Rita Shah - founder and director of Shabra Plastics, Monaghan

Kenyan-born Rita Shah -  founder and director of Shabra Plastics in Monaghan – has been announced as the overall winner of the inaugural permanent tsb Ethnic Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Programme.  Ms. Shah received her award from President Mary McAleese in an awards ceremony in Dublin Tuesday night.

Ms Shah set up Shabra Plastics in Monaghan in 1986. The company recycles and manufacturers plastic products and is the number one recycler of plastic waste in Ireland.  In addition to winning the overall prize, Ms. Shah was selected as the winner in her category for Technology Entrepreneur of the Year.

Speaking at the event, chief executive of permanent tsb and main sponsor of the event Denis Casey said “we are delighted to present Ms Shah with this award. Ms Shah is an excellent example of entrepreneurial spirit among the ethnic community and is a wonderful role model for all entrepreneurs and also for women in business.” 

Other Award Winners on the night included Juan Jimenez of Bella Cuba Restaurant who won Best Service Ethnic Entrepreneur of the Year. Emerging Ethnic Entrepreneur of the Year was won by Olga and Jimmy Gashi for Word Perfect Translation Services Ltd. The Technology Entrepreneur of the Year award went to Rita Shah of Shabra Plastics. Social Ethnic Entrepreneur of the Year was won by Salome Mbugua from AkiDwA (a non governmental network for African women living in Ireland).Finally the Best Business Idea of the Year went to Aiyshas Spice House owner and Director Hafeez Rehman.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, programme coordinator and Editor of Metro Eireann Chinedu Onyejelem said “These awards are strong evidence of the type of contribution immigrants in Ireland are making. Going by what I have seen, I am very optimistic that in no time, many ethnic entrepreneurs here will become household names.”

The judging panel at the event included leading business figures including Denis Casey Chief executive permanent tsb., John Bowen Director The Bowen Group, Lucy Gaffney Chairperson Communicorp,  Seán O Sullivan Acting Chief Executive South Cork Enterprise Board, and Wilberforce Owusu-Ansah Enterprise Training and Development officer EMERGE .

Individual prizes at the event were sponsored by permanent tsb, The Bowen Group, Newstalk 106-108, Tullow Oil, Communicorp and The Irish Times.