Operational Excellence Awards 2026 Honours Ireland's Top Performers Following Gala Success
By Jed Nykolle Harme
June 03, 2026
The Operational Excellence Awards 2026 announced winners across 20+ categories on 27 May at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, recognising exceptional achievement from organisations and leaders including Translink NIR, IRLCA, Salesforce, and Greenlink Interconnector setting new benchmarks for operational performance across Irish industry.
Standout winners reflected the breadth of Ireland's operational landscape. Translink NIR's Condition-Based Maintenance Project won Innovation in Operations, demonstrating how predictive strategies transform transport network reliability.
IRLCA claimed Best Use of Technology in Operations through strategic technology embedding that delivered measurable business outcomes. Salesforce secured the Digital Transformation and AI Award for revolutionising partner support through AI agent integration with CRM data, positioning the company at the cutting edge of customer relationship innovation.
The gala was attended by hundreds of Ireland's senior operational professionals, business leaders, and innovators. The judging panel, led by Brian Coll with expertise from Robert Burdock, Gary Mander, Ian Gourlay, Miriam Keogh, and Steve Giles, assessed entries against rigorous criteria measuring innovation, measurable impact, and strategic alignment with business objectives.
Gold Sponsors We Can Save You Money Ltd and ISS Ireland supported the programme alongside the wider sponsor community, reinforcing the partnership between service providers and operational excellence practitioners.
Entries for the Operational Excellence Awards 2027 will open later this year. Organisations seeking to benchmark their performance against current winners and showcase their operational achievements on a national stage are encouraged to prepare submissions demonstrating measurable impact, cultural maturity, and strategic vision.
For the complete winners' list, judging criteria, and preparation guidance for next year's programme, visit the Operational Excellence Awards website and subscribe to the newsletter for updates and sector insights.
