'The Lagan footprint is deeply rooted across this wonderful city’

The 2022 Belfast Chamber Business Awards Lifetime Achievement Award has been won by construction entrepreneur Kevin Lagan.

Mr Lagan is the founder of Lagan Investments. He started working for the family construction business in the 1960s helping to build it into a hugely successful enterprise before selling the business to Breedon plc in 2018. Mr Lagan has also served on the board of UTV, Belfast International Airport and Belfast Harbour Commissioners.

Attended by over 600 of Belfast’s business leaders in the Crowne Plaza hotel, Mr Lagan told the Awards: “On behalf of my late father, who started the business in the early 60s, and my sons who now work alongside me and our loyal and hardworking employees, past and present, I thank Belfast Chamber and Bank of Ireland most sincerely for this honour.

“I am not one to seek out awards nor am I in the habit of delivering lengthy speeches – some might say I’m more a man of actions rather than words and that’s the way I like it.

“The Lagan family has been an integral part of the business community in this great city for over 50 years. We are now a third generation family business. I am proud to have been born and raised in this great City and the Lagan family roots are deeply entrenched here - both as employers and as developers.

“Belfast has really risen from the flames of its past and with its many fine buildings, you will find a connection, whether directly or indirectly, to the Lagan name and to our commitment and pride in working in Belfast. From the stone, the bricks or chimney pots, the sand from Lough Neagh, Lagan Cement or our Bitumen in the roads, somehow the Lagan materials and products will be embedded in their structures. The Lagan footprint is deeply rooted across this wonderful city.”

Belfast Chamber president Alana Coyle, added: “Belfast Chamber are pleased to say that our Awards are about rewarding and recognising the best in business in our city. The winners in each of our 22 different categories aren’t just successful businesses creating jobs, generating wealth and expanding into new markets. They are also doing some amazing and remarkable things.

“They’re businesses like the winners of this year’s Business Innovation Award, Re-Vana Therapeutics, who are at the cutting edge of improving treatment of chronic eye diseases and B-Secur – the recipients of the Technology Business of the Year Award – who are world leading in advancing heart health technology. The Business Success Award winners FinTrU are a great example of a Belfast business that just keeps growing and growing, and Sensoteq, who won the International Trade and Export Award, are designing and manufacturing wireless sensors for remote machine health monitoring and selling them all over the globe.

“As the voice of business in Belfast, we are proud of the businesses and leaders who combine to make our city’s economy so vibrant, innovative and resilient. We are delighted to have been able to once again work with our principal sponsor Bank of Ireland and our other category sponsors to deliver a hugely successful Business Awards that recognises and regards the best of Belfast business.”