Diaceutics and its founder Peter Keeling, along with Weev co-founder Thomas O’Hagan, were among the major winners as Belfast Chamber celebrated the city’s business success stories at its prestigious Belfast Business Awards.
Hosted by Belfast Chamber in partnership with Bank of Ireland, the Belfast Business Awards recognise the exceptional achievements and contributions of Belfast companies across a range of sectors to the city’s vibrant economy.
Diaceutics, a pharmaceutical technology and solutions provider, was named Best Company To Work For at Friday night’s ceremony at Titanic Belfast, with Peter Keeling, the company founder who stepped down as CEO earlier this year, winning the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Thomas O’Hagan, chief commercial officer of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure firm Weev, won the Business Leader of the Year accolade while Artemis Technologies claimed the Business Innovation Award.
Other notable winners included Rebecca Jama of HireIQ (Employee of the Year), McAdam Design (Excellence in Contribution to the Community), Macklin Group (Family Business of the Year), McConnell’s Distillery (Best New Business) and Arup (Green Champion).
The evening also celebrated emerging talent, with the Young Business Person Award going to Matthew Nesbitt from HALO, while a special moment on the night saw the Spirit of Belfast Award presented to Gerry Blain.
Gavin Annon, Belfast Chamber President, commented:
“These awards, now in their ninth year, are testament to the resilience, innovation and dedication of Belfast’s business community. It is inspiring to see how businesses have overcome challenges and contributed to the city’s growth.
“This year’s awards ceremony featured a diverse range of nominees, showcasing the depth and breadth of the talent in Belfast.
“On behalf of Belfast Chamber, I would like to extend our congratulations to all of the nominees and winners. Their success is reflective of the thriving business community in our city, and we look forward to seeing them continue to grow.”
Paul McClurg, Head of Belfast Business Banking at Bank of Ireland, said:
“We are proud to partner with Belfast Chamber for the Belfast Business Awards. At Bank of Ireland, we believe in the power of community and innovation, and we are committed to supporting businesses as they navigate their journeys and contribute to a prosperous city.”
The full list of winners and highly commended companies and individuals in the Belfast Business Awards is below:
Award Category | Winner | Highly Commended |
Best Company to Work For | Diaceutics | FinTrU and NI Water
|
Best Digital Business | MXB Agency | Horrible Brands |
Best New Business | McConnell’s Distillery | |
Business Innovation | Artemis Technologies | Inclutech |
Business Leader of the Year | Thomas O’Hagan | |
Business Premises of the Year | Aflac Northern Ireland | Custom House Managed Offices |
Business Success | LumenStream | |
Creative Business | Bauer Media Audio NI | Horrible Brands |
Customer Service Excellence | Fratelli Belfast | |
Communication Excellence | Lyric Belfast’s ’Agreement’ by Owen McCafferty | Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke Vaping Awareness Campaign |
Diversity and Inclusion | Musgrave NI | FinTrU |
Employee of the Year | Rebecca Jama | HireIQ | Rachael Hewitt -Diaceutics |
Excellence in Contribution to the Community | McAdam Design | OCS in partnership with Prosper Consortium |
Family Business of the Year | Macklin Group | |
Green Champion | Arup | |
International Business | Sensoteq | |
Social Enterprise | GLL/Better | NOW Group |
Team of the Year | Selective Travel Management | ICC Belfast | Waterfront Hall | Ulster Hall |
Technology Business | FinTrU | Analytics Engines |
Young Business Person (Under 35) | Matthew Nesbitt | HALO | Jack Duddy | HireIQ |
Best Restaurant | 2 Taps Winebar | Cyprus Avenue |
Best Coffee Shop | Bob & Berts | |
Lifetime Achievement | Peter Keeling | |
Spirit of Belfast | Gerry Blain |
ENDS