What a night!

The IMAGE Businesswoman of the Year Awards 2018 are over for another year, but we’re still reeling from what was such a special night for female changemakers.  Ireland’s top businesswomen donned their finery for our twelfth annual event, in association with Liffey Valley, BMW, Samsung, Boot’s No7, Kuehne + Nagel, Irish Life Health, Cairn Homes and Virgin Business at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road.

With over 400 entries, the competition this year was fiercer than ever, and our judges discussed, debated, and even argued their way through the nominees to settle on an exclusive shortlist. We had eight categories, with over 80 nominees; all inspirational, talented businesswomen and we were so happy to honour this incredible group. But there could only be one winner in each category, and we are so happy to finally reveal the incredible women who won. Congratulations to all our winners and to the wonderful runners-up. These are your IMAGE Businesswomen of the Year…

Related: A defiant, dazzling and gracious evening for Irish women

And the winners are…

Lifetime Achievement Award

Anne Harris, journalist and former editor of the Sunday Independent

Entrepreneur of the Year – Sponsored by No7

Sonia Deasy, Co-founder and CEO, Pestle & Mortar

Runners Up:

• Lorraine Heskin, Owner and Managing Director, Gourmet Food Parlour
• Mairead Mackle, Founder and CEO, Homecare Independent Living Enterprises

Management Professional of the Year – Sponsored by Irish Life Health

Gemma Teeling, Deputy Managing Director, PHD Ireland

Runners Up:

• Lisa Dillon, General Manager, EMEA Digital Sales, Microsoft Ireland
• Dara Deering, Executive Director, Retail Banking, KBC Bank Ireland

Start-up of the Year – Sponsored by Samsung

Jennifer Rock, CEO and Founder, The Skin Nerd Ltd

Runners Up:

• Aimée Madden, CEO and Founder, CliniShift
• Kim O’Sullivan, Director, The Dublin Makeup Academy

Young Businesswoman of the Year – Sponsored by Liffey Valley

Helena Ryan, Director and Co-Founder, WellFest

Runners Up:

• Kate Verling, Managing Director, Mink Hand & Foot Spa
• Lisa Quinlan, Owner/Director, The Rolling Donut and Wildflower Café Ratoath

CEO of the Year – Sponsored by Kuehne + Nagel

Breda Quigley, Managing Director, The Q Café Company

Runners Up:

• Monica Matellano, Director, Eirespan Distribution Limited
• Aisling Keegan, Vice President and General Manager, Dell EMC Ireland

Social Entrepreneur of the Year – Sponsored by Virgin Media Business

Liz Waters, CEO, An Cosán VCC

Runners Up:

• Judith Gilsenan, Head of Fundraising and Marketing , Debra Ireland
• Mary Doherty, President, Down Syndrome Ireland

Digital and Technology Businesswoman of the Year – Sponsored by BMW

Jennifer Taaffe, CEO, iZest Marketing Group

Runners Up:

• Anna O’Hare, Director of Content, Web Summit
• Sheena Bailey, CEO, and Louella Morton, Executive Director, TestReach

Creative Businesswoman of the Year – Sponsored by Cairn Homes

Fiona Heaney, Owner, Founder and Designer, Fee G

Runners Up:

• Zoe Rocha, Executive Producer, LittleRock Pictures
• Niamh de Barra, Creative Director, The Interiors Project

Newstalk Advertising Campaign Award, Sponsored by Newstalk

Sonia Deasy Co-founder and CEO, Pestle & Mortar

Overall Businesswoman of the Year Award

Nora Twomey, Co-founder and Director, Cartoon Saloon