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Indigenous Irish companies, apply now for Deloitte Ireland's Best Managed Companies awards!

Deloitte has launched the 2025 Best Managed Companies Awards (BMC) and is calling for ambitious Irish and Northern Irish companies across all sectors to enter this year’s programme.

Now in its 17th year, the programme celebrates the hard work, innovation, and success of Irish businesses and their management teams. Ireland’s Best Managed Companies network currently comprises 129 companies from a variety of sectors, across the island. These businesses have a combined turnover of €15 billion and provide over 45,000 jobs across a range of sectors – from retail and hospitality to manufacturing and construction.

Speaking at the launch of this year’s programme Brian Murphy, Lead Partner for the Ireland’s Best Managed Companies Awards Programme at Deloitte said:

“The Best Managed Companies programme is a unique opportunity for organisations to challenge and benchmark themselves against the best in the business. Having led the BMC programme for the last four years, it’s
clear that the standard is rising every year. Ireland’s Best Managed companies have consistently proven themselves agile, adaptable, and equal to the task of excelling through moments of instability within the global business landscape; and this year is no different, as we consider new technologies, and ongoing tensions across several jurisdictions. Deloitte is proud to offer coaching support to help companies sustain their competitive advantage, and we invite aspiring companies with an innovative mindset, strong culture and sound governance to apply for the programme today.”

This year will mark the second year of AIB’s involvement in the programme as lead sponsor. Attending this year’s launch, Colin Hunt, Chief Executive Officer, AIB said:

“AIB is honoured to participate in such a highly-valued programme, which over nearly two decades, has promoted and celebrated the business leaders across this island who have been the vanguard of dynamic Irish enterprise. The core values of the Programme align very closely with those of AIB, most notably those of strong leadership and accountability; sustainability at the core of both our growth model and customer focus; and a close, symbiotic relationship with the communities in which we live and work.”

The application process provides participating companies with the opportunity to analyse their entire business, including performance, management practices and goals, which is a vital exercise for any company.

Last year’s programme saw 13 newly qualified companies enter including Active8 Solar Energies, Ashdale Care, Coen Steel Limited, Ethos Engineering, Mergon Group, Mivan, Mowlam Healthcare, MCO, S&W Wholesale, John Sisk & Son, United Hardware, Western Motors and Writech.

The programme also boasts an independent, multi-disciplinary judging panel, Chaired by Frank Ryan (Former CEO, Enterprise Ireland, Former Chair of IDA Ireland), Ellvena Graham OBE (Chair of Tourism NI), Lionel Alexander (Chair of Intact Software), Feargal Mooney (formerly Hostelworld), John Delahunty (Co-Head of AIB Corporate Banking), Professor Anthony Brabazon, (Dean, UCD Michael Smurfit Business School), Orla O’Gorman (NED & former Head of Listing, Euronext), and Sarah Murphy (CEO, Business Post).

For further information and details on how to enter the awards, visit www.deloitte.ie/bestmanaged. The closing date for Phase 1 entries is Friday, 28th of February. Companies that progress to Phase 2 of the application process will be notified in March, with the winners to be officially announced at the annual Gala Awards September 2025.

Notes to Editors

Eligibility criteria

  • Companies must be Irish/Northern Irish, substantially privately-owned, managed and controlled companies (incorporated in either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland).
  • Companies must have a turnover in excess of €30 million / £25 million.
  • Companies must be established for at least five years.
  • Co-operatives engaged in value-adding and trading activities are eligible to participate in the programme.
  • Private equity-backed businesses are also eligible where the business is incorporated in, and the management team is based in, Ireland / Northern Ireland.

The following companised are ineligible

  •  Public companies
  • Foreign multinationals and their subsidiaries
  • Credit unions / insurance companies / banks
  • Charities, not-for-profit organisations and their subsidiaries
  • Government-owned / public sector agencies
  • Partnerships

About the Awards Programme

There are four different categories of Best Managed Companies award winners:

  • New Best Managed Companies: Companies that receive the award for the first time. These companies must go through a Phase I and Phase II Best Managed Companies Awards Programme application process.
  • Gold Standard: Best Managed Companies that receive the award for the fourth year in a row. These companies must go through a Phase I and Phase II Best Managed Companies Awards Programme application process.
  • Platinum Club: Best Managed Companies that receive the award for the seventh year in a row. These companies must go through a Phase I and Phase II Best Managed Companies Awards Programme application process.
  • Re-qualifiers: Best Managed Companies, already in the programme that are not going for new, gold or platinum status. Companies applying for requalification must satisfy the programme eligibility criteria and go through a requalification review process in order to ensure that the companies continue to uphold the Best Managed standard.