Tag: PwC

PMI National Project Awards, in association with PwC, celebrate Lidl for first net zero energy supermarket

The Ireland Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI) announces the winners of this year’s PMI National Project Awards, in association with PwC. Among the winners was Lidl for its first net zero energy supermarket in Ireland.

The annual awards recognise the contribution and excellence of project management in Ireland, showcasing the best innovation and talent in the profession. This year, 10 awards were presented at the black-tie event hosted at PwC’s Dublin office on Thursday 6 November.

From a workforce management transformation project in the retail sector to a telehealth programme, the event celebrated a variety of projects across numerous industries and demonstrates the growing influence and success of project management in Ireland.

Lidl was celebrated in the special “Future of Work Excellence” category for Ireland’s first net zero energy supermarket. Based in Maynooth, the store is net zero in both operational and embodied carbon. Furthermore, the supermarket’s design promotes wellbeing and productivity among employees by incorporating natural light, landscaped surroundings and low noise systems. Electric vehicle chargers, bike racks, and e-bike stations have also been installed to promote sustainable commuting.

Other organisations that were successful on the night included Primark, ESB and the HSE. Individuals were also celebrated, including three under-35 changemakers. These were Rachel Bothwell of GP Practice Ally, Sainath Vasantha of Deloitte, and David Garry of KSN Project Management.

The full list of winners for 2025, chosen by an independent judging panel*, can be found below.

  • PMO of the Year – National Broadband Ireland.
  • Project Professional of the Year – Niamh McAuliffe, NMA Consulting Ltd.
  • Private Sector Project of the Year – Primark: Workforce management transformation “myTime”.
  • Public Sector Project of the Year – ESB: PI Vision: Unlocking data, empowering decisions, transforming ESB.
  • Project Management for Social Good – AquaB Nanobubble Innovations Ltd: Nanobubble technology lifecycle project.
  • Under-35 Changemakers of the Year – Rachel Bothwell (GP Practice Ally), David Garry (KSN Project Management), and Sainath Vasantha (Deloitte).
  • eHealth Project of the Year – HSE: Community and primary care telehealth programme.
  • Special category: “Future of Work Excellence” – Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland: Lidl Zero Maynooth Store.
  • Special category: “2025 awards submission most compliant with the 17 x UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” – AquaB Nanobubble Innovations Ltd: Nanobubble technology lifecycle project.
  • Ireland Chapter of the PMI Volunteer of the Year – Mariana Zanivan.

Speaking about the awards, Peter Glynne, President of the Ireland Chapter of the PMI, said: “The project profession in Ireland seems to go from strength to strength every year. This year was no different, with the quality and creativity of projects pushing the boundaries in terms of ambition and innovation. Not only that but these initiatives and individuals are driving real impact both within organisations and for society as a whole.”

John Dwyer, Partner in PwC Ireland, added: “As the landscape of business and work continues to evolve, project professionals are at the forefront, driving innovation and technology-led transformation across Irish and international organisations to prepare for the future. Both the Ireland Chapter of the PMI and PwC are deeply committed to the transformation agenda, and we at PwC are delighted to again be the headline sponsor of the Awards this year and support two specific awards – the Future of Work Excellence Award and the eHealth Project of the Year. This sponsorship highlights our dedication to advancing project management through a complex and fast-changing environment with resilience and optimism, to ensure that we are fit for the future. We commend each and every one of the finalists and a huge congratulations to the winners.”

PMI National Project Awards celebrate rising leaders and standout successes in Irish project management

The Ireland Chapter of Project Management Institute (PMI) announces the winners of this year’s PMI National Project Awards, in association with PwC. The winners of the 2024 Awards were announced at a black-tie event held at PwC’s Dublin office on Thursday 14 November.

These prestigious awards celebrate the significant contribution and excellence of project management in Ireland, showcasing the best in innovation and talent in the profession. As well as individuals and teams who demonstrate exceptional potential, dedication and success in their field, the annual awards – now in their eighth year – also highlight transformative and inspiring projects.

From the application of Robotic Process Automation in healthcare to a climate action strategy within the agricultural space, this year’s event celebrated project management across various industries and demonstrates the growing influence and success of project management in the Irish economy.

Amongst the individuals commended during the awards were five Under-35 Changemakers. Laura McDermott was the ultimate recipient. McDermott founded Colectivo, a project-based sustainability consultancy dedicated to driving impactful change by connecting visionary thinkers and practical innovators with organisations.

The awards add to the Rising Leader Award notably bestowed upon Sinead Gallagher, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Ireland Chapter of PMI, earlier this year at the 2024 Global PMI Professional Awards.

The full list of winners, chosen following careful consideration of a record number of submissions by an independent judging panel*, can be found below.

