By Business & Finance 
Photographed at the 2022 Business & Finance Awards in association with KPMG (from L–R): Seamus Hand, Managing Partner, KPMG Ireland; John Jordan, CEO, Ornua and Ian Hyland, President and Publisher, Business & Finance. Photo: Andres Poveda
Company of the Year is part of the renowned Business & Finance Awards recognition programme, in association with KPMG. It honours Irish businesses for having made a significant impact in Ireland.
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 Company of the Year Award recognises Irish businesses who, along with having a significant impact in Ireland, operate with an international focus and have annual revenue exceeding €350 million.
Company of the Year Award 2022
Last year, at the 48th annual Business & Finance Awards, in association with KPMG, over 1,000 leading Irish business figures including President Ursula von der Leyen, former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, Ukrainian ambassador Larysa Gerasko and Taoiseach Micheál Martin, saw Ornua win Company of the Year.
The Agricultural co-operative, led by CEO John Jordan, markets the iconic Irish brand, Kerrygold, to the world. The judges credited the company’s growing presence in the US as well as its significant output amongst the reasons for Ornua winning the award.
“Ornua’s continued and successful product innovations, along with their growing presence in the US, has copper-fastened its reputation as one of Ireland’s most valuable and robust organisations.”
The Company of the Year award recognises Irish businesses who, along with having a significant impact in Ireland, operate with an international focus and have annual revenue exceeding €350 million.
Company of the Year Award 2021
In 2021, the winner of the prestigious award was ICON plc, a global consulting provider that outsources development and commercialisation services to pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical device developers, and government and public health organisations. Its CEO, Steve Cutler, felt proud of ICON’s achievements and the recognition the organisation received:
“I reflected a little bit in that I had played rugby against an Irish team about thirty years ago… Over the last twenty years, or the last ten years, I have been with the Irish team in ICON, and I can absolutely tell you, it’s a lot more fun playing with an Irish team than it is playing against one.”
Previous honourees
The prize was first awarded in 1999 to IONA Technologies, which was sold to Progress Software in 2008. Other previous winners are Kerry Group (2009, 2012, 2015) and Kingspan (2005, 2018).
Business & Finance Awards December 2023
The Business & Finance Awards will take place on December 8th at the Convention Centre, Dublin. Registration is now open. Nominations can be made until midnight on Friday 21st July.
To align your company with the Business & Finance executive audience, we have a limited number of partnership opportunities available. To find out more information, please contact Brian.Kearns@businessandfinance.com.
