24 leading business figures shortlisted for entrepreneur award

TWENTY FOUR leading business people in Ireland have been shortlisted for this year’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

The nominees have been chosen across three categories – international, industry and emerging. Nominees include Cathal Gaffney of well-known Dublin animation company Brown Bag Films and Hugh O’Donnell of listed engineering contractor Kentz.

The shortlist includes two businessmen from Northern Ireland – Tyrone-based Tony Convery of manufacturing group CDE and Philip Morrow of Antrim-based food distributor PRM Group.

It also includes London-based fashion designer Orla Kiely.

The candidates were selected by a 12-strong panel of judges, chaired by telecoms entrepreneur Denis O’Brien, who won the award in 1998. More than 110 entries were received from across the island.

The 24 entrepreneurs will be offered the opportunity to participate in the awards’ annual CEO Retreat, which this year involves a trade mission to Brazil.

This will involve strategy sessions and meetings with Brazilian entrepreneurs, business leaders, and government and public authorities. The trip is organised with the support of Enterprise Ireland, InterTradeIreland and Invest Northern Ireland.

“The underlying vibrancy of the emerging Brazilian marketplace makes it the ideal catalyst where the challenge of replicating your business model in an emerging market can be realised,” said Enda Kelly, the Ernst Young partner in charge of the programme.

The Entrepreneur of the Year award was won in 2008 by John Flaherty, founder and chief executive of CF Group. He will represent Ireland at the World Entrepreneur of the Year awards in Monte Carlo this month. Profiles of the finalists will appear in The Irish Timesover the next six weeks, beginning with the international category on May 25th.