Choosing the winners of special categories is never easy, but the judges felt this year’s winner of the Outstanding Contribution to IT Award really stood out.
They said: “We are very fortunate to have an outstanding candidate for this award: Noel Brady, the founder of consultancy NB1.
“Noel started off his career in the Northern Ireland Civil Service, then ICL, then became managing director of the rapidly-growing SX3 organisation, winning many major IT contracts in UK and Ireland – then created his own consultancy business which has been hugely successful now for over 20 years.
“He’s the ultimate connector – connecting people, connecting the private sector with the public sector, helping to develop and grow the ICT industry in Northern Ireland, and also helping to create hundreds of new IT jobs.
“But what people don’t see behind the suit, braces and tie, is a lovely family man, a person with a massive heart, who cares about people and enjoys life to the full.”
Noel said he “was shocked and delighted to receive this award”.
“I have been in ICT for close to 40 years and I was honoured to be considered in this way – it means even more because the award is made by my peers in the industry.
“I was working in the NICS in the early 1980s as an organisation and method study specialist and my proposed solutions began to incorporate the use of ICT so I suppose you could say I drifted into this area.
“The ICT sector is constantly changing, that’s what makes it so exciting. The big step changes were microcomputers, the web, mobile phones and the places that AI will take us to.”
And he was full of praise for the festive atmosphere at the IT Awards, including host Andrew Ryan, the entertainment Peter Corry Productions,
“The crowd was in top form and it was great to see my old colleagues from the South Eastern Trust picking up the big prize of the night, and it was really nice to have my family with me for my award.”