Nora Twomey has been named overall Businesswoman of the Year in the annual Image magazine awards.

Twomey is co-founder and creative director of Cartoon Saloon, which makes animated films as well as TV series and is based in Kilkenny. The company’s slate of productions includes Puffin Rock, the pre-school series narrated by Chris O’Dowd which was acquired by Netflix.

CATEGORY WINNERS

Entrepreneur
Sonia Deasy, co-founder and CEO, Pestle & Mortar
Pestle & Mortar was founded in 2014 with one product and a vision of creating the highest quality skincare products. Last year it concluded a deal with QVC which brought immediate growth, then went on to secure Bloomingdale’s in New York as an online and shopfront stockist.

Management Professional
Gemma Teeling, deputy managing director, PHD Ireland

Startup
Jennifer Rock, CEO and founder, The Skin Nerd 
Skin Nerd is Ireland’s first online skincare community, centred around lifelong membership, guidance by phone or email and follow-up consultations. The Skin Nerd recently branched into corporate events.

In Association with

Creative
Fiona Heaney, owner, founder and designer, Fee G

Social Entrepreneur
Liz Waters, CEO, An Cosán VCC

Young Businesswoman 
Helena Ryan, director and founder, WellFest

Digital and Technology
Jenny Taaffe, CEO, iZest Marketing Group

CEO
Breda Quigley, managing director, The Q Café Company
Q Café Company is a catering firm that employs 180 staff. Since 2013 it has oriented towards wellness, with service guidelines, auditing tools, chef education programmes and internal awards. Its QWellness programme adds to its catering service with free customer exercise classes, free customer exercise prescriptions, and free motivation and goal-setting workshops.

Photo: Jennifer Rock and award sponsor Linda Nolan of Samsung. (Pic: Kieran Harnett)