Operational Excellence Awards Gala 2026 Celebrates Ireland's Top OPEX Performers
By Jed Nykolle Harme
May 27, 2026
Tonight, the Operational Excellence Awards 2026 gala takes place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, recognising outstanding achievement across more than 20 categories spanning manufacturing, retail, life sciences, transport, hospitality, and facilities management.
The awards celebrate organisations and individuals delivering measurable operational performance improvement and strategic innovation. Categories recognise operational leadership roles including Operations Manager/COO of the Year and Women in Operations, alongside organisational awards spanning Digital Transformation and AI, Technology in Operations, and Innovation in Operations.
This year's finalists include Translink NIR, IRLCA, Salesforce, evcoms, Stocktaking.ie powered by RGIS, WuXi Biologics Ireland, Viatris Little Island, Doolin Ferry, Apleona Ireland, Griffith College Faculty of Law, Quantmatix, and Greenlink Interconnector. Each finalist represents distinctive approaches to operational challenge-solving and performance improvement across their sectors.
The gala brings together hundreds of Ireland's senior operational professionals, business leaders, and top-performing teams. The evening provides a platform for celebration, knowledge sharing, and networking among the country's most influential operational excellence practitioners.
The judging panel includes Brian Coll (Judging Coordinator, Atlantic Technological University), Robert Burdock (Ipsen Manufacturing Ireland), Gary Mander (EY), Ian Gourlay (BP Solutions and SETU), Miriam Keogh (Dawn Farm Foods), and Steve Giles (Aurivo Consumer Foods). Each brings recognised expertise in operational discipline, continuous improvement, and strategic leadership.
Gold Sponsor We Can Save You Money Ltd and sponsor ISS Ireland support the programme. We Can Save You Money Ltd is Ireland's leading utility management consultancy, whilst ISS Ireland, a global leader in facilities management and workplace services, delivers integrated solutions across healthcare, corporate, education, and public sector environments.
Winners will be announced throughout the evening. We look forward to seeing you tonight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry.
For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, and event details, visit the Operational Excellence Awards website and subscribe to the newsletter for final programme updates.
