Fresh food products firm Avondale Foods, auction group founder Ian Wilson and Maxol Chief Executive Brian Donaldson were among the big individual and company winners honoured at the AIB Business Eye Awards 2025, held at ICC Belfast last night (Thursday, 20th November).
More than 650 business guests attended Northern Ireland’s leading business awards, now in their 19th year.
Ian Wilson, who took over his father’s tractor auction business in the 1970’s and went on to build the UK & Ireland largest independently owned auction group, Wilsons Auctions, received the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Brian Donaldson, who has led Maxol’s transformation from fuel business to leading retail group, was recognised as this year’s Business Personality of the Year.
Lurgan-based Avondale Foods, which develops and manufactures a wide range of fresh products for leading retailers across the UK and Ireland, was named 2025 Company of the Year.
This year’s Family Business of the Year title went to Brett Martin, a major exporter of plastic construction products operating internationally from its base in Mallusk.
Lidl Northern Ireland was named as Employer of the Year, while another major retail group, Musgrave Northern Ireland, claims two awards on the night. Musgrave took the CSR Award in addition to the Diversity & Inclusion Award.
Manufacturer of the Year was Ballymena-based Wrightbus while accountants Sumer NI lifted the award for Professional Services Firm of the Year. In total, awards were presented across 20 different categories.
“If these awards are a barometer of the local economy and business performance, then we’re in a better plan than some seem to think,” said Business Eye’s Richard Buckley. “We had a record entry, some of the best quality entries we’ve ever had, and the audience at the event was larger than it has been since well before the pandemic.
“Business here always faces headwinds, and next week’s Budget could add to the burden that local businesses face. But the AIB Business Eye Awards are a night for celebration of business success. And there is plenty of that around Northern Ireland. The winners we’ve honoured at the awards reflect the very best of business achievement here in Northern Ireland.”
View the pictures from the event here: https://www.businesseyeawards.co.uk/awards-2025/