Jan Feb 2019 Electric.ie Magazine

ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • 55 Industry News Philips Sports Manager of the Year 2018 ർ ർ Signify in Ireland (formerly Philips Lighting Ireland), the world leader in lighting, today named Joe Schmidt, Manager of the Ireland Rugby Football Union Team, as winner of the Philips Sports Manager of the Year for 2018. I n what was a stellar year for Irish sport, the judging panel – consisting of eminent representatives of Ireland’s leading sports media – had a difficult decision with regards to selecting a winner. Ultimately, the achievements of Joe Schmidt won out over the eleven other distinguished monthly winners (detailed below). In March 2018, the Ireland Rugby Football Union team won their third Six Nations Grand Slam in the country’s history – sealed with a 24-15 win against England a Twickenham, London. This was followed in June with the team’s first series win in Australia since 1979. This outstanding year for Irish Rugby was capped with a clean sweep of Autumn International wins, including a stunning first victory(16-9) over the All Blacks on Irish soil in November. Brendan Griffin, TD Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, and Joao Pola, CEO of Signify UK & Ireland, presented Mr. Schmidt with the 2018 award at a special luncheon in the Intercontinental Hotel Ballsbridge in Dublin today. In attendance were the other Sports Managers who have won Monthly Awards this year, as well as representatives from Irish Sporting Bodies, the Media and Customers of Signify. Signify became the new company name of Philips Lighting BV as of May 16, 2018. In line with this, the Sports Manager Awards will change as of 2019 to become the ‘Signify Sports Manager of the Year Awards’, as announced by UKI CEO Joao Pola today. This competition running since 1982 has always been very well attended by members of the electrical industry and this year was no exception. The Philips Sports Manager of the Year is an award for the person considered the most outstanding Irish sports manager or coach of a particular year. The award is contested by the twelve winners of the year's Philips Sports Manager of the Month Awards, which are open to Irish sports managers, trainers or coaches, or overseas-born managers of Irish teams. Annette Kealy from Signify chatting to customers Electrical Contractors and Wholesalers chatting together at the event