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Category: Beauty / Irish Fashion and Accessories Designer
Deirdre Devaney is an experienced retail executive and is currently the Global Head of Beauty for Aer Rianta International and has responsibility for setting the strategic direction of the beauty offer in its 15 locations throughout the world.
Deirdre launched her retail career in Harrods holding senior roles on both the management and buying teams. On returning to Ireland Deirdre joined Brown Thomas as a Senior Fashion Buyer tasked with establishing it as Irelands leading Luxury Store.
Having enjoyed great success at Brown Thomas in 2008 Deirdre joined Arnotts as Fashion and Beauty Director and was tasked with re-inventing the offer in the store and was responsible for altering the Arnott’s range of products.
Deirdre is a member of the Institute of Directors and serves as a Non-Executive Director.
Category: Beauty / Irish Fashion and Accessories Designer
Richard Miley is Marketing Communications Lead at An Post. A passionate marketeer with extensive experience and industry knowledge, Richard leads the marketing function across the Mails and Parcels division. His journey within An Post has taken the brand and commercial results to new heights, supporting the business transformation from a letter focused operation to a thriving eCommerce logistics partner.
He has lead award-winning campaigns including An Post’s ‘Tin Man’ Send Love at Christmas; Digital Stamp, Covid ‘Send Love’ activations and the Advantage Card, which has delivered €10 million in discounted postage to SMEs.
Category: Beauty / Irish Fashion and Accessories Designer
Eddie Shanahan is Chair of the Council of Irish Fashion Designers. The CIFD is a Founder Member of the European Fashion Alliance that seeks to create a sustainable eco system for the European fashion sector.
He established the CREATE project with Brown Thomas that showcases Irish design at Ireland’s premier luxury store on an annual basis.
In his private consultancy practice Eddie specialises in business and product development for the fashion, craft and retail sectors.
He is a regular commentator on business and lifestyle issues in print and broadcast media.
Category: Retail
Shane joined Center Parcs in November 2018 and currently sits on the Senior Leadership Team as Human Resources Manager. He leads the core HR function within Center Parcs, which also includes the Resourcing and Retention team as well as the Village Medical and First Aid Center.
Shane has over 16 years of dedicated HR experience with past roles in both the Retail and Construction industries, where he has operated at both operational and strategic level.
He is extremely passionate about people, business focused and committed to driving high standards of excellence.
Category: Retail
Monica O’Byrne is a dedicated hospitality industry professional with over 20 years’ experience in the Meetings, Incentive, Conference and Events markets. She is Head of Commercial at Seasons Guinness Storehouse.
Previous roles have included Director of Sales & Marketing at Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, Fitzpatrick Hotel Group, Brennan Hotels, Past Chair of Kilkenny Tourism and Director of Sales & Marketing at Carton House Resort.
Monica has also worked hard to create sustainable alliances across the venues sector, to collaborate and win business for Ireland.
Category: Home and Lifestyle / Guaranteed Irish Gift Champion
Gina is the Owner and Managing Director of EG Quest Ltd. She is dedicated to working hard while enjoying the journey.
A mother of two with seventeen years of experience in the business, specialising in personalised gifts for customers in Ireland and abroad. Passionate about bringing customers’ visions to life.
Category: Professional Services / Business Support Solutions
Patrick has over 25 years’ experience across the banking industry. Patrick joined the Bank in December 2018 as Retail Banking Director and progressed to becoming Chief Retail Banking Officer.
Patrick has previously held senior management roles in Strategy, Product and Proposition Development, Marketing, Private Banking and, Retail Sales and Service Distribution. The Retail Banking Division is responsible for all sales and service channels and the Bank’s product management strategy. The Function has multi-channel oversight across sales and service with a focus on improving customer experience, meeting customer needs and wants, enabling income growth and delivery.
Category: Professional Services / Business Support Solutions
John has over 30 years of experience in the Insurance industry. John joined FBD in 1999 and over this time has held a number of senior technical and sales management positions.
As Head of Business Insurance, John is particularly passionate about building on FBD’s 50 year history of providing business customers with great value, tailor made insurance solutions from Ireland’s only homegrown insurer while remaining committed to supporting local communities across the country.
Category: Professional Services / Business Support Solutions
Niall Jones is the Head of Listing for Ireland and the UK at Euronext, bringing over 20 years of experience in financial advisory and the exchange industry. He joined Euronext Dublin in 2019 after serving as Director of Corporate Broking at Davy, and previously held roles in corporate and investment banking at ABN AMRO and Morgan Stanley in London.
At Euronext, Niall manages relationships with listed companies and supports those looking to list on any of Euronext’s seven markets. He also leads IPOready Ireland, a strategic financing program that equips executives in high-growth companies with the skills needed to raise capital and access markets. Niall works closely with the domestic equity capital markets ecosystem, advocating for a robust funding environment that supports innovation and growth throughout the lifecycle of companies.
Category: Family Run Business
Aisling Lee is the Managing Director of Down2Earth Materials, a second generation, family-run business, that has grown to become Ireland’s leading supplier of compostable takeaway food packaging. Established in 1984, Down2Earth Materials helps Irish businesses lead the way in sustainable practices through the company’s commitment to eco-friendly materials and innovative design.
