IoD NI launches annual search for Directors of the Year

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has begun its annual search for Northern Ireland’s leading directors with the launch of the Director of the Year awards.

Now in its thirteenth year, the awards celebrate the achievements and leadership of directors across a range of industries and will once again be held in partnership with AIB.

Leaders from the public, private and third sectors will be recognised across 12 different categories including Family Business Director of the Year, Young Director of the Year and the esteemed Chair’s Award in Excellence in Director and Board Practice. This year’s awards will also honour those who have made achievements in areas such as innovation, international, and equality, diversity, and inclusion.

At the ceremony, judges will present a special accolade to an individual leader who has made an exceptional contribution to the NI business world. In 2022, this honour was received by Chair of NIE Networks, Dame Rotha Johnston.

Looking ahead to the awards, IoD Chair, Gordon Milligan OBE, said it was important to recognise the exceptional talent of directors here: “The IoD Director of the Year awards in association with AIB are all about celebrating the successes and talent of our local business leaders and sharing these achievements with their peers.

“Acknowledging and encouraging sound leadership skills is becoming hugely important to the local business community, especially as leaders look to tackle complex issues such as promoting diversity or tackling climate change. By profiling those individuals already making strides in these areas, we hope this will cause a ripple effect and showcase best practice models which others can learn from.

“We know from previous years business leaders in Northern Ireland are working hard to maintain the highest standards of corporate governance and I am confident therefore that we will see another exceptional group of winners.

“Thanks must be paid to all of our sponsors, particularly those at AIB, for supporting us with the awards this year and helping us deliver what promises to be a great event in the local business calendar.”

Seamus McGuckin, Head of Business Banking NI from title sponsor AIB said “We are delighted to be the title sponsor of the IoD NI Director of the Year Awards once again. The partnership demonstrates our own commitment to supporting the next generation of business leaders and developing this talent in Northern Ireland and beyond.

“The awards are a great opportunity for us to showcase our own business leaders across a wide range of areas and sectors and we are really looking forward to working in collaboration with the team at the IoD to deliver a great event.”

Previous winners include leaders from many of NI’s most reputable and recognizable companies including Moy Park, Spirt AeroSystems and PwC.

The full list of categories are:

  1. Family Business – sponsored by BDO Northern Ireland
  2. Large Business (15M +) – sponsored by ABL Group
  3. SME (up to 15M) – sponsored by Ulster University Business School
  4. Non-Executive Director – sponsored by Deloitte
  5. Equality, Diversity & Inclusion – sponsored by Tughans
  6. Innovation – sponsored by KPMG
  7. Public & Third Sector – sponsored by EY
  8. International – sponsored by Invest Northern Ireland
  9. Young  – sponsored by nijobfinder.com
  10. Philanthropist of the Year – sponsored by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland
  11.  Chair’s Award for Excellence in Director and Board Practice – sponsored by AIB

Enter here: http://tinyurl.com/mve6knbt
Nominate Here:  http://tinyurl.com/32etmmc8

All entries must be received before midnight on October 27th.

The winners will be announced at a lunchtime ceremony in Belfast’s Merchant Hotel on December 8th.

Better directors for a better world

The IoD supports directors and business leaders across the UK and beyond to learn, network and build successful, responsible businesses.
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