By Business & Finance 
Pictured: Ian Hyland, President & CEO of Business & Finance Media Group, Harry Hughes, CEO of Portwest Ireland & 2024 Business Person of the Year Winner, and Seamus Hand, Managing Partner, KPMG Ireland.
Business Person of the Year is part of the prestigious Business & Finance Awards recognition programme, in association with KPMG. It honours business people who have had a significant impact on Irish business.
By Héloïse Chaudot
To celebrate the upcoming Business & Finance Awards 2025, and to honour over 60 years of Business & Finance delivering the best in business news, reportage and thought leadership, we take a look back at previous winners of the coveted Business Person of the Year Award.
The Business Person of the Year Award, then titled ‘Business Man of the Year’, was first awarded in 1974 to Mr Tom Roche, founder of Roadstone and one of the leading entrepreneurs of his generation.
Former Chairman of Smurfit Kappa Group Michael Smurfit was honoured with the award the following year. Born in Lancashire in 1936, Dr. Smurfit was educated at Clongowes Wood College and joined his father’s company, Jefferson Smurfit & Sons, in 1955. He was appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Jefferson Smurfit Group in 1977, a position he held until his retirement as CEO in November 2002.
Dr TK Whitaker received the award in 1976. Dr Ken Whitaker, senator, civil servant and former Governor of the Central Bank, was one of Ireland’s most outstanding public servants, whose 1958 Economic Development report led to Ireland’s First Programme for Economic Expansion, which opened Ireland to both global trade and inward investment. His impact on Ireland has been immense, and to honour this, the TK Whitaker Award for Outstanding Contribution to Public Life similarly honours Irish and international leaders and their contribution to public life.
Vice President EMEA GBG at Meta, and former Vodafone Ireland CEO, Anne O’Leary, was the recipient of the award in 2019. She saw her win as a victory for diversity and women in business:
“We need to ensure that everybody feels welcome and included and that their views and values are respected. This is how organisations will encourage more leaders to emerge in the future.
Imelda Hurley, CEO, Coillte, and former President of Ibec, won the award at the 2022 ceremony. “At Coillte, Imelda has led the launch of a strategic vision to help Ireland achieve its climate goals. She oversaw Coillte’s involvement in the community, including nature rehabilitation projects and mental health intervention initiatives, creating employment and opportunities in rural Ireland,” the judges said.
In an interview with Business & Finance, Hurley reflected on some markers for success :
“When I reflect on the things that helped me in my career, the key ingredients that really stand out include:
- Working internationally to broaden my experience.
- It is important to have a clear organisational purpose and vision, and building on that is a strategy to deliver on that vision.
- The importance of building a great team to deliver the articulated strategy.
- Ensuring every colleague understands their role has a purpose and is important to the overall success of the organisation”.
Terry Clune, CEO of CluneTech and founder of TransferMate, was named Business Person of the Year at the 2023 ceremony.
Upon accepting the award, he said: “I am humbled by this recognition, which I see as a tribute to our whole team and culture. With incredible progress and innovation happening across fintech, I’m very proud that our companies have become leading players on the global stage.”
Harry Hughes, CEO of Portwest, was named Business Person of the Year at the 2024 ceremony.
He said: “What a fantastic achievement. We’re 120 years in a family business, I’m the third generation, and it’s a wonderful achievement for all our staff and our family.”
The Business & Finance Awards
Business & Finance was launched in 1964 as Ireland’s premier business magazine. The Business & Finance Awards programme was established a decade later, in 1974, and has become Ireland’s longest-running and most coveted business awards programme. These prestigious awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of some of our most remarkable business leaders.
In association with KPMG Ireland, the Business Person of the Year Award recognises individuals who have demonstrated exceptional career achievements over the past year.
Enter now for Business Person of the Year at the Business & Finance Awards 2025. The awards will take place at the Convention Centre Dublin on 11 December 2025.
For information on table sales, please contact Brian.kearns@businessandfinance.com
