Ulster Bank Launches Business Achievers Award 2007

21st March 2007

The search is on to find the country's top Business Achiever for 2007 as Ulster Bank Invoice Finance and The Irish Independent, have again teamed up to launch this years Business Achievers Award programme.

The annual campaign, also supported by Enterprise Ireland, recognises and rewards the exceptional achievements and success of Irish businesses. The competition is open to all established or emerging indigenous Irish companies across a wide variety of industry sectors including technology, biotechnology, food processing, textiles, waste management, finance, manufacturing and services.

Each month a winning business is shortlisted by the panel of judges, which includes Tom McEnaney, Business Editor, The Irish Independent, Eddie Brown, Managing Director, Ulster Bank Invoice Finance and Pat Maher, Executive Director, Enterprise Ireland. An overall winner from the monthly shortlist is then chosen at a Gala Awards Dinner in December. Companies will be judged on a variety of merits including sales performance, market share growth, company milestones, innovative new products or services and successful achievements by key personnel.

"The award is a great way of acknowledging progress and achievement in Irish industry", says Eddie Brown. "The companies who enter have all worked hard in building a business and overcome the usual difficulties and teething problems along the way. They are providing a service or product to the Irish marketplace and are contributing to the greater good of the economy. It is vital that this contribution is acknowledged."

Each monthly award winner will be profiled in the business pages of the Irish Independent while the overall winner will benefit from a comprehensive prize package including an Executive Education programme at Harvard Business School, €50,000 worth of advertising space in the Irish Independent and 2 years membership of the Institute of Directors in Ireland.

"The judges have found that entrants are raising the bar each year in terms of their impressive successes and achievements. To reflect this, Ulster Bank Invoice Finance and The Irish Independent have significantly improved the range of prizes to provide an award that is very much about business development and entrepreneurship", said Eddie Brown.

"The Irish Independent is delighted to partner with Ulster Bank Invoice Finance and Enterprise Ireland once more in launching the 14th Business Achievers Award. The whole concept of rewarding new and growing Irish companies for their business practice is something that appeals to us and our readers and it is fantastic to be involved in promoting the best of Irish business," said Tom McEnaney.

To nominate your company for the Ulster Bank Invoice Finance and Irish Independent Business Achievers Award pick up an entry form at your local branch or e-mail yvonne.oneill@ulsterbank.com for further details.