Corcoran wins Sustainability Award at EY Entrepreneur Of Year
David Corcoran, CEO of Soltec Ireland Ltd, was honoured with the Sustainability Award at the 28th annual EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards held last night at Powerscourt Hotel, Enniskerry,. For 30 years, Soltec has been an innovator in recovering and recycling hazardous waste, and under David’s leadership, the company has deepened its commitment to sustainability, continuing to drive progress and positioning itself as a key player in Ireland’s transition to a circular economy.
Edward McCloskey was named the overall EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025. Founder and executive chairman of WaterWipes, Edward also took home the International category award, recognising his leadership in building a global brand that has redefined the wipes category with its innovative products.
In addition to WaterWipes, Edward owns and leads Boyne Valley Group, a portfolio including household names such as Chivers, McDonnell’s and Kinetica Sports Nutrition. His businesses employ more than 650 people and continue to expand internationally, while maintaining a strong commitment to quality, innovation and sustainability.
Edward will go on to represent Ireland at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards in Monaco in June 2026.
More winners
Áine Kennedy, founder of The Smooth Company, is winner of the Emerging category. Áine launched her business from her attic in 2022 to revolutionise haircare with innovative products designed to simplify routines and deliver salon-quality results at home. Today, her brand has customers in 70 countries and continues to grow rapidly.
Derek Foley Butler, CEO of GRID Finance, received the award for the Established category. Derek has built GRID Finance into a leading fintech platform dedicated to improving the financial health of SMEs. It is the only platform in Ireland where businesses can access their credit score and the first financial services B-Corp in the country. Since its launch in 2013, it has supported 25,000 jobs at 4,000 businesses.
Each year, EY also presents a Special Recognition Award to individuals who have made a significant contribution to life on the island of Ireland through their vision, innovation, and commitment to excellence. This year, the honour was presented to Denis O’Brien, one of Ireland’s most prominent entrepreneurs and philanthropists. Denis has made a lasting impact through his business ventures and charitable initiatives, and dedicates significant time and energy to the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme, serving on the judging panel and mentoring finalists.
Now in its 28th year, the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme supports, promotes and connects a community of more than 680 entrepreneurs who collectively generate revenues of €28 billion and employ over 275,000 people across the island of Ireland.
Roger Wallace, head of Assurance and EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Ireland, said: “Yesterday was a celebration of the extraordinary talent and ambition that define Ireland’s entrepreneurial community. At a time when the global marketplace is changing at pace the role of entrepreneurs has never been more important. They create jobs, drive innovation and help Ireland to remain competitive on the world stage.
“We are proud of every finalist and winner – for their business achievements, and for their resilience, creativity and commitment to making a positive impact.
“The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme exists to champion these leaders and to foster a dynamic community of knowledge, support and collaboration. Their courage and vision remind us why entrepreneurship matters now more than ever.
“This year, we are delighted to recognise Edward McCloskey as our overall winner. His entrepreneurial journey, from founding WaterWipes and transforming the global wipes category to leading Boyne Valley Group’s portfolio of household brands, is truly inspiring.
“We also celebrate Áine, Derek and David, whose achievements highlight the diversity and strength of our entrepreneurial ecosystem. We are equally honoured to recognise Denis O’Brien for his exceptional contribution to Irish entrepreneurship and his unwavering support for this programme and its finalists.
All these amazing leaders are shaping the future with confidence and making a lasting impact on our economy and society.”
Harry Hughes, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2017 and chair of the judging panel, stated: “Selecting winners from such an outstanding group of finalists was no easy task. Huge congratulations to Edward for his vision and determination, but every winner has demonstrated exceptional leadership and creativity. Our finalists deserve equal praise – their ambition and resilience throughout the programme have been inspiring. They are role models for the next generation of entrepreneurs, and their success stories show what’s possible when you combine courage with innovation.”
The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Ireland programme is supported by Premium Corporate Sponsor Julius Baer International, and Government sponsors Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland.
• eoy.ie