Another Galway business, Novate, was acquired in a deal that could earn its investors up to $150 million (€131 million). It was a good year for chief executive Siobhán Talbot as well. The veteran finance executive took one of the most coveted banking jobs in the State this month when he was appointed as AIB chief executive. Smurfit Kappa, led by chief executive Tony Smurfit, fought off an unwanted €9 billion takeover approach from US rival International Paper. A series of write-downs in the business led to a record full-year loss of nearly £500 million (€553 million) at the struggling retailer.

Source: The Irish Times December 25, 2018 15:45 UTC