Castlepollard businessman wins ‘Established’ category at EY Entrepreneur of Year Awards

A businessman from Castlepollard won the ‘Established’ category at the 28th annual EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards held at Powerscourt Hotel, Enniskerry, on November 27 last.

Derek Foley Butler, CEO of Grid Finance, has built the company 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 across 4,000 businesses, driving financial inclusion and resilience across Ireland’s entrepreneurial landscape.

Derek is originally from Castlepollard. He was educated at St Finian’s College and Trinity College Dublin. He worked in professional services firms in both Ireland and the US, and he qualified as a chartered accountant. Derek then joined GOAL, serving as financial controller in Uganda and later as country director in Haiti following the earthquake.

In 2013, he returned to Ireland to help address the SME banking crisis and founded Grid Finance. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he led the national policy response for SMEs through the SME Recovery Ireland campaign. He is also the founder of the National Fintech Summit and Awards.

Derek is passionate about using business as a force for good. Under his leadership, Grid Finance is committed to doing well, while also doing good.

Asked to describe his business model and what makes his business unique, Derek stated in a submission to EY Entrepreneur Of The Year organisers: “We pioneered flexible finance repayments in the Irish market – this allows a small business to repay as their business revenue ebbs and flows.

"We also have outstanding service as a result of our great team and the technology platform we have built. Lastly, our platform is the only place you can get a business credit score in Ireland. We think every small business should have their business credit score to understand their financial health.”

On his greatest business achievement to date, he submitted: “For me it was our SME Recovery campaign. This campaign was key to keeping the SME sector alive during the pandemic and to helping SMEs get back on their feet. I’m proud of the massive positive impact this campaign had on small firms and Ireland more broadly.”