The splendid surrounds of Glasgow City Chambers played host to the Causeway Business Exchange annual awards ceremony which was attended by the good and the great of Irish and Scottish dignitaries, including Scottish Cabinet Secretary Keith Brown MSP and visiting Irish Government Minister Joe Mc Hugh, TD.
The awards dinner, which was hosted for the evening by the The Right Honorable Lord Provost of Glasgow, Eva Bolander, was attended by leading Scottish and Irish business and Government representatives. One of the highlight awards of the evening was the “Inspirational Business Leader” award, which was presented to the Founder of Celtic Renewables Prof Martin Tangney OBE.
The Irish Government Minister Joe McHugh (Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of Culture in the Irish Government) presented Prof Tangney the award at the gala event. Commenting on the award Prof Tangney said, “As an Irishman who has been privileged to develop so much of my career in Scotland this is a particularly personal award and I am truly honoured to be granted this international recognition between our proud nations at such a wonderful event.”
Causeway (formerly the Irish Business Network Scotland) is a high level intergovernmental membership organisation which was set up to create innovation and business growth opportunities between Scotland and Ireland. The organisation is highly regarded by both Governments, and hence the high level representation at the awards dinner and the Ministerial level recognition of the award winners.
Economy Secretary Keith Brown said: “I would like to congratulate Causeway on its work to develop closer Scottish-Irish business to business links. Since its launch at Edinburgh Castle in 2016 as the Irish Business Network in Scotland, Causeway has played an active role in encouraging businesses to explore the opportunities that exist in both our markets.”
“In addition to the support of government agencies, and the closer links that are developing between Scottish and Irish Chambers of Commerce, I believe there is a vital role for business to business networks in ensuring that companies looking to export have a diverse breadth of support to choose from as they take steps towards internationalising.
Minister McHugh TD, added: “There are incredibly strong historic and modern links between Scotland and Ireland and Causeway is helping to build on those ties to deliver real economic benefits for both countries. The Government of Ireland is pleased and proud to support Causeway, and we wish the organisation many more years of success.”
Prof Tangney has been internationally recognised for his work in sustainable biofuel. In 2007 he established at Edinburgh Napier University the UK’s first centre for the promotion of sustainable biofuel. In 2011 he founded Celtic Renewables, which has achieved international prominence for its process to convert unwanted residues of whisky production into advanced sustainable biofuel. Given the prominence of whisk(e)y industries in both countries, Celtic Renewables has an important role to play internationally and this recognition for the company founder shows the high regard that both Governments have for this pioneering company.
Speaking of Prof Tangney the Consul General of Ireland in Scotland, Dr Mark Hanniffy, said “He is a highly regarded figure in both the academic and the business communities in Scotland, and his work exemplifies the tremendous contribution that the Irish diaspora is making here”.
Earlier this year Prof Tangney was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen in the 2018 New Years Honours list for his services to engineering and energy industries.
L-R Prof Martin Tangney OBE and Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Finance