Blacknight’s Michele Neylon named Overall Net Visionary 2013

30 Sep 2013

Joan Mulvhill, CEO, Irish Internet Association; Michele Neylon, CEO, Blacknight; and David Curtin, CEO, IEDR

Web domain and hosting firm Blacknight’s CEO Michele Neylon picked up this year’s Overall Net Visionary Award from the Irish Internet Association (IIA) for his thought leadership and pioneering work as the chair of the ICANN Registrar Stakeholder Group.

“Winning an IIA Dot ie Net Visionary Award means you’re the best at what you do but not in the run-of-the-mill ‘best’ kind of way but in a pretty standout innovative kind of way,” said Joan Mulvihill, CEO of the IIA.

Neylon was recognised for his contribution to the betterment of the internet domestically and internationally. In the awards speech given by Mulvihill, it was also noted that the award recognised Neylon’s “thought leadership on internet freedom and ICANN policy”, as well as his work as the chair of the ICANN Registrar Stakeholder Group.

The private votes of the IIA board determined the overall net visionary award winner.

“I am humbled and speechless. You find the thing you love to do, that you care about more than anything else and you do it everyday because you must. You don’t expect anyone to notice; you just want to make the world that you live in better. To be recognised for my work, and for doing the thing I love the most is extraordinary. I am honoured to be recognised by IIA and will continue to work to be worthy of this great award,” Neylon said.

Dot ie Net Visionary Winners 2013

Overall Net Visionary Winner  – Michele Neylon, Blacknight.ie

“This is the One to Watch – Internet Start-Up o f the Year” – Joint Winners 2013 – Trustev and Soundwave

“Moving at the Speed of Light – Award for Exceptional Growth” – ePubDirect

“Most Meticulous and Cutting Edge Web Developer” – Jason Coomey at SpunOut.ie

“Most Joyous to Look at and Splendid to Use Web Design” – Artizan.ie

“Best All-Round Digital Marketing Campaign” –  Sligo Tourism

“Best Mobile Service or App for Fast Moving Businesses” – Sage.ie

“Best Mobile Service or App for Fast Moving People” – The AA

“Most Insightful and Intriguing Internet Innovation” – Currency Fair

“Most Creative Use of Social Media for Compelling Engagement” – Electric Ireland

“Most Indispensable Cloud Service for SMEs” – YellowSchedule

“You Did Good” – Best Use of the Internet for Social Good – SpunOut.ie

Best “wherever and whenever” Multi-channel Retailer – McCabe’s Pharmacy

“Very Best Place to be – Accelerator/Incubator/Campus” – Launchpad at NDRC

“You can Call Me Chief” – Best Chief Information Officer (CIO) – Fin Goulding, CIO at PaddyPower

“Most Outstanding Contribution by an IIA Member 2013” – Fiona Hyland and Mark Kearns of Inventorium

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com