By Ellen Buchan, Insight, Content & PR Manager, AMBA & BGA

The AMBA & BGA Excellence Awards 2024 were held on January 19, 2024 in London bringing together leading lights from the global business education community to celebrate excellence and commend achievement among business schools, MBA students and graduates, suppliers, and employers.

The ceremony was attended by more than 200 business school leaders, as well as category finalists, judges and members of the media.

The Postgraduate Leadership Award honours alumni from AMBA & BGA business schools who have been making an impact in the business world following their graduation.

The award recognises the inspirational work of these graduates through their achievements, performance, and recognition.

Lorna Conn is a powerful figure in Irish business. In January 2022, Lorna became CEO of Cpl, Ireland’s largest talent solutions company, with over 13,000 employees, operating in 47 offices across 13 countries. In March 2023, she was appointed to the Executive Committee of Cplʼs parent company – Tokyo listed OUTSOURCING Inc (‘OSIʼ) and is the only serving female.

"It is a real honour to win this award,” said Lorna, a double UCD Business alumna from both UCD Quinn and UCD Smurfit Schools. “It was a privilege to study at UCD Smurfit School and I am so grateful for my time there.”

“I see firsthand the power of a good education and I really do believe it is one of life's great levellers. It was an important part of the route to my roles with Cpl and with OUTSOURCING Inc of which I am very proud. It is wonderful to be recognised with an award like this from my peers and I am incredibly grateful."

Lorna is also Senior Managing Executive Officer of the Overseas Technology Business with regional oversight of UK and Oceania, in addition to her Cpl role. OSI operates in 39 countries worldwide, has 250+ sister companies and employs more than 130,000 people worldwide.

“Lorna is an outstanding business leader who has had global impact in her sector,” said Professor Anthony Brabazon, Dean of the UCD School. “She is also an outstanding role model for our current students. We are immensely proud of her achievements as an alumna of the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business and she is most deserving of this award.”

In addition, UCD Smurfit School and CEMS alumna Marita Sanchez de la Cerda was highly commended in the Start-Up of the Year Award for her company, SAIZ.

Andrew Main Wilson, Chief Executive of the Association of MBAs and Business Graduates Association (AMBA & BGA) said, “On behalf of the AMBA and BGA team, I would like to congratulate the finalists and winners of this year’s Excellence Awards. This year, the competition was stronger than ever. The entries who have made the final shortlist in each category should feel proud of their achievements.”

“Additionally, the students and graduates who have been shortlisted as finalists today have all used their qualifications to achieve a spectrum of impressive results, in terms of the positive impact they have made to business, education and society as a whole. It was thrilling to be able to celebrate the AMBA network’s achievements at this glamorous Gala Dinner - in particular its been amazing to celebrate exceptional innovations and successes in the higher management education industry.”

“I also want to take the opportunity to thank our partners, Kortext, Canvas by Instructure, Cesim Business Simulations, Perlego and BlueSky Education. Their support for our awards – and the business education sector – is greatly appreciated,” concluded Andrew.