Northern Ireland’s leading business awards, the annual AIB Business Eye Awards, have been launched for their 17th year at a networking event held at Belfast Waterfront Hall.
Richard Buckley, Editor of Business Eye and Seamus McGuckin, Head of Business Banking NI at AIB, hosted the launch event which was attended by category sponsors and key business guests. Connor Dunlop, from Bathshack, winners of the Homegrown Business of the Year category, also addressed guests.
Recognising the evolving attributes of successful businesses in Northern Ireland, three new categories have been added to this year’s line-up. They are Northern Ireland’s Employee of the Year, the Commercial Development project of the Year & the Construction & Propoerty Company of the Year.
Headline awards once again include the coveted Company of the Year, Business Personality of the Year and Lifetime Achievement awards. With a wide range of categories, the AIB Business Eye Awards recognise qualities and success across different specialist categories and sectors.
“We work very hard each year to fine tune and improve these awards and to maintain their reputation as the very best awards of their kind in Northern Ireland,” says Brenda Buckley of Business Eye. “2022 produced a record number of entries, and really high-quality entries. Despite all of the challenges facing business here, we’re confident that the bar can be raised once again this year.”
AIB, a key supporter of the Northern Ireland business community, is a long-standing partner of Business Eye and its award programmes. Speaking at the launch, Brian Gillan, Head of Retail & NI at AIB said;
“The AIB Business Eye Awards are a fantastic showcase of the innovation, creativity, and determination at the heart of Northern Ireland’s business community. Every year the awards adapt and grow to recognise how companies here are evolving to overcome challenges and grasp new opportunities. This year is no exception and we’re proud to unveil additional sector awards marking the recovery and growth of tourism, hospitality, construction, and property development. Together with Business Eye, we look forward to shining a light on leading local firms and encourage companies from across the region and industries to enter.”
Last year’s awards showcased an impressive array of winners at a memorable awards night held at the ICC Belfast venue in front of a 650-strong audience. Belfast & Derry/Londonderry based FinTrU, one of the leaders in the dynamic fintech sector in Northern Ireland, lifted the coveted Company of the Year award, while Judith Totten, the founder of Upstream Finance, was named Business Personality of the Year.
Other key winners included Almac Group as Manufacturer of the Year’, SDG as Small Business of The Year and top law firm MKB Law as the Professional Services Firm of the Year.
The closing date for entries to the 2023 AIB Business Eye Awards applications is Friday 27th October, with the judging panel due to meet shortly afterwards. The gala awards night will be staged at the ICC Belfast on Thursday 30th November 2023.