Galway Chamber Business Awards finalists have been told their innovation and creativity is helping to drive the region, at a networking event hosted by the Shannon Airport Group.
Over 30 representatives from shortlisted companies, along with Galway Chamber representatives, attended the event at Shannon Airport today, ahead of the Galway Chamber awards this Friday, which are sponsored by The Shannon Airport Group.
The diverse group of business leaders, spanning the tech, hospitality, entertainment and retail industries were invited to visit the Shannon Campus and began their day at Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI). Russel Vickers, CEO of FMCI, shared insights into cutting-edge advancements in driverless car technology, setting the tone for a morning of inspiration.
Shortlisted candidates hailed from organisations such as HAS Integration, Diligent, the University of Galway IdeasLab, Gra Chocolates, ATU iHub and more, were then welcomed to the airport by CEO of The Shannon Airport Group, Mary Considine.  During a presentation delivered by Niall Kearns, Airport Director, Shannon Airport, they heard about the airport’s rich history of innovation and the current customer centric groundbreaking initiatives recently introduced.
This included the many firsts at Shannon Airport, from the opening of the world’s first Duty Free shop, established in 1947 (and now a global multi-million-dollar industry), to more recent initiatives like the first airport in the world outside of the Americas to have full United States Preclearance services; the first airport in Europe to open a sensory room; one of only two WHO recognised Age Friendly airports in the world; and the first State airport to introduce a multimillion-euro state-of-the-art security screening system that eliminates the need to separate liquids and electronics from cabin bags.
Mary Considine, expressing pride in sponsoring the Galway Chamber Business Awards, said, “The awards provide an opportunity to acknowledge the innovation, talent, and entrepreneurial spirit thriving in the Galway region. Our event at Shannon today allowed the finalists to network and learn about the many facets of The Shannon Airport Group’s work. We congratulate all the finalists and wish them the very best for the future. Their innovation and creativity are making a significant impact on driving business for the West of Ireland.”
CEO of the Galway Chamber, Kenny Deery, expressed gratitude for the long-standing support from the Shannon Airport Group as the main sponsor of the Galway Chamber Business Awards for the 10th consecutive year. He said, “Today’s event was a fantastic chance for our finalists to network before our black-tie awards ceremony later this week and to hear about the major impact The Shannon Airport Group is having on the region.”
The Galway Chamber Business Awards, sponsored by The Shannon Airport Group will take place on Friday November 24th, at the Galway Bay Hotel.