Aisling and the team take immense pride in their roots and in supporting family-run cafés, restaurants, catering services, and other food service providers across Ireland. Their mission is to help these businesses thrive by offering sustainable packaging solutions that align with their values.
We are honoured to sponsor the Family Run Business category at the Guaranteed Irish Business Awards 2025, recognising the vital role family businesses play in shaping Ireland’s economy and communities.
Category: Family Run Business
Colm Storey is an accomplished Sales Manager with over 25 years’ experience in driving revenue growth and fostering client relationships within FMCG. Known for their strategic approach and strong leadership skills, he has successfully led diverse teams to exceed sales targets and enhance customer satisfaction.
Throughout his career, Colm has demonstrated a keen ability to analyse market trends and identify opportunities for expansion. He has a proven track record of implementing effective sales strategies that have helped Keoghs Crisps to become the fastest growing Crisp & Popcorn brand in the market the last number of years.
At Keoghs Crisps, Colm has fostered a collaborative environment that encourages innovative thinking, teamwork and adaptability in an ever-changing marketplace.
Colm holds a Masters in Sales Management and a Degree in Marketing from DTU.
In his free time, Colm enjoys mountain walking and is always on the lookout for new challenges and opportunities to learn.
Category: Family Run Business
Camilla advises on a wide range of Irish and international tax matters including investment and acquisition structuring, expansion, exiting a business, succession planning and inter-generational transfers of wealth.
She also specialises in family business matters and has completed the STEP Advanced Certificate in advising Family Business.
Category: Pharmaceutical and Healthcare
Emma Doherty is a partner in Matheson’s market-leading Corporate and Commercial Department and is also a member of the firm’s International Business Group. She works with many of Ireland’s leading indigenous and multinational companies across a broad range of sectors.
She is a member of the Company Law Review Group, the statutory advisory expert body charged with advising the Minister for Business, Enterprise & Innovation on the review and development of company law in Ireland.
In June 2021, Emma won the Corporate Governance Lawyer of the Year Award at the Women in Business Law Awards Europe 2021.
Category: Pharmaceutical and Healthcare
Gillian Harford is a senior HR Executive who works directly with client organisations focusing on diversity and workplace change.
Sponsored by Matheson LLP she also operates as the Country Executive for the 30% Club, a global campaign supported by Chairs and CEOs driving gender balance on Boards and at cSuite.
Gillian is the former Head of HR Strategy & Planning with AIB where, with a career spanning almost 40 years, she has been responsible for significant people change with particular focus on Culture, Career, Diversity and Agile Work.
Category: Pharmaceutical and Healthcare
Sharon is a visionary leader with a strong focus on customer satisfaction and excellence. Since joining United Drug in 2012, she has applied her strategic insight as Head of Business Development and Secondary Care, consistently identifying business opportunities. With a background in the pharmaceutical industry, Sharon has held various roles across companies, specializing in customer-focused strategies and collaborative leadership.
She holds an MSc in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacology from Trinity College Dublin, a BSc from University College Dublin, and a Marketing Degree from Technical University Dublin. Sharon also serves as Vice President of the Pharmaceutical Managers of Ireland (PMI).
Category: Food Supplier or Producer / Beverage Supplier or Producer
Food Academy Manager at Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland, Carmel leads out the dedicated Food Academy programme in SuperValu which supports the development and growth of 300 small Irish Food & Drinks producers .
Carmel has extensive expertise in retail buying and brand design across chill, frozen and ambient retail categories.
Category: Food Supplier or Producer / Beverage Supplier or Producer
Conor O’Flynn is the Trading Manager for the Beer & Spirits categories in Musgrave Retail Partners developing the range & consumer offer for SuperValu & Centra stores in Ireland.
He is a qualified account with over 17 years of Retail experience in Musgrave across both Finance & Trading departments.
Category: Food Supplier or Producer / Beverage Supplier or Producer
Roann Byrne is a chef, food writer, academic and co-founder of Danu, a company founded in 2023 that focuses on developing technology across the Irish food and drink industry.
Since building her own cake business at 16, she has worked all across Irish food. She pairs her practical food knowledge with forever learning, obtaining two degrees an MA Gastronomy by age 23. Passionate about the possibilities for growth and innovation in Irish food, the unrecognized potential of social enterprises and their engagement with young people and food security. Her engagement in Irish food has been recognized as one of The Irish Time’s ’50 to Watch for 2023′ list, and as a Taste the Atlantic Young Chef Ambassador.
She is on the board of advisors for Chef Network and a judge for Blas na hÉireann.
Category: Food Supplier or Producer / Beverage Supplier or Producer
Mark Keller is an accomplished International Sales & Marketing leader with over 25 years of experience across industries including Dairy Food Ingredients, Luxury Retail, FMCG, and Telecommunications.
He joined the National Dairy Council (NDC) in March 2023 as Director of Strategic Operations and was appointed Interim CEO in December 2023. Mark previously served as Head of Sales & Marketing at Dairygold Food Ingredients, where he built a high-performance team and led brand relaunches.
