Tony Smurfit named Business Person of the Year
Smurfit WestRock chief executive Tony Smurfit has been named The Irish Times Business Person of the Year for 2024, an award run in association with Bank of Ireland.
In July, Dublin-based Smurfit Kappa, led by Mr Smurfit, formally merged with its US peer WestRock to become the largest packaging group in the world.
Under the terms of the $24 billion (€21.9 billion) deal, Mr Smurfit was chosen to lead the newly merged entity, while Smurfit’s chief financial officer, Ken Bowles, became executive vice-president and group CFO.
Mr Smurfit was unable to attend the event due to prior travel commitments. In a video accepting the award, he thanked his colleagues in the Smurfit WestRock organisation, "who have made me look good, frankly."
“We have 100,000 people across the world, a great executive team, and a great board that supports our ambitions. Our transformation journey—from a small box plant in Rathmines to the largest paper and packaging company in the world, operating in 40 countries—is quite remarkable. The products we create for our myriad of customers continue to evolve."
The award was presented to Mr Smurfit by Taoiseach Micheál Martin at a ceremony in the Round Room of the Mansion House, Dublin, on Thursday night.
Co-founders Sharon Cunningham and Orlaith Ryan established the company in 2014, focusing on rare, orphan, and paediatric cancers. In November, they were also named EY Entrepreneurs of the Year.
The Armada Hotel in Co Clare was awarded Local Business of the Year. The four-star hotel, located at Spanish Point, has been in operation for 55 years.
Led by chief executive John Burke, the hotel withstood the challenges of the Covid-19 lockdowns, bouncing back with strong trading and a €3 million investment in its facilities in 2022, creating 100 new jobs.
Meanwhile, Irish-listed food giant Kerry Group won the Deal of the Year award, for its divestment last year of the group’s dairy processing operations to Kerry Co-op members in a two-stage deal valued at €500 million.
The co-op, which currently owns about 11 per cent of Kerry Group, will sell 15 per cent of its holding to part finance the initial stage of the deal, which would see it take a 70 per cent stake in Kerry Dairy Ireland.
Finally, French restaurateur Patrick Guilbaud received the Distinguished Leader in Business award.
Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud has been a staple of Irish fine dining for more than 40 years, successfully navigating economic downturns, including the 2008 financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic, while maintaining two Michelin stars.
