact priyanka.kotian@businessandfinance.com.
Business & Finance, Business Person of the Month
Business & Finance, in association with KPMG, recognises excellence in business through the ‘Business Person of the Month’ award. This award seeks to recognise noteworthy achievements in business leadership, and, particularly, those that make a telling contribution to the wider business community in Ireland.
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