  • PMO of the Year (sponsored be Velopi) – Aerogen
  • Project Professional of the Year (sponsored by emagine) – Ian Fitzsimons (Project Management Consultant, Expleo)
  • Private Sector Project of the Year (sponsored by Expleo) – Primark: ‘Next Generation Global Wide Area Network Solution’
  • Public Sector Project of the Year (sponsored by Saros) – Health Service Executive (HSE): ‘The Cork University Hospital / Mercy University Hospital Paediatric Reconfiguration project’
  • Project Management for Social Good (sponsored by Irish Emergency Alliance) – ActionAid Ireland: ‘Together, we are stronger’
    • Under-35 Changemakers of the Year (sponsored by Ireland Chapter of PMI) – Laura McDermott (CEO, Colectivo) was the ultimate recipient in this category
    • Note, the following four were commended in this category: Kevin Quinlan (Data Governance & Quality Lead, ESB), Sean Higgins (Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) & Strategy Lead for Dublin Airport Authority), Rebecca Keenan (Global Head of Intelligent Automation Solutions Director, Expleo Group), and James Doggard (Senior Project Manager, KSN Project Management)
  • AI and Technology Project of the Year (sponsored by PwC) – Health Service Executive (HSE), Technology & Transformation: ‘Waiting List Batch Suspensions Automation, Galway University Hospital’
  • Special Category: Excellence in Innovation Projects of The Year (sponsored by Cornmarket and Ireland Chapter of PMI) – Teagasc: ‘Teagasc’s Climate Action Strategy 2022-2030’; and Health Service Executive (HSE): ‘Enhanced Community Care (ECC)’
  • PMI Ireland Volunteer Award – Mark Davenport
  • PMI Ireland Special Achievement Award – Jackie Fagan, Past President of the Ireland Chapter of PMI

Speaking about the awards, Peter Glynne, President of the Ireland Chapter of PMI, said: “Once again, we are delighted to be celebrating the individuals and innovations driving change. These are the people and projects which showcase the best of project management in Ireland and how it contributes to the country’s success both nationally and internationally. As well as bigger and more ambitious projects, this year’s awards were also bigger with more entries and categories than ever before – indicating a very bright future for Ireland.”

Keiran Barbalich, Partner in PwC Ireland and Leader for the firm’s Portfolio and Programme Management, added: “Success in project management is vital for our economy. Over a quarter of Ireland’s CEOs do not believe that their businesses will be viable in a decade without reinvention. AI and technology are at the centre of this reinvention, and with their technological expertise, Ireland’s project managers play a vital role in this transformation. We are delighted to sponsor the National Project Management Institute (PMI) Awards for the eighth year running and, in particular, to also sponsor the AI and Technology Project of the Year Award. We commend each and every one of the finalists and a huge congratulations to the winners.”

Sovos and PwC Ireland Join Forces to Transform Business-to-Business E-Invoicing and E-Reporting Implementation

Sovos, the always-on compliance company, today announced a joint business relationship (JBR) with PwC Ireland, leveraging both organisations’ complementary tax compliance expertise and technology solutions to accelerate e-invoicing and e-reporting implementation at a time of increasing government mandates across the EU and the world.

Through this collaboration, PwC Ireland aims to enhances its Tax Technology offering by providing value-added services and further strengthen client relationships. The JBR expands the firms’ collaboration, following the earlier agreement between Sovos and PwC Belgium.

Through this partnership, Sovos and PwC clients will access comprehensive solutions to adeptly tackle ever-evolving regulatory challenges.

The need for skilled compliance guidance increases as more countries introduce e-invoicing and e-reporting requirements. In Ireland, VAT reporting modernisation is imminent, expected to mandate real-time reporting and e-invoicing across business-to-business and business-to-government transactions.

Organisations can automatically identify and document client e-invoicing and e-reporting regulatory requirements across multiple markets, creating a holistic data system of record for global compliance within the Sovos Compliance Cloud.

“By leveraging Sovos’ advanced e-invoicing technology solutions alongside our implementation and technical expertise, we are poised to transform the way our clients manage their e-invoicing processes,” said Johnny Wickham, Tax Technology Partner, PwC Ireland. “Our seamless implementation services will facilitate a smooth transition, allowing clients to fully embrace the benefits of automated e-invoicing and e-reporting.

“Tax authorities are accelerating the global shift toward e-invoicing and e-reporting because digitisation provides accurate, objective data, and even the smallest improvement in tracking businesses’ operations can save a country billions of dollars in lost tax revenue,” said Kevin Akeroyd, CEO, Sovos. “Compliance-related digital transformation also benefits business. A singular data view into their global compliance posture allows the thousands of multinational companies headquartered in Ireland – and those beyond – to unlock tremendous value from these insights; insights that can fuel business growth.”