Julie Ennis, CEO Corporate Services, Sodexo UK and Ireland, has won the CEO of the Year Award at the Image PwC Businesswoman of the Year Awards for 2022.
The Image Awards were established 14 years ago to honour and celebrate Ireland’s foremost female innovators and changemakers. Over 530 applications were received this year for the ten award categories, from social entrepreneurs to sustainability champions, young businesswomen and start-ups to CEOs and entrepreneurs.
Julie and members of the Sodexo Ireland management team joined over 700 people at the prestigious awards ceremony in the Clayton Hotel in Dublin on Wednesday, hosted by Melanie Morris, contributing editor at Image Media and award-winning RTE news journalist and broadcaster Bryan Dobson.
Julie received the CEO of the Year Award for her role in leading Sodexo’s UK and Ireland corporate services business through a fast, dynamic transformation which was accelerated due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Julie oversaw the repositioning of the business to offer an enhanced range of services to meet the demands of its clients and their changing workplaces, along with an increased focus on sustainability goals.
Julie said, “It’s an honour and privilege to accept the CEO of the Year award on behalf of my team because for me, it is recognition for the 10,000 people that I lead, who work tirelessly in the everyday but vital services that fuel the wellbeing and productivity of our clients, their employees and the communities we serve.
“If there is one positive to come out of the pandemic, certainly for our industry, I believe it was the spotlight that was shone on those who are the real heroes for me.
'Probably for the first time ever, the services of our frontline teams based in client workplaces, caterers, cleaners and on-site maintenance, were on the boardroom agenda of every single organisation.
'Because they formed the critical infrastructure that kept many lights on, kept many employees safe in work, kept critical manufacturing and other workplace services open, for which I’m extremely proud.”
FS News Editor Becky says, 'Huge congratulations to Julie for this terrific win! It's vital that women get the recognition they deserve for shaping the industry, ensuring it is future-fit.'