Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for 2012

Now in its 15th year, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Programme for 2012 has been launched with the 24 finalists from across the island of Ireland to be announced in May.

Frank O’Keeffe, partner-in-charge of the programme at Ernst & Young, commented that Ireland was now trying hard to show the first real shoots of recovery and our entrepreneurs were the true “trailblazers and champions” who would reignite our economy.

The programme has created a network of finalists, now made up of more than 300 entrepreneurs, which fosters collaboration, business opportunities and generates a sense of collective pride in each other’s achievements.

The shortlisted entrepreneurs will go on a CEO retreat to Silicon Valley where they will avail of the chance to further enhance their entrepreneurial skills, increase their business network, share their commercial experiences with local entrepreneurs, and develop lifelong peer relationships with others in the Entrepreneur of the Year community.

Winners will be announced in October 2012, and the overall winner will then represent Ireland at the World Entrepreneur of the Year finals in 2013.

Most recent winners of the overall award here in Ireland, Joe Hogan – chief technology officer, and Niall Norton – chief executive officer, of OpenNet, are representing Ireland at the 2012 World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in Monte Carlo in June.

Established in 1999, OpenNet was formed in a basement office in Dublin’s Fitzwilliam Square with just two people and has since grown into a global team of 830 individuals. OpenNet provides software to

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year programme is supported by the Irish Times, RTE, Enterprise Ireland, Invest NI, Intertrade Ireland and Newstalk..