TU Dublin Students Win IHI National Business Management Game
A team of students from TU Dublin has been crowned overall winner of the 41st annual Irish Hospitality Institute (IHI) National Business Management Game, held at the Conrad Dublin.
The winning TU Dublin team, Diana Dumitrescu (Team Captain), Anthony Austin, Catriona Kelly, Saoirse Daly and Stuart Hession, competed against leading hospitality students from across Ireland to secure first place in the prestigious national competition.
The intensive two-day event began on Sunday, 1 March and brought together teams from Atlantic Technological University, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Technological University Dublin and two teams representing Shannon College of Hotel Management.
Throughout the competition, participants tackled three industry-focused challenges designed to test their ability to apply commercial, strategic and leadership skills in realistic business scenarios.
Speaking about the event, IHI President Ciara Drohan said:
The Business Game is a flagship event in the IHI, education and industry calendars. It brings together some of the country’s most talented and ambitious hospitality students, challenging them to step beyond the classroom and into the realities of business leadership.
The competition sharpens strategic decision-making, strengthens innovative thinking, and develops the leadership and commercial acumen our industry demands. Fundamentally, it bridges the gap between theory and practice, transforming academic knowledge into real-world application, where judgement, agility and teamwork truly matter.
Ciara also acknowledged the contribution of the judging panel, chaired by Ivan King, CEO of Luttrellstown Castle. The panel also included Deirdre McDonald, Veronica Timlin and Leona McGarry, who shared their expertise and time in support of the event.
As part of the programme, students also attended a seminar titled Hospitality 360: More Than a Profession, chaired by Charlie Sheil. The discussion