Chamber president's award winner says Limerick can use 'underdog' mentality to thrive

Entrepreneur Dr Hugh O’Donnell was full of praise for his home city after he was honoured with the Limerick Chamber president’s award.

The high-profile businessman said being recognised by Limerick is “probably the best you can get”.

The engineer, who hails from Ballyneety, ​led Clonmel-based engineering firm Kentz as it expanded to become a global player in the oil services sector with 14,000 staff.

Now chairman of Ingenium, a consultancy and training firm which runs a range of leadership development programmes for small firms, as well as the head of an investment firm backing companies in areas such as green technology, oil, gas and bioscience services.

Away from this, Dr O’Donnell is involved in a huge number of social enterprises across the city, something which he admits has left him busier than ever before.

And if that was not enough, Dr O’Donnell has just taken on a role with the Limerick Twenty Thirty company, which is charged with redeveloping huge swathes of the city.

“Since I returned to Limerick in 2014, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s an amazing place. We have something very special here...a passion in people. It’s given me a great opportunity to work with these people,” he added

He believes Limerick can use its “underdog” mentality to become the “fastest growing” urban area in the country.

That’s according to leading local businessman Dr Hugh O’Donnell, who received a lifetime achievement award at this year’s Limerick Chamber Regional Business​ Awards.

Mr O’Donnell, who led engineering firm Kentz from 2,000 staff to a headcount of more than 24,000, was given the annual Limerick Chamber president's - Eoin Ryan's -award.

He said: “I sincerely believe Limerick can become the fastest growing urban economic development area in the country. I’m excited about the great opportunity and delighted to participate in so many sectors of business in our region.”

Dr O’Donnell is in auspicious company as winner of the annual lifetime achievement award following in the footsteps of the likes of Kieran Curran, Gencell, who won it last year, as well as founding UL president Dr Edward Walsh, former Finance Minister Michael Noonan  and Progressive Democrats founder Dessie O’Malley who also took the prize in recent years.

“Good choice,” he told the audience to laughter, adding he hopes to return to next year’s Limerick Chamber Regional awards.

“It's great to be recognised within Limerick, my home city.  I've been involved in lots of things internationally but to be recognised by my peers, I guess it's probably the best you can get,” he told the large audience of business leaders.