Nominee: Xavier McAuliffe Spectra Group

XAVIER McAULIFFE is owner and managing director of Spectra Group, one of Ireland's largest privately owned companies.

Established in the early 1970s in Xavier's home town of Listowel, Co Kerry, for the first decade he concentrated his efforts on expanding his photographic developing and printing business. A photographer by profession, Xavier began to process film commercially, building his business and the Spectra Photo brand on the principal that a high-quality, competitively priced, overnight product should be readily available through various retail outlets in all corners of the country. His revolutionary introduction of colour printing to Ireland was a huge success and by the early 1980s, the company had expanded into photographic retailing as well as processing.

By the early 1990s, he expanded his business interests to expand the leisure and property development branches of Spectra Group. The group first purchased the Dingle Skellig Hotel in Co Kerry. Over the next five years, the hotel was renovated and expanded into one of the finest hotels in the country. Since then, Xavier has completed a number of other major developments in Ireland and overseas. Today, Spectra Group has an annual turnover of €62 million and employs in excess of 650 staff.

Product/service:

Since the mid-1990s, Spectra's progressive policies on digital technology investment have seen its business continue to grow in this arena. For the past decade, the company has also been responsible for the successful distribution of all Kodak consumer imaging products in Ireland.

The Spectra Group's property arm extends to Lindridge Park, a mansion house and estate in Devon, and the development of 40 luxury houses on the estate; the four-star Kilkenny River Court Hotel; and the five-star Lyrath Estate Hotel Spa and Conference Centre in Kilkenny. In 2000, he set up a property company and began building high-quality domestic houses at well-appointed and lucrative sites in Cork, Kerry and Kilkenny. The Spectra Group also has an impressive African portfolio, comprising hotels and luxury home developments. A new 23-storey construction on the riveria of the Cape in South Africa will be completed by November this year, which will incorporate 110 apartments and 26 office/retail units.

Customers:

The Spectra Group serves a broad domestic and international customer base.

Which personal attributes do you think have contributed most to your success?

I believe the greatest attribute to my success is my willingness to work hard for as long as it takes. This, coupled with my dogged determination and fearlessness, carries me through each venture and onto the next. I believe that my employees are my greatest asset and that recognising and rewarding capable, hard-working personnel has contributed hugely to my success.

Express the biggest challenge you see your industry facing?

The greatest challenge being faced in the photo industry worldwide is the rapid and constant change in digital technology. As a company, we continue to evolve in anticipation of these changes. In relation to the leisure industry, I believe that maintaining standards of excellence in service and human resources will always be a challenge.

How do you recharge your batteries?

I enjoy walking with my dogs. I have been interested in flying and aviation for over 30 years and fly as much as possible. I also enjoy a good glass of red wine.