County Down entrepreneur Connaire McGreevy has been named Northern Ireland’s Young Business Personality of the Year at the 2015 UTV Business Eye Awards.

The awards, which are one of the most prestigious events on the business calendar, honour the high achievers in the business community.

33-year old Connaire McGreevy from Rostrevor is the founder and sole shareholder of two successful businesses; CTS Project Ltd (construction and heating specialists) and Mourne Mountains Brewery Ltd (craft beer brewer).

Richard Buckley, awards judge and editor of Business Eye said: “Connaire was the stand out candidate in a very strong entry for Young Business Personality of the Year.

“The development and growth of CTS Projects, and the company’s innovative approach were impressive as a standalone. But, when combined with his launch and early stage growth of the Mournes Mountain Brewery, he had a clear edge over other contenders in a hard-fought category.”

Commenting on the win, Connaire McGreevy said: “I’m really delighted to receive this award, particularly given the strength of the competition. I started CTS Projects just after leaving university and it was difficult at first to be taken seriously due to my young age.

“The other big obstacle was getting the credit I needed to win bigger contracts as I started out just at the beginning of the banking crisis. Where there’s a will there’s a way though, and thanks to a lot of hard work and my refusal to let a challenge get the better of me, CTS Projects has now been in business for ten years.”

Connaire’s second business, the Mourne Mountains Brewery was officially launched in 2015 with a core range of five quality craft beers made with the beautiful Mournes water.

“It was around this time last year that I decided to turn my passion for the finest craft beer into a business, and began the process of setting up the Mourne Mountains Brewery. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved so far and the feedback on our beers has been great.

“I’m fortunate to have a great team around me, without whom it would have been impossible to build a business to the size that CTS is now. The team is what drives me to be the best I can be and I’m very grateful for their hard work and support. The future looks bright for both businesses and I’m looking forward to what 2016 has in store,” he added.