Patricia O’Hagan, TUSA CEO has been shortlisted
by Ernst & Young for the Entrepreneur of the Year
award in Ireland
Wednesday, 21st May 2008
ERNST & YOUNG ANNOUNCES 2008 ENTREPRENEUR OF THE
YEAR® SHORTLIST
Twenty-four companies have been shortlisted across three
categories for the coveted 2008 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur
of the Year® award. Over 115 entries were received
and nominees were subsequently interviewed by Ernst &
Young, followed by rigorous assessment by a 12-strong
panel of judges, chaired by telecoms entrepreneur, and
previous recipient of the award, Mr. Denis O’Brien.
Eight companies have been chosen in each of the three
categories – international, industry and emerging,
and cover a cross section of business. An immediate benefit
to each of the finalists is an instant access channel
to over 200 of Ireland’s leading entrepreneurs through
strong networking opportunities the Ernst & Young
Entrepreneur of the Year® Programme provides.
Announcing the shortlist, Enda Kelly, Ernst & Young
Partner-in-Charge of the Programme said “Entrepreneurs
play a vital role in economic development and act as invaluable
role models for a new generation of entrepreneurs. Our
finalists confirm the pattern of previous years of vibrant
entrepreneurship present right across the country. All
display exceptional entrepreneurial vision, and it is
important that we celebrate and recognise their achievement.
Their creativity and risk-taking ability acts as the very
foundation of our economic prosperity”.
The 2008 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year®
programme continues to educate around the strategic value
of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and this year’s
emphasis will be on creating a sustainable environment.
The CEO retreat returns to Haiti in June, where finalists,
along with previous year’s finalists will work with
some of the world’s poorest communities. Here they
will impart their knowledge and expertise, to develop
the sustainable businesses, set up by last year’s
finalists, and, in addition, help create practical solutions
to Haiti’s environmental disadvantages – deforestation,
soil erosion and water pollution.
“Successful entrepreneurs constantly adapt to changes
in the business climate, and now that the age of physical
climate change is upon us, these are the visionaries who
will make global sustainability a reality, added Kelly.
In our part, we will complement the hands-on initiatives
in Haiti through the provision of a series of ground-breaking
presentations on Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility,
led by one of the most prominent figures in the field.
These sessions will highlight the enormous strategic value
of ‘Green Business’, and hopefully encourage
participants to place eco-friendly practice at the core
of business operation”.
The 24 finalists in the 2008 programme will be profiled
in further detail in the Irish Times over the next six
weeks. Each finalist will also feature in a three-part
series to appear on RTE in October. The winner will be
announced at a televised Awards Ceremony on 23rd October,
held at City West Hotel, Dublin. The Ernst & Young
Entrepreneur of the Year® Award is part of a global
recognition programme, to identify, acclaim and support
entrepreneurs.
The programme is currently run in over 40 countries,
across six continents and in 2008 more than 10,000 entrepreneurs
worldwide will be nominated. The Irish programme, now
in its 11th year, has been identified as one of the strongest
worldwide.
The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® is
run in association with The Irish Times, RTE, Enterprise
Ireland, InterTradeIreland, Invest Northern Ireland, Trinity
Business School and Digicel.
