Siobhán Talbot named ‘Irish Times’ Business Person of the Year

Glanbia chief executive Siobhán Talbot has been named The Irish Times Business Person of the Year for 2018 at an awards ceremony held in Dublin's Mansion House on Wednesday.

Ms Talbot was one of a number of winners at the 2018 Irish Times Business Awards, in association with KPMG, clinching the top award for her efforts in overseeing a deal to spin off Glanbia's Irish dairy and agribusiness operation into a joint venture called Glanbia Ireland.

The company’s main shareholder, Glanbia Co-operative Society, is the majority owner of this new entity.

The deal is seen as a major achievement as a previous attempt to sell the business to the co-op was unsuccessful in 2010.

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Glanbia was formed out of the 1997 merger of the Republic's two largest dairy co-operatives, Avonmore Foods and Waterford Foods. It concentrates on its higher-margin nutrition business, which makes and sells protein shakes and bars, and its Glanbia Nutritionals US cheddar cheese and value-added protein ingredients division.

Mr Talbot won the inaugural Irish Times business person of the month award in May last year.

Other awards being distributed at the ceremony include chief financial officer of the year, deal of the year, company of the year and distinguished leader in business for 2018.

Irish Times managing director Liam Kavanagh paid tribute to the award winners.

“I would like to warmly congratulate Siobhán Talbot on becoming the inaugural winner of The Irish Times Business Person of the Year Award. It’s richly deserved.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the calibre, diversity and record of success of the other award winners as well as the individuals and companies who were nominated in the different categories.”

“I would like to thank KPMG, our partners in this initiative, the chairwoman of the judging panel Cathriona Hallahan, managing director of Microsoft Ireland and her fellow judges, as well as the broader business community for all their support in making these awards such a success.”

Shaun Murphy, managing partner, KPMG in Ireland said the award recipients would act as role models for Irish enterprise.

“One of the most satisfying and enjoyable elements of being an adviser to business in Ireland is seeing first hand the issues which motivate Irish business leaders and drive them to succeed across a range of companies and sectors. Ireland has so many exceptional business people. These awards celebrate those exceptional people.”