BUSINESS behemoths First Derivatives and FinTrU were both dual winners at one of the north's biggest corporate bashes, where MJM's Brian McConville claimed the night's top individual prize.
But it was a lesser known family-run Armagh firm which canned the opposition and shared in the limelight at the 14th running of the Business Eye Awards at ICC Belfast, sponsored by AIB.
Davison Canners, established in 1978 and based on a 120-acre fruit farm in Summerisland, operates in the areas of food manufacturing, fruit growing and warehousing.
Although its roots are in apple growing and processing, the business has branched into a number of different areas, with its product range extending to include fruit compotes, fillings, jams, curds, sauces, syrups, processed apple products and a range of desserts.
It has increased its staffing levels from just 14 in 2017 to more than 100 today, and it won the medium/mid-sized business of the year award, as well as the category for agri-food innovation. Davison was also highly-commended in the family business of the year category.
Newry fintech giant First Derivatives won the technology category and also claimed the prestigious company of the year accolade, and in an emotive aside, a special ‘contribution to business’ award was also presented to Kathy Kearns, sister of its founder Brian Conlon.
Brian founded the firm in 1996 and built it into a billion-pound publicly-listed corporation employing 2,400 people worldwide, but died in July following a short battle with cancer.
The Business Eye Awards, presided over by broadcaster Marc Mallet, were presented at a glittering ceremony in front of a 750-strong audience.
Companies and business leaders were honoured across 19 different categories, rewarding growth, innovation, commitment to CSR, the environment and people development.
Brian McConville was chosen by the judging panel for steering the rapid growth of the MJM Group, a global leader in the marine fit-out industry, as well as for his successful acquisition of Antrim-based Mivan.
Downpatrick specialist guitar makers Lowden Guitars, which supplies instruments to Ed Sheeran, Gary Lightbody and Eric Clapton among others, took the family business of the year award, while Lisburn-based Creative Composites was named manufacturer of the year.
Accountancy firm Harbinson Mulholland was named professional services firm of the year while the hotly contested young business personality of the year gong went to Gareth Deering from Denroy Plastics in Bangor.
Adrian Moynihan, head of AIB NI, said: “We're incredibly proud to be associated with these awards, which showcase and celebrate business success. In doing so, the awards encourage more organisations and business owners to prioritise development, growth and innovation.
“We also used the occasion to showcase and celebrate our own transformation as we launch our rebrand from First Trust Bank to AIB. We are excited about the benefits the change can help deliver for our customers, our communities, our stakeholders and the wider Northern Ireland economy.”
Richard Buckley, editor of Business Eye, added: “Against a challenging political and economic backdrop, it’s really important for business success that both companies and individuals can be recognised in this way. We had an incredibly high-quality entry in 2019 and that entry illustrates the strength of the local business sector.”
