- 24 finalists collectively employ over 2,700 people and generate over €150m in revenues
- Cork based entrepreneurs shortlisted: Noel O’Hanlon, Genesis Automation; Peter Coppinger & Daniel Mackey, Teamwork.com; Damien McGovern & Pat Lynch, Compliance & Risks Limited.
- 67% of EY Entrepreneur of The Year community do business with one another
Cork: Monday 23 April 2018: The 24 finalists of the 2018 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Ireland programme have been revealed today. Collectively, the finalists employ more than 2,700 people and generate annual revenues of €150m. The finalists will compete across three categories – Emerging, Industry and International, with one winner being chosen as The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2018.
The 24 finalists have been shortlisted from over 110 nominations received from across the island of Ireland by an independent judging panel of previous winners, chaired by Anne Heraty, CEO of CPL Resources Plc, and winner of the 2006 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ award. This year’s shortlist includes Cork based entrepreneurs: Noel O’Hanlon, Genesis Automation; Peter Coppinger & Daniel Mackey, Teamwork.com; and Damien McGovern & Pat Lynch, Compliance & Risks Limited.
(l to r): Michael Carey, East Coast Bakehouse, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ judge; Anne Heraty, CEO of CPL Resources Plc and Chairperson of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ judging panel and Kevin McLoughlin, Partner Lead for the EY Entrepreneur of The Year™ programme.
Anne Heraty, CEO of CPL Resources Plc, and Chair of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ judging panel commented “Every year the calibre of nominees intensifies, and this year has been no exception. While it is never an easy task narrowing the selection down to 24 finalists, we are delighted to see the diverse range of industries year on year. We as judges take enormous pride in supporting the backbone of the Irish economy by highlighting Ireland’s most innovative, brave, and ambitious entrepreneurs. Without doubt the greatest strength of the community is the incredible opportunity that we have to learn from each other’s experiences. I am delighted to welcome this year’s 24 finalists into the EY Entrepreneur of The Year community and wish them the very best at the beginning of an unforgettable journey through the programme and beyond.’’
(l to r): Michael Carey, East Coast Bakehouse, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ judge; Anne Heraty, CEO of CPL Resources Plc and Chairperson of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ judging panel and Kevin McLoughlin, Partner Lead for the EY Entrepreneur of The Year™ programme.
Now in its 21st year, the programme, has established itself as a world-class development programme that supports, promotes, and connects a prodigious community of entrepreneurs, championing entrepreneurship throughout the island of Ireland and around the world. Since its inception, the EOY community has grown to almost 500 alumni who harness each other’s wealth of experience, with 67% now doing business with one another.
This year’s finalists will join more than 70 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ alumni for a week of executive education and exclusive corporate insights in Oxford and London in May. The CEO Retreat is the island’s largest unofficial trade mission, specifically focused on fostering entrepreneurship. The retreat will focus on developing the entrepreneurs, and facilitating an environment for networking and problem-solving. With a recent survey of the EOY Alumni group finding that 62% of the Alumni see opportunities around Brexit, many of the sessions will focus on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Irish business in the advent of Brexit.
(l to r): Michael Carey, East Coast Bakehouse, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ judge; Anne Heraty, CEO of CPL Resources Plc and Chairperson of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ judging panel and Kevin McLoughlin, Partner Lead for the EY Entrepreneur of The Year™ programme.
Commenting on the announcement, Kevin McLoughlin, Partner Lead for the EY Entrepreneur of The Year™ programme said: “This year has been one of the most competitive years to date for nominees, and through this competition we have 24 exceptional finalists. We look forward not only to getting to know each of the finalists, but also to seeing the impact they make in the EOY community and their continued impact on the Irish economy. We are delighted to see such strong regional representation, with finalists from all four provinces. The finalists represent a broad spectrum of Irish industries, with a significant number of entrepreneurs from the manufacturing and life sciences sectors. Equally we are delighted that 33% of our finalists are female. On behalf of EY, I’d like to wish 24 the very best of luck.
The 2018 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ finalists are:
Emerging Category
- Darragh McCarthy, FinTrU, Antrim
- Paddy Finn, Electricity Exchange, Limerick
- Joe Wiley, Amryt Pharma plc, Dublin
- Patrick J. Rigney, The Shed Distillery of P.J. Rigney, Leitrim
- Elaine Sullivan, Carrick Therapeutics, Dublin
- David and Sandra Whelan, VR Education Holdings plc, Waterford
- Eoin Leonard, i3PT Certification, Dublin
- Noel O’Hanlon, Genesis Automation, Cork
Industry Category
- David Maxwell, Boojum, Antrim
- P.J. Flanagan, H&MV Engineering Limited, Limerick
- Dominic Fitzpatrick, The Irish News, Antrim
- Bill Wolsey, Beannchor Group, Antrim
- Vicki O’Toole, JJ O’Toole Ltd, Limerick
- Louise Kennedy, Louise Kennedy, Dublin
- Gareth Chambers, Around Noon, Down
- Rachel Doyle, Arboretum, Carlow
International Category
- Peter Keeling, Diaceutics, Louth
- Tony Richardson, Venn Life Sciences, Dublin
- Peter Coppinger & Daniel Mackey, Teamwork.com, Cork
- Ray Cole, Virginia International Logistics, Cavan
- Barry Napier, Cubic Telecom Limited, Dublin
- Mary McKenna, Tour America/Cruise Holidays, Dublin
- Damien McGovern & Pat Lynch, Compliance & Risks Limited, Cork
- Aine Lecky & Eibhlin Murphy, Major Equipment (Intl) Limited, Mayo