The nominees are: Deirdre Ashe of Vivas Health - an organisation no stranger to risk-taking and outward-looking innovative attitudes. Maurice Breen of C&C for the Magners brand - which when you consider that it has become the marketing story of the year for these islands, transforming a park life bevvie into a luvvie fave over ice and sending C&C shares into orbit as a result, has to be the presumptive favourite.

Also nominated are Loretta Lambkin of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, which we admit has done far better with that damned riverboat than we expected, and Fintan Lonergan of Aer Lingus, who if nothing else deserves a medal for meritorious service in the face of merciless airstrikes from the O'Leary air force.

The winner will be announced at a presentation lunch in One Pico this Thursday.