Three Northern Ireland-based entrepreneurs look forward to the 28th Annual EY Entrepreneur of the Year™ Awards taking place on 27 November

From cash services to healthcare and food manufacturing – Northern Ireland’s finalists lead the way

Three entrepreneurs from Northern Ireland will compete alongside 20 other finalists at the 28^th Annual EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Awards ceremony taking place on Thursday 27 November at Powerscourt Hotel, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow. 

The finalists from across the island of Ireland will compete across three categories – Emerging, Established and International – with one overall winner named as the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2025. A special Sustainability Award will be presented to the finalist who is making the biggest contribution towards environmental sustainability through their business, and a Special Recognition Award will also be presented on the night. 

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The Northern Ireland -based finalists, competing for the title are: 

• Terry Hughes of Pivotal (Established) – Europe’s largest privately owned cash-in-transit and cash management company. Founded in 2005, Pivotal delivers end-to-end cash and transaction management solutions across Ireland and the UK, including secure cash collection, ATM replenishment, and merchant services. With a fleet of 550 vehicles and 18 centres, the company supports approximately 8,000 customers and 44,000 cash-in-transit services weekly. 

• Martin Tierney of Seating Matters (International) – A global healthcare group providing clinical seating solutions and related products to hospitals, care homes and home settings across multiple continents, employing over 200 people.  

• William McColgan of McColgan’s Foods (Established) – A third-generation family business and one of the island’s leading producers of savoury pastry. From pies and sausage rolls to quiches, McColgan’s supplies customers across Ireland, the UK and Europe, driving growth and creating a lasting impact in the North West and beyond. 

The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2025 finalists, span sectors including consumer, technology, media, health, life sciences, manufacturing and financial services, and collectively generate annual revenues in excess of €1 billion and employ more than 4,000 people. 

The overall winner of The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2025 will represent Ireland at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year™ Awards in Monaco, in June 2026.

Commenting on the announcement, Roger Wallace, Head of Assurance and EY Entrepreneur of The Year, Ireland said: “As the awards night approaches, we reflect on an extraordinary journey for this year’s finalists. They’ve shared their stories, challenged themselves, and embraced every aspect of the programme, from the week-long CEO Retreat in Japan to connecting with our wider EOY community. They have established themselves as valued members of our EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ network and we look forward to their continued participation in the programme as alumni in the years ahead. 

From cash management and healthcare innovation to food manufacturing, Northern Ireland’s finalists embody the strength and diversity of entrepreneurship in the region, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements and the positive impact they continue to make later this month.”  

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Martin Tierney of Seating Matters, reflecting on the programme ahead of the awards ceremony, said: “The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme has really pushed our level of ambition. We’ve grown significantly, both organically and through acquisition, but hearing the stories of other entrepreneurs has inspired us to think even bigger, to reach more patients and customers in more countries around the world.” 

Now in its 28^th year, the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ programme supports, promotes, and connects a community of more than 680 entrepreneurs who collectively generate revenues of €28bn and employ over 275,000 people across the island of Ireland. The programme is supported by Premium Corporate Sponsor Julius Baer, and Government sponsors, Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland. 

For further information, please visit www.eoy.ie.   

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