Business

IoD announces finalists for Director of the Year Awards

The IoD award winners be announced at a ceremony at The Merchant Hotel, Belfast on Friday, May 18.
The IoD award winners be announced at a ceremony at The Merchant Hotel, Belfast on Friday, May 18. The IoD award winners be announced at a ceremony at The Merchant Hotel, Belfast on Friday, May 18.

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.