IoD Isle of Man has revealed the finalists for the 2026 Director of the Year Awards, following a record number of entries across the private, public and third sectors.
Shortlisted candidates were selected by an independent judging panel, with all applications assessed against the IoD’s Director Competency Framework.
Steve Billinghurst, Chair of IoD Isle of Man, said the calibre of nominations made judging “far from easy”, adding: “It’s great to see continued interest in celebrating outstanding leaders who have excelled in areas such as sustainability and innovation.
“I wholeheartedly congratulate the finalists and look forward to celebrating their achievements on 19 June.”
Finalists
Large Business – sponsored by Canaccord Wealth
- Haseeb Qureshi (Conister Bank)
- Nina Johnston (Equiom Group Isle of Man)
- Sandra Robertson (Momentum Pensions)
Medium Business – sponsored by Crowe Isle of Man LLC
- Captain Kuba Szymanski (Ramsey Shipping Services)
- Gillian Christian (Whittles)
- Jayne Hartley (Noventre)
- Sara Collister (FIM Capital)
Small Business – sponsored by Atla Group
- Gail Yeowell (Smart HR Solutions Limited)
- Nic Le Merle (Afundi)
- Tom Gough (Proofdesk)
Aspiring – sponsored by Appleby
- Adam Belfield (AstroPay)
- Dominic Wall (UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man)
- Juliet Gomes (KPMG in the Crown Dependencies)
Sustainability – sponsored by SW Legal
- Graham Makepeace-Warne (Manx Wildlife Trust)
- Mark Emmington (Comis Hotel & Golf Resort)
- Ty Smith (Carn Advisory)
Innovation – sponsored by KPMG in the Crown Dependencies
- Antony Kelsey (Capital International)
- Chloe Chau (The Galpals Collective)
- David Cox-Cooper (Koops & Co)
- Donald Edwards (Atla Fiduciaries)
Public & Third Sector – sponsored by Conister Bank
- Cathryn Bradley (Sight Matters)
- Paul Healey BEM (Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation)
- Victoria Hotchkiss (Isle of Man FA)
This year’s gala theme, championing local, will feature Manx produce and a live interview with NOA Bakehouse founder Miles Pettit, hosted by compere Josh Stokes.
