Written by Beth Gormley, Communications & PR Manager UCD College of Business

L-R: Anthony Brabazon, Dean of UCD College of Business, Gavin Kelly, Chief Executive of Corporate & Markets, Bank of Ireland, Donal O'Donovan, Business Editor, Irish Independent at Independent News & Media, and Breege O’Donoghue (Chairperson BJA Panel of Judges), Primark Brand Ambassador, Chairperson of Real World Analytics, and Non-Executive Director of Shaw & Sons Ltd.

Monday, 21 August 2023: In its 16^th year, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School will shine a light on the critical role that business journalists play in helping society understand complex business issues with the Business Journalist Awards launched today.

The Awards are sponsored by Bank of Ireland and run in association with the Business Journalist Association of Ireland to celebrate excellence in Irish business journalism across print, online and broadcast media.

Entries to the awards can be submitted by nominees themselves, editors or peers via smurfitschool.ie/bja by Wednesday, 6 September 2023.

The winning entry of each category will be honoured at an awards ceremony in December and receive a €1,000 prize. There are seven categories in this year’s awards:

• Business News Story of the Year
• Business Podcast / Audio Story of the Year
• Business Feature of the Year
• Business Analyst of the Year
• Business Interview of the Year
• Women in Business Journalism Award
• Upcoming Journalist of the Year

In addition to these entry-based categories, the judging panel may also award an Outstanding Achievement Award.

Speaking at the launch, Gavin Kelly, Chief Executive of Corporate and Markets, Bank of Ireland said: “The UCD Smurfit School Business Journalist Awards recognise the vital role that journalism plays in fostering an informed society and business community. At the heart of this is a community of outstanding business journalists whose objectivity, insights and analysis highlight the critical issues within our economy. We are proud to once again partner with the awards to celebrate excellence in business journalism, and we look forward to honouring some exceptional contributions.”

Professor Gerardine Doyle, Director of UCD Smurfit School and Associate Dean of UCD College of Business said: “As Ireland’s leading, global business school, an important part of our vision is to be a vibrant nexus of connectivity, flow, and exchange of knowledge and ideas that bring together business students, academics and corporate stakeholders from around the globe. The Business Journalist Awards extend this vision, as we recognise the importance that business journalism plays in interpreting and independently reporting important issues that impact business and society.”

Each entry is examined by an independent panel of judges, composed of academic, journalistic and business leaders. The 2023 judging panel includes:

• Breege O’Donoghue (Chairperson), Primark Brand Ambassador; Chairperson of Real World Analytics, Non-Executive Director of Shaw & Sons Ltd.;
• Leah Boersig, Head of Fraud Operations, Europe at Square, UCD Smurfit School Executive MBA Alumna 2023;
• Associate Professor Julie Byrne, Associate Professor of Banking and Finance, Incoming Programme Director of MSc in Finance at UCD College of Business;
• Professor John Cotter, Professor of Banking and Finance, Chair in Quantitative Finance at UCD College of Business;
• Leon Diop, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Black & Irish, Board member at Childhood Development Initiative (CDI) and South Dublin County Partnership (SDCP);
• Professor Patrick Gibbons, Jefferson Smurfit Professor of Strategic Management at UCD College of Business;
• Tony Golden, Former Chairman Citibank Ireland - Banking / Capital Markets and Advisory;
• Audrey Healy, Head of Marketing and Communications, Director of Alumni Relations at UCD College of Business;
• Conor Keane, Senior Consultant at Heneghan, Former Business Editor at Irish Examiner, Journalist and Documentary Maker;
• Jane O’Sullivan, Digital Content Creator, Editor and Former Business Journalist;
• Noirin O’Sullivan, Former Irish Garda Commissioner, Director of Strategic Partnerships for Europe at the International Association of Chiefs of Police;
• Emmet Oliver, Former Business Editor, UCD Quinn School Lecturer and Broadcaster;
• Anton Savage, Radio and Television Presenter and Founding Director of the Communications Clinic.

Winners from 2022 included:

• Peter O'Dwyer and Lorcan Allen, Business Post
• Adam Maguire, RTÉ News
• Maria Delaney (Noteworthy) and Ian Curran (The Journal)
• Sean Pollock, Sunday Independent
• Niall Sargent (Noteworthy); Rory Winters, Luke Butterly & Tommy Greene (The Detail); and Ella McSweeney (The Guardian), Noteworthy / Journal Media
• Fearghal O'Connor, Sunday Independent / Mediahuis Ireland
• Elaine Burke, Silicon Republic
• Cáit Caden, Irish Examiner

-ENDS-