Sir Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs at Meta and former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has been announced as the recipient of the Sutherland Leadership Award at the 50th Business & Finance Awards ceremony.
The event will take place on 5th December 2024 at the Convention Centre in Dublin, where Sir Nick Clegg will be honoured among 1,000 international business, political, and social leaders.
Sir Nick Clegg’s recognition forms part of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Business & Finance as a brand. Business & Finance has been a cornerstone of c-suite engagement and trusted business information since its inception in 1964. In addition, the Business & Finance Awards programme, launched in 1974, has hosted and recognised some of the most outstanding business, political and social leaders of our time, including President Clinton, Kofi Annan, Mary Robinson and Sir John Major among others.
The Sutherland Leadership Award was established in 2018 with the support of the Sutherland family to recognise outstanding international leaders who embody the values of one of Ireland’s and Europe’s finest leaders, Peter Sutherland.
Previous honourees include Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, former Vice Chancellor of Oxford University and President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York Dame Louise Richardson, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, former US Secretary of the Treasury Henry (Hank) Paulson, former European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, and former European Central Bank President and Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi.
Sir Nick Clegg is noted for his leadership across both public and private sectors. He began his career in journalism and at the European Commission. In 1998, he was selected by the Liberal Democrat party to be its candidate for the European Parliament in the East Midlands constituency, a seat he held until 2004. In 2005, he was elected Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam and became leader of the Liberal Democrats in 2007. He served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2015 when the Liberal Democrats formed a coalition government with the Conservative Party. He is currently President of Global Affairs at Meta.
Announcing Sir Nick Clegg’s receipt of this honour, Ian Hyland, President and Publisher of Business & Finance, said: “Sir Nick Clegg has exemplified a rare blend of leadership in both the public and private sectors. His commitment to public service, globalism, and connecting people through equity of access and opportunity can be seen in both his public and private roles. His experience and achievements very much embody the values that the Sutherland Leadership Award celebrates. We are honoured to recognise his contributions at this milestone event for Business & Finance.”
In addition to recognising Sir Nick Clegg, this year’s ceremony will honour the legacy of Sir Tony O’Reilly with the TK Whitaker Award for his substantial contributions to Irish business and public life. Willie Mullins, the champion horse trainer, will also be celebrated with the Outstanding Contribution to Ireland Award, highlighting the vital impact of the horse racing and equine sector on Ireland.