Leicester City CEO Susan Whelan Named Among Ireland's Most Powerful Women

- Leicester City Chief Executive Officer Susan Whelan has been named as a Women's Executive Network (WXN) 2017 Ireland's Most Powerful Women: Top 25 award winner
- WXN identifies and celebrates the outstanding work of 25 Irish women who, by their success, encourage others to follow, be ambitious and to succeed in their trades
- Whelan has been nominated for the Business Leaders Award, an award that recognises 11 women who hold the most senior positions in Ireland’s largest companies 

Leicester City’s Chief Executive Officer Susan Whelan has been named as a winner in Ireland's Most Powerful Women: Top 25 by the Women's Executive Network (WXN).

Today, she will be acknowledged as one of 25 of Ireland’s most influential and successful women for their achievements by WXN.

Other winners on this list include Olympian Annalise Murphy, International Screenwriter, Actress and Producer Sharon Horgan, Founder and Chief Executive of Cocoa Brown Marissa Carter, Director General of RTE Dee Forbes, CEO of Beats Medical Ciara Clancy and Co-Founder of FoodCloud, a not-for-profit social enterprise, Iseult Ward.

Every year, WXN identifies and celebrates the outstanding work of 25 Irish women. These are women who, by their success, encourage others to follow, be ambitious and to succeed.

To mark this year’s awards, WXN is hosting two events: A Leadership Summit which is an afternoon of professional learning for members of the network, and an Awards Dinner during which the winners receive their awards. Together, more than 650 senior professionals will attend the two events.

“Tonight we are celebrating 25 of Ireland’s highest achieving women in diverse fields,” said Sherri Stevens, CEO of WXN.

“Our winners include an Olympic Silver Medallist, a Michelin-starred chef, many CEOs and entrepreneurs, a European Court of Human Rights Justice and a professor whose research is changing our understanding of obesity and immunity,” she said.

“All 25 are trailblazers and role models for the generations who will follow – which is why it’s very important to recognise and celebrate their great achievements,” Ms Stevens concluded.

In addition to the 25 winners, WXN will also introduce five winners to the Hall of Fame upon receiving their third Award. This allows new future leaders to emerge in subsequent years, while still recognising and honouring the achievements of these great women.

Business Leaders Award

This category recognises 11 women who hold the most senior positions in Ireland’s largest companies.

WXN creates a short list of Nominees through broad research, including research of the Top 40 companies by turnover and employee numbers as defined by the Irish Times Top 1000 companies of 2016.

- Susan Whelan, CEO, Leicester City Football Club
- Catherine Duffy, First Female Chair, A&L Goodbody
- Louise Foody, Global Marketing Director, Kingspan
- Lucy Gaffney, Chairperson, Communicorp
- Aisling Hassel, Global Head of CX, Airbnb
- Carolan Lennon, Managing Director, open eir
- Catherine Moroney, Head of Business Banking, AIB
- Dr Nuala Murphy, President, Icon Clinical Services, Icon plc
- Dr Grainne Quinn, Chief Medical Officer & EVP, Perrigo Company
- Marguerite Sayers, Managing Director, ESB Networks Ireland
- Julie Sharp, Head of Group HR, Bank of Ireland

About WXN:

The Women’s Executive Network is an innovative networking, mentoring, professional and personal development organisation which informs, inspires, connects and recognises its community of smart women and their organisations in the pursuit of excellence.

WXN enables our partners and corporate members to become and to be recognised as employers of choice and leaders in the advancement of women. It hosts Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards and Ireland’s Most Powerful Women: Top 25 Awards.

Founded in 1997, in Canada, WXN became Canada’s leading organisation dedicated to the advancement and recognition of women in management, executive, professional and board roles.

In 2008, WXN launched in Ireland, followed by London, UK in 2015, creating an international community of female leaders. WXN is a Founding Member of the Canadian Board Diversity Council, dedicated to increasing the diversity of Canada’s corporate boards.