The Women in Pharma Awards 2026 has unveiled its shortlist, marking a significant milestone in Ireland's pharmaceutical calendar. In its second year, the programme has established itself as the country's premier platform for honouring women's contributions to excellence, innovation, and leadership across the life sciences.

Categories span the full spectrum of the industry, from Best Female Led Team and Excellence in Senior Leadership across pharma, life sciences, and contract services to Rising Star of the Year and Workplace of the Year, reflecting the breadth of achievement driving sector progress.

The awards also include specialised categories for leadership in clinical operations, education and mentoring, supply chain and logistics, engineering and manufacturing, finance, HR, marketing and communications, quality, sales and commercial, and site leadership, alongside two special honours: the Overall Leader Award and the Legacy Award, which will both be announced at the ceremony.

The judging panel is led by Aoife Callan, Head of Market Access & External Affairs at Takeda Ireland, serving as Judging Coordinator. Aoife brings extensive experience across pharma, academia, and the tech sector, and was recently awarded the Women in Pharma award at the Irish Pharma Industry Awards in 2024.

Callan is joined by distinguished judges including senior academics from University College Cork and South East Technological University, pharmaceutical industry executives holding global quality and leadership positions, research scientists and principal investigators, healthcare sector leaders, and innovative entrepreneurs from the medtech and AI sectors.

The panel is carefully selected to ensure the awards judging process is fair and objective, with judges bound by strict confidentiality agreements and required to declare any conflict of interest, ensuring the integrity of the evaluation process.

The awards ceremony will take place on 29 April 2026 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, where senior leaders, strategists, researchers, and innovators will gather for a business formal dinner and networking event. A thought-provoking panel discussion will bring together award-winning industry leaders, visionaries, and change-makers who will share expertise, insights, and predictions on the most pressing topics shaping the future of women in pharma.

Shortlisted finalists benefit from elevated national profiles, whilst winners will receive extensive media coverage and take home a trophy signifying excellence and influence in the pharmaceutical community.

Explore the full shortlist by category and discover the contenders for Best Female Led Team, Excellence in Senior Leadership, and all specialised categories celebrating women's leadership across Ireland's pharmaceutical sector.