Business

Business leaders short-listed for IoD national awards

Business leaders from across Northern Ireland have been named in the short list of the UK-wide IoD Director of the Year Awards. They were among category winners at the IoD regional Director of the Year Awards, sponsored by First Trust Bank
Business leaders from across Northern Ireland have been named in the short list of the UK-wide IoD Director of the Year Awards. They were among category winners at the IoD regional Director of the Year Awards, sponsored by First Trust Bank Business leaders from across Northern Ireland have been named in the short list of the UK-wide IoD Director of the Year Awards. They were among category winners at the IoD regional Director of the Year Awards, sponsored by First Trust Bank

A DOZEN business leaders from Northern Ireland have been named in the short-list of the UK-wide finalists in the Institute of Directors Director of the Year Awards.

The leaders, each of whom were among category winners at the recent IoD regional Director of the Year Awards sponsored by First Trust Bank, will be up for national accolades at The Brewery in the City of London this October.

They include William Barnett of W&R Barnett, who is short-listed for the prestigious Chair’s Award, Nick Whelan of Dale Farm, candidate for large business director of the year, and Jackie Henry of Deloitte who is among the finalists in the inclusivity category.

IoD NI chairman Gordon Milligan said: “Leaders from Northern Ireland have enjoyed tremendous success at the national IoD Director of the Year Awards over recent years, as our region continues to punch above its weight on the grand stage.

“With an exceptionally high calibre of short-listed directors representing organisations across the private, public, and third sectors, I've no doubt they will shine as brightly this year as ever before.”

Entries across the 13 categories will be evaluated by a panel of acclaimed judges including Duncan Wardle, former vice-president of innovation and creativity at Disney; Kathryn Baddeley, head of CSR at Cisco UK and Ireland; and Jacqui McKinlay, chief executive of the Centre for Public Scrutiny.

The event at The Brewery, which occupies the site of Samuel Whitbread’s historic brewhouse in the City of London, will be hosted by renowned newscaster Sir Trevor McDonald.

Full list of Northern Ireland-based directors in the Director of the Year short list is:

:: Chair’s award - William Barnett (W&R Barnett)

:: Family business - Angela Bennett (Diamond Systems)

:: Inclusivity - Jackie Henry MBE (Deloitte)

:: Innovation - Alan Lowry (Environmental Street Furniture)

:: International - Lisa McLaughlin (Herbert Smith Freehills)

:: Large company - Nick Whelan (Dale Farm)

:: Non-executive - Mark Ennis (SSE Airtricity)

:: Public sector - Jill Minne (Northern Ireland Civil Service)

:: SME - Angela Bennett (Diamond Systems)

:: Start-up - Robert McConnell (Pinnacle Professional)

:: Third sector - Carol Fitzsimons (Young Enterprise NI)

:: Young director - Naoimh McAteer (MJM Group)