THE ASIA PACIFIC / IRELAND BUSINESS AWARDS

The 2010 Awards will take place in Hong Kong on October 8th
More information coming soon

Inaugural winners announced

October 16th 2009 - The winners of the inaugural Business & Finance Asia Pacific/Ireland Business Awards, in association with The Asia Pacific Irish Business Forum, The Ireland China Association and The Irish Thai Chamber of Commerce,  were announced today at a luncheon ceremony at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Bangkok. The ceremony attracted over 250 of the leading corporate Irish executives in Asia Pacific, a range of Irish professionals as well as key figures from the Irish Associations & Government officials in the region.

The awards programme aims to celebrate the best of business in Ireland and Asia Pacific and to promote and encourage excellence amongst Irish business leaders in the Asia Pacific region in a unique peer to peer environment.
Liam Casey, CEO and Founder of PCH a manufacturing and services company, received the award for International Irish Business Person of the Year .With a background in the retail trade, Casey founded the business in Cork in 1996. Its operational headquarters are in Shenzhen, South China, at the heart of China's “factory to the world”. PCH’s customers are mainly multinationals based in North America, including many leading companies from Silicon Valley.

Upon accepting the award Casey said “I am both honoured and humbled to receive the first Business & Finance International Irish Business Person award in Asia Pacific. I believe this in an excellent and very worthwhile initiative and one that will encourage Irish business leaders in Asia to continue to develop and prosper in the future.
Liam O’Keeffe, chairman and founder of Property Care Services (Thailand) Limited, who employs over 23,000 people, received the award for Outstanding Achievement in Business. Commenting on this unique award, Ian Hyland, CEO/Publisher Business & Finance said “Liam O’ Keeffe’s record of business and social responsibility  here in Thailand, represents one of the best example of Irish business leaders succeeding in Asia Pacific. Over the decades, his career has become an inspiration for hundreds of future Irish leaders working in the region ranging from local entrepreneurship to philanthropy. This makes Liam O’ Keeffe the obvious choice to receive this award.”

Alltech was recognised as International Irish Company of the Year. Alltech, founded in 1980 in Kentucky, USA by Irish-born scientist Dr Pearse Lyons is a global animal health company providing natural, nutritional solutions to the food and feed industries. Headquartered in Kentucky, USA, Alltech trades in 113 countries and has over 1900 employees worldwide. Accepting the award on Alltech’s behalf, Orla McAleer, Alltech’s Asia-Pacific Marketing Manager said: “We are deeply honoured to be the first recipients of this prestigious award. Alltech entered the Asia-Pacific market in 1986 and since then the region has made a significant contribution to our global success. We look forward to ongoing expansion and growth in Asia-Pacific and continuing to work with our customers, colleagues and associates and to promoting science and education as well as constantly advocating safety, quality and traceability in our industry."

The awards centred around The Asian Gaelic Games and The Asia Pacific Ireland Business Forum, an annual event that brings together leading Irish corporate figures operating in the region

Speaking at the awards Former Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dick Spring and Chairperson of the judging panel said the engagement of Business & Finance and the launch of the Asia Pacific Ireland Business Awards have strengthened the work of the APIBF in building a platform for Irish business in Asia. These awards are further evidence of the strength and talent of our business leaders in Asia Pacific, and our aim must be to continue developing and expanding this programme over the coming years. These are challenging times for business people but these awards serve as a reminder of the high standard of Irish companies and individuals operating in the region and the importance of recognition”.

Speaking on behalf of the Irish Thai Chamber of Commerce, Jerome Kelly said “We are  delighted that Business & Finance has created and developed this much-needed awards programme in Asia Pacific. The Irish Diaspora has had some outstanding success and accomplishments in this region both from a business and social perspective and it is time that they are recognized and honoured for these achievements.”

Overview
Economic ties between Asia and Ireland continue to grow stronger as Asia becomes one of Ireland’s largest trading partners anywhere in the world – in fact, China is now Ireland’s 7th largest trading partner. Additionally it is becoming an increasingly important market for Irish products and services and as a source of raw materials, parts and components for the manufacturing industry.
Irish-owned SME companies, are increasingly in the forefront of winning business in Asia.  More than 80 Irish companies now have operations established in China – up from fewer than 50 just over two years ago – and Irish companies are newly establishing in China every month – 16 to date this year.
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