A HOST of leaders from successful businesses across a wide range of industry sectors have been announced as finalists in the IoD (Institute of Directors) annual awards.
The 2018 awards, sponsored by First Trust Bank will be held next month, with a final shortlist of finalists now released.
The winners of the Director of the Year Awards, which recognise leaders across the private, third and public sectors who have set exceptional standards of leadership and demonstrated good corporate governance, will be announced at a ceremony at The Merchant Hotel, Belfast on Friday, May 18.
Category winners will then be considered for the national Director of the Year Finals in London, where Northern Ireland-based business leaders have received the overall accolade in two of the last three years.
Lisa Maltman, business development manager, IoD NI, said that once again the entries were of the "highest quality".
“The judging panel had an extremely difficult job in choosing the shortlist and all finalists deserve huge congratulations. We look forward to announcing the winners in May as we honour the outstanding leadership they have displayed within their organisations.”
This year’s shortlisted Directors are:
Director of the Year – Family Business - sponsored by BDO
Jack Hamilton – Mash Direct
Joanne Molloy - TS Foods Ltd
Ashley McCulla - McCulla Ireland Ltd
Director of the Year – Emerging - sponsored by Carson McDowell
Victoria Patterson – Kali Ltd
Paddy O’Hagan - Neueda
Director of the Year – Global - sponsored by Invest NI
Grainne Kelly – Bubblebum
Paula Kennedy - Convergys
David Meade – David Meade Ltd
Director of the Year - Corporate Social Responsibility - sponsored by IoD NI
Barry Smyth – MCS Group
Ray Hutchinson – Gilbert-Ash
Director of the Year – Early Stage Business - sponsored by Ulster University Business School
Nuala Murphy – Moment Health
Katie Matthews – Excel in Education Tutoring School Ltd
Stephen McDowell – Hayward Hawk
Director of the Year – Inclusivity - sponsored by William J Clinton Leadership Institute, QUB
Gary Thompson – Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service
Sinead Dillon – Fujitsu
Hew Campbell - Axiom Law
Director of the Year - Non-Executive - sponsored by Deloitte
Jim Henry CBE – Henry Brothers Ltd
Carmel McKinney OBE – Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service
Mary McKenna MBE – Elemental Software
Director of the Year – Innovation - sponsored by PGR
Rich Dale - Flowlens
Denis Lynn - Lynn's Country Foods
Cara Macklin - Macklin Care Homes
Roger McCracken - Foods Connected Ltd
Director of the Year – Public Sector - sponsored by Capita Managed IT Solutions
Anne Donaghy – Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
Stephen Gillespie – Derry City and Strabane District Council
Heather McKee – South Eastern Regional College
Director of the Year – Third Sector - sponsored by Capita Managed IT Solutions
Bill Atkinson – USEL
Cara Cash – Nexus NI
Additional awards to be distributed at the ceremony include Director of the Year - Young Enterprise NI – sponsored by Concentrix, and the Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Director and Board Practice – sponsored by 4c Executive Search.