Kuehne+Nagel extends Pharma Industry Awards title sponsorship into a tenth year

For the tenth consecutive year, Kuehne+Nagel has been announced as title sponsor of the Pharma Industry Awards programme, which culminates with a gala awards ceremony on Thursday, November 26^th, 2026, at The Johnstown Estate in Co Meath.

Launched in 2014, the Pharma Industry Awards recognise and celebrate the most original and innovative individuals and companies that demonstrate excellence in Ireland’s pharma industry. The programme caters for entrants ranging from researchers and marketing strategists to process and formulation engineers, and from campus start-ups to the biggest names in the sector.

The awards cover 24 categories and offer an opportunity for professionals to have their work meticulously reviewed by an expert judging panel, garner recognition from peers, benchmark against competitors, and attract top talent and clients to their organisations. This year’s distinguished judging panel is once again led by judging coordinator Matt Moran, an independent consultant who founded and was director of BioPharmaChem Ireland at Ibec for 30 years.

Pharmaceuticals are the single largest contributor to Ireland’s export economy. Medical and pharmaceutical products accounted for €139 billion of the country’s record €260 billion in goods exports last year, according to the Central Statistics Office. The sector directly employs some 65,000 people and all ten of the world’s largest biopharmaceutical companies have operations in Ireland.

These multinationals are complemented by a network of contract manufacturers, research and training institutes, logistics and engineering specialists, and indigenous suppliers, many of which compete across the Pharma Industry Awards categories each year.

Headquartered in Switzerland, Kuehne+Nagel employs over 82,000 people at almost 1,300 sites in close to 100 countries. It is the world’s number one in air and sea logistics, holds strong positions in road and contract logistics, and serves some 400,000 customers, using its global network and logistics expertise to provide end-to-end supply chain solutions.

Kuehne+Nagel plays a critical role in Ireland’s biopharmaceutical ecosystem in its role as a primary strategic freight, cold-chain, and contract logistics engine connecting Irish production sites to global healthcare markets.

Kuehne+Nagel’s primary operational hub at Horizon Logistics Park adjacent to Dublin Airport is a key gateway for air freight exports of active pharmaceutical ingredients, finished drugs, and high-value biologics. In addition to air freight through Dublin and Shannon, Kuehne+Nagel coordinates temperature-controlled sea freight and overland road transport connecting Irish manufacturing facilities directly to continental European markets via direct Irish Sea shipping corridors.

Seamus Keane, VP global healthcare sales EMEA, commented: “At Kuehne+Nagel we understand the critical role innovation and collaboration play in bringing life-changing therapies to patients. As proud title sponsors of the Pharma Industry Awards, we are delighted to celebrate the organisations and individuals driving excellence across the pharmaceutical sector and helping shape the future of healthcare.”

Last year the Pharma Industry Awards event was attended by over 500 people and the shortlist for this year’s awards has been announced. Kevin O’Driscoll, director of partner programmes at awards organiser Business River, stated: “The Pharma Industry Awards celebrate the brightest and the best. Having an organisation of the calibre of Kuehne+Nagel supporting us for a tenth year is an extremely important validation of the event. Together with Kuehne+Nagel and all our sponsors and partners, we now look forward to the eagerly anticipated gala awards night in November.”