Business leaders aim for three in a row at IoD Director of the Year awards

The overall winner at the prestigious event has hailed from Northern Ireland for each of the last two years, with Brendan McGurgan of CDE Global being named UK Director of the Year in 2016.

Finalists at the event, which seeks to recognise excellence across all sectors in the economy, are drawn from the best winners of regional IoD awards, including the IoD NI First Trust Bank Director of the Year Awards.

Nominees this year include Moy Park Chief Executive Janet McCollum, who is shortlisted in the Large Company Director of the Year category.

Meanwhile, there are two Northern Ireland finalists in, the Public and Third Sector category: Suzanne Wylie of Belfast City Council and Declan Cunnane of NI Chest Heart & Stroke.

The overall winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Lancaster Hotel in London on 22nd September.

“Directors from Northern Ireland have enjoyed huge success at the national IoD Director of the Year Awards over recent years, producing the overall winner for the past two years in succession including Simon Hunter of Hunter Apparel in 2015,” said IoD NI Director Kirsty McManus.

“It is often said that we punch above our weight locally in terms of making an impact on a national and even global scale, and this event is testament to that.

“For the Northern Ireland economy to thrive, it needs a strong mix of large multi-national companies and successful indigenous firms.

“It is heartening therefore to see the high calibre of talent among local business leaders which is being recognised by a wider audience.”