Cork Chamber Honours the Late John Mullins with Outstanding Contribution to Business Award

Cork Chamber, the voice of business in Cork, has announced the late John Mullins as the posthumous recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Business Award 2025. Presented at the Cork Chamber Dublin Dinner at the Clayton Burlington Hotel, the award recognises John’s exceptional leadership in business, his deep commitment to public and civic life, and his enduring impact on Cork and Ireland.

A past President of Cork Chamber, John was an influential business and civic figure. As Group CEO of Bord Gáis, his leadership led the company’s expansion into electricity and renewables. In 2013, he co-founded Amarenco, building it into a major international solar energy company.

John was a Fellow of Engineers Ireland and the Irish Academy of Engineering and was awarded the Légion d’Honneur by the French Government in recognition of his contribution to Europe’s solar energy market.
Beyond business, John was deeply committed to public service, civic engagement and community leadership. He chaired the Port of Cork through a transformative redevelopment, served on the boards of Tyndall National Institute, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Energycloud, Anam Cara and Wisetek, and contributed passionately to organisations including the Alliance Française de Cork, where he served as President from 2017 to 2022.

A lifelong believer in public participation, John served as President of Young Fine Gael and later acted as a party trustee and director of elections and stood as a candidate in the 2024 European Elections.

Rob Horgan, President of Cork Chamber said, “John Mullins was a leader who understood the power of collaboration. He brought people together, across sectors, across communities, across beliefs, and he did so with energy, integrity and a deep love for Cork. His influence was felt in boardrooms, in government circles, and in the many civic and community organisations where he gave so generously of his time. John’s legacy is one of connection and possibility, and it is a privilege to recognise him with this award.”

Accepting award on behalf of the Mullins family, John’s brother, Pat Mullins said, “On behalf of the Mullins family, my sincere thanks to Cork Chamber for this award. John had an extraordinary capacity to imagine what could be achieved, and the determination to make it happen. Ambition and drive were not things he learned, they were part of who he was. He cared deeply about his homeplace, about Cork and Ireland, and he carried that pride into everything he did. His legacy lives on in the projects he led, the people he inspired and the organisations he helped shape. We are deeply proud to see that legacy celebrated here tonight.”

Conor Healy, CEO of Cork Chamber, said, “John was not only a past President of Cork Chamber, he was a colleague, a mentor and a great friend to so many of us. He combined business leadership with a strong sense of public duty, contributing meaningfully to national policy, regional development and community life. From Bord Gáis to Amarenco, from the Port of Cork to his many charitable and civic roles, he strengthened every organisation he touched. John believed in Cork’s potential and he worked tirelessly to help realise it. This award honours a life defined by service, innovation and remarkable generosity of spirit.”

Ronan Murray, EY Cork Office Managing Partner, “John was an exceptional leader and entrepreneur whose vision and drive to innovate made a lasting mark on Cork, on Ireland and on the sectors he helped to transform. He was a valued alumnus of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme and he truly embodied the ambition and energy that define that community. EY is proud to support this recognition of his legacy.”

The Outstanding Contribution to Business Award is presented annually by Cork Chamber to an individual whose leadership and influence have made a profound contribution to business and society in Cork and Ireland.

John Mullins now joins a distinguished list of past recipients, including Seán O’Driscoll (Glen Dimplex), Cathy Kearney (Apple), Jim Barry (Barry Group), Darina Allen, (Ballymaloe), Jim Woulfe (Dairygold), Bob Savage (Dell), Linda and Dan Kiely (Voxpro now Telus), Anne O’Leary (formerly of Vodafone, now Meta), Frank Boland and Pat McGrath (PM Group).