CIMA Ireland Celebrates Excellence, Innovation and Leadership at Awards & Gala Dinner in Belfast

5 October 2026, Belfast – More than 200 finance professionals, business leaders, CIMA members, students and guests gathered at the iconic Titanic Hotel Belfast on Friday 2 October for the CIMA Awards & Gala Dinner Ireland 2026, an evening dedicated to celebrating excellence, innovation and outstanding achievement across the finance profession and wider business community.

Set within the historic surroundings of the former Harland & Wolff headquarters, the black-tie event brought together some of Ireland's most accomplished finance and business talent for our flagship event in Ireland.

Hosted by Ciaran Phelan, Director, CIMA Ireland, the evening featured inspiring keynote addresses from Paul Turner, FCMA, CGMA, Vice President, UK, Ireland & Europe at CIMA, and Leigh Brown, CIMA All-Ireland Chair, who highlighted the evolving role of finance professionals in helping organisations navigate change, create value and shape the future.

Paul shared his perspective on the changing profession and the important role finance professionals play in shaping the future of finance. Paul highlighted that The Rise2040 Vision Report reminds us that AI is not here to replace the value that CIMA members bring. Instead, it is helping elevate it. The future of our profession is not something that happens to us. It is something we help shape. While Leigh reflected on the strength of our CIMA community and the important role finance professionals play to anticipate what comes next and help shape the future rather than merely react to it.

Recognising new Associates and Fellows

The Gala Dinner recognised excellence at every stage of the finance career journey. Alongside the presentation of the awards, guests joined in celebrating newly qualified Associate Chartered Management Accountants (ACMA) and members who achieved the prestigious Fellow Chartered Management Accountant (FCMA) designation.

The recognition ceremony was one of the evening's highlights, applauding the hard work, dedication and professional accomplishments of members who have reached significant milestones in their careers. Their achievements reflect the strength of the profession and the continued commitment to professional excellence across Ireland.

Celebrating Achievement Across the Profession at our CIMA Awards Ireland

The awards showcased outstanding achievement, innovation and leadership across the profession, with winners announced in six categories:

Top CIMA Student in Operational Case Study Exam (Northern Ireland) 2025

Conal McGill

Top CIMA Student in Management Case Study Exam (Northern Ireland) 2025

David Reid

Top CIMA Student in Strategic Case Study Exam (Northern Ireland) 2025

Samuel Sproule

CIMA AI in Finance Excellence Award

Dáire Brophy

CIMA Business Person of the Year

Northern Ireland: Rachel Daly

Republic of Ireland: Mohit Kumar

CIMA Employer of the Year

Large Enterprise: Norbrook Laboratories Ltd.

SME: KOSI Corporation

The quality of entries and nominations reflected the innovation, resilience and leadership being demonstrated by finance professionals and organisations across Ireland. Every finalist represented excellence within their field, with winners selected from an exceptionally strong pool of candidates.

CIMA Ireland Distinguished Fellow

Sharon McCue, FCMA, CGMA, is the recipient of the CIMA Ireland Distinguished Fellow award.

For more than 30 years, Sharon has demonstrated exceptional leadership, professionalism and commitment across both the public and private sectors. Through her expertise, dedication and willingness to support others, she has made a lasting contribution to CIMA, the finance profession and inspired those around her.

We celebrate not only an outstanding career, but a lifetime of impact. A respected leader, trusted mentor and true champion of the profession, Sharon's influence will continue to be felt for many years to come.

A Night to Remember

Beyond recognising achievement, the gala dinner provided an opportunity for members, students, employers and business leaders to connect, celebrate and look ahead to the future of the profession.

Guests enjoyed a vibrant programme of entertainment throughout the evening, including performances from The Jersey Tones and the Unity Irish Dance.

The combination of outstanding entertainment, networking opportunities, heartfelt celebrations and the unique surroundings of the Titanic Hotel Belfast created a memorable atmosphere for attendees, their families, colleagues and friends.

From the drinks reception through to the awards presentations and evening celebrations, the event highlighted the energy, ambition and collaborative spirit that continue to drive the profession forward.

Thank You to Our Sponsor

CIMA Ireland extends its sincere thanks to MCS Group, headline sponsor of the CIMA Awards & Gala Dinner Ireland 2026, for its continued support in recognising excellence, innovation and leadership across the business and finance community.

Their partnership played an important role in making this year's event possible and helped create an unforgettable evening celebrating the achievements of students, members, employers and business leaders across Ireland.

www.mcsgroup.uk.co

Looking Ahead

From aspiring students beginning their journeys to experienced leaders driving transformation within their organisations, the winners, finalists, newly recognised ACMA and FCMA members, and all attendees embodied the innovation, resilience and leadership that will continue to shape the future of finance.

Ciaran Phelan, Director – Ireland at The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, said:

Our biggest CIMA Awards & Gala Dinner Ireland yet delivered an exceptional celebration of talent, ambition and achievement. The calibre of entries this year was outstanding, demonstrating the incredible impact finance professionals continue to make across organisations, industries and communities. Congratulations to all our winners, finalists and newly recognised members

Paul Turner, FCMA, CGMA, Vice President, UK, Ireland & Europe at The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, added:

Our finalists and winners exemplify the very best of our profession. They are leaders, innovators and change-makers whose work is creating real impact within their organisations and beyond. To be recognised amongst such an exceptional group is a remarkable achievement and one that should be celebrated.

Congratulations to all the winners, finalists, newly recognised ACMA and FCMA members, and the CIMA Ireland team who helped make the CIMA Awards & Gala Dinner Ireland 2026 such a memorable celebration of the profession.

Special Thanks

A successful event is always a team effort. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the talented partners and suppliers who helped bring the CIMA Awards & Gala Dinner Ireland 2026 to life:

Videography: Sean Duncan | Redcap Productions –

Photography: Kelvin Boyes | Press Eye Ltd –

Creative, Multimedia & Marketing Materials: A shout out to Beth Anthony and the whole crew at Multimedia team and the Creative Team at AICPA & CIMA. Jon Lambert at Zest Branding

Entertainment:

Fleur Mellor | Peter Corry Productions

The Jersey Tones and Unity Irish Dance

AV: Stuart McCollum and crew | Beyond AV

Venue Partner: Titanic Hotel Belfast

Your professionalism, creativity and support helped create a truly memorable evening for our guests, finalists, winners and members. Thank you for being part of this celebration of excellence.

Photo gallery

View and download your favourite photos from the evening, including award presentations, member recognition, entertainment and celebrations.

View the gallery here: https://bit.ly/4i4caWM

Photography by Kelvin Boyes – Presseye.com