He has extensive experience in international trade missions and holds a BA in English Literature from Providence College, USA. Mark also supports Guaranteed Irish and Paralympics Ireland.
Category: Technology / E-Commerce
Arlene Kenny is a dynamic marketing and communications leader with over 16 years of B2B and B2C experience spanning the technology, recruitment, and tourism sectors.
She holds a Master’s Degree in Marketing & Management, with a focus on brand storytelling, further highlighting her expertise in crafting compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences.
Currently, Arlene is Group Marketing & Communications Manager at Viatel Technology Group, where she has been instrumental in driving the evolution of the company’s brand alongside its rapid growth and marked success.
Category: Technology / E-Commerce
Senior Manager with 20 years’ experience building up and managing large teams of experienced professionals working across a wide range of disciplines including Product Management, Business Analysis and various Online Marketing specialties. A proven track record of strategising, architecting and delivering innovative large scale technology product offerings, comfortably marrying functional & business requirements with technological solutions.
Category: Construction, Engineering and Manufacturing / GI House Champion
Sinead studied architecture in TUD, has a Professional Diploma in Architectural Practice and gained RIAI conservation accreditation.
Sinead’s range of work has included housing, healthcare, schools, commercial, conservation and urban planning. She has worked for architectural practices in NYC, London and Dublin, as well as in the Professional Technical Unit of the Department of Education and Skills.
She is currently deputy Vice-President of the RIAI and sits on the Education Taskforce and the Board of Directors.
Category: Construction, Engineering and Manufacturing / GI House Champion
Dr Kenny is a Head of Apprenticeship in the School of Mechanical Engineering in TU Dublin.
He commenced his academic career in DIT, Bolton St. in 1996. He also taught in Trinity College Dublin and is currently an external examiner for the school of education PHD candidates.
In sabe, he works with colleagues in the apprenticeship skills area, convenor of the teaching and learning committee, organiser for the apprenticeship research studies and lead researcher for EU Project Green skills pathways-micro-credentials.
Category: Construction Engineering and Manufacturing / GI House Champion
Conor Manning is Operations Director with Pipelife Ireland Solutions Limited which is Ireland’s no. 1 plastic manufacturer of domestic, industrial, and agricultural piping systems for the Irish market.
Conor has over 25 years of experience managing manufacturing operations and has operated at both operational and strategic level.
His strong skills in people management, business acumen, and analytical thinking, paired with extensive operational knowledge, have allowed him to drive both top-line and bottom-line growth, even when faced with challenges such as supply chain disruptions, production line issues, and union negotiations.
He is extremely passionate about people, business focused and committed to driving high standards of excellence as well as building on Pipelife’s 55 years of proud Irish Manufacturing & supporting Irish jobs.
Category: Sustainability Champion
With a BSc (Hons) in Food Science from University College Cork (UCC), Fergus is the Plant Manager, Bakery at ARYZTA Ireland. Fergus is also actively involved with ARYZTA’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) team, focusing on reducing Scope 3 carbon emissions, while ensuring compliance with ISO14001 standards and Origin Green sustainability program.
In 2022, he was one of the industry representatives on CIRCULÉIRE. In 2023, he was proud to sign the EPA Food Waste Charter.
Previous roles were mainly in the Dairy industry, starting in a QA role, but including Environmental (implementing ISO14001 and processing EPA license application) and ultimately Plant Manager roles.
Category: Sustainability Champion
Karen is a Co-Founder of SustainabilityWorks, a consulting firm on a mission to accelerate Ireland’s transition to a sustainable future. She helps organisations develop and communicate sustainability and ESG strategies. Over her 20-year career, Karen has advised multinationals and SMEs from many different sectors across the UK, Ireland, USA and Europe. She loves making the complex world of sustainability simple, so that people feel empowered to take action. Prior to this, Karen worked in London for sustainability consultancies Salterbaxter, Corporate Culture, and the Carbon Trust.
Category: Home and Lifestyle / Guaranteed Irish Gift Champion
Susan studied Interior Architecture at Griffith College Dublin. She was awarded Best Overall Design Project and won the national accolade for Interior Architect of the Year as awarded by the Institute of Designers in Ireland. In the 5 years since Susan founded the studio, she has become a recognisable voice within the Interior Design community in Ireland, UK and Northern Europe. She regularly features in the media, acting as guest Interior editor of RSVP Magazine, as well as contributing The Irish Times, The Sunday Business Post, The Irish Independent and The Sunday Tribune.
Category: Home and Lifestyle / Guaranteed Irish Gift Champion
Seán is the Digital Development Executive at .ie, where he leads efforts to promote digitalisation across the island of Ireland. His work involves engaging with key stakeholders—including businesses, communities, and policy makers—to help them thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Seán is dedicated to advancing the adoption of digital strategies that empower organisations and individuals to maximise their potential and success to thrive online.
With previous experience working at Enterprise Ireland, Seán has gained valuable insights into how Irish companies compete on both the national and international stage. He is passionate about how these businesses present themselves in the online world and is a strong advocate for promoting the unique qualities that make Ireland stand out in the global online marketplace.