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:
“Business and enterprise play a vital role in the growth of the economy and we are proud to support the Belfast Chamber Business Awards which shine a light on the excellence, ambition and imagination of Belfast businesses.
At Bank of Ireland we have been supporting customers in Belfast and beyond for almost 200 years, and we remain fully committed to providing the right products, services and supports to enable our customers to meet their financial ambitions and thrive.
“It’s a fantastic achievement to have been shortlisted for these competitive awards, and huge congratulations to each of this evening’s inspiring and deserving winners.”
