The contenders for the 2024 EY Entrepreneur of the Year (EoY) awards have been unveiled. Appearing on this prestigious list are individuals from 24 different firms who will battle it out in a rigorous contest lasting ten months.
The range of industries from whence the finalists hail includes the pharmaceutical, energy, and consumer goods sectors. They span the breadth of the island, attesting to the diverse business landscape present there. EY noted that these finalists, collectively, boast annual revenues exceeding €700 million, and provide employment to over 4,000 people.
In November, there will be a climactic conclusion at a glamorous awards ceremony where the absolute victor from the three categories – emerging, established, and international – will be declared the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2024.
The competition will also recognise the finalist that has made the most significant strides towards environmental sustainability by awarding them a sustainability prize.
The emerging category includes Kasper Weber Anderson and Liam McMahon from Beyond Creative, Séamus Tighe from Ecoplex Energy Solutions, Sharon Cunningham and Orlaith Ryan from Shorla Oncology, amongst others.
Meanwhile, the established category sees the likes of Duncan O’Toole from Captured Carbon, Hugh Cormican from Cirdan Imaging Ltd, Pádraic O’Kane from Corporate.ie and more vying for the title.
The international category features Rosaleen Hyde and Maxine Hyde from Ballymaloe Foods, David Maguire from BNRG Renewables, Kenneth Fox from Channel Mechanics, amongst other talented individuals.
Roger Wallace, a leading partner at EY for the EoY programme, has announced that this year the awards saw an unprecedented level of interest, with the highest number of nominations to date. The finalists were selected from a diverse pool of candidates, each competing at the forefront of their respective sectors. As pioneers in their fields, these leaders display the audacity and drive required to break traditional barriers and constraints.
Every finalist is venturing into novel territories and harnessing emerging technologies to address issues and discover groundbreaking solutions. Their efforts are not only reshaping their respective sectors but are also opening up possibilities for their local communities, throughout Ireland and beyond.
Moreover, throughout this year, these contenders will participate in a 10-month intensive growth strategy programme. This includes a one week stay at a CEO retreat located in Cape Town, South Africa. In this retreat, they will join more than a hundred previous finalists and victors of the programme. This network will allow them to interact with a myriad of entrepreneurs, business professionals, and academicians.
The champion of the competition will then go on to represent Ireland in the 2025 edition of the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards.