Global Shares scoops top prize at 2021 Technology Ireland awards

19 Nov 2021

Image: © ptasha/Stock.adobe.com

Global Shares and former IBM VP Bill Kearney were the big winners at the 2021 Technology Ireland awards.

Global Shares has been named Technology Ireland Company of the Year 2021 at the Technology Ireland Industry Awards.

The winners were announced today (19 November) at an event in Dublin’s Westin Hotel. The awards ceremony is held every year by Ibec group Technology Ireland to celebrate Ireland’s talented tech professionals.

Cork-headquartered Global Shares manages employee stock plans for some of the world’s biggest companies. It has 17 offices worldwide and employs around 550 people. In September, the financial software company said it would create 200 new jobs by the end of 2022. It is also on track to exceed a $1bn unicorn valuation by 2024.

“Global Shares were ambitious from day one to be a disrupter in a large global marketplace,” said Technology Ireland director Una Fitzpatrick.

“Their forensic knowledge of the market led to significant investment and persistent innovation to bring a next-gen platform to the market. Global Shares’ relentless focus on a sustainable culture of innovation, diversity, inclusion, professional development and wellness truly encompasses what it means to be the Technology Ireland Company of the Year.”

Bill Kearney was also named Person of the Year at the awards ceremony. Before retiring last year, Kearney served as VP of IBM Ireland’s software development lab and its Dublin technology campus.

He previously served on the executive council of the Irish Software Association, the forerunner to Technology Ireland. He was also a member of the Science Foundation Ireland advisory board, the Irish Research Council board and the Irish University Quality Board.

Paying tribute to Kearney, Fitzpatrick said: “He has always been willing and eager to share his expertise and experience and has been a wonderful supporter for many in the sector.”

Other award winners this evening included CameraMatics, MyComplianceOffice, Brightflag, Tekenable, AIB, Kinia, AWS and IBM Research in Ireland.

EY Ireland returned as a platinum sponsor of the awards, while Enterprise Ireland, Fidelity Investments and Workhuman returned as gold sponsors.

The full list of winners are:

  • Technology Ireland Company of the Year: Global Shares
  • Technology Ireland Person of the Year: Bill Kearney
  • Emerging Company of the Year: CameraMatics
  • Outstanding Achievement in International Growth: MyComplianceOffice
  • Technology Innovation of the Year: Brightflag
  • Digital Technology Services Project of the Year: Tekenable
  • #WomenInTech Company Initiative of the Year: AIB
  • Tech4Good – Product/ Service Award: Kinia
  • Technology Ireland CSR Award: AWS
  • Excellence in Talent Development: Unum Ireland Limited
  • Outstanding Academic Achievement of the Year: IBM Research in Ireland

Last year, software company Fenergo scooped the top prize winning Company of the Year, while Edel Creely was named Person of the Year.

The full list of nominees for this year’s Technology Ireland Industry Awards is available on its website.

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Blathnaid O’Dea is Careers reporter at Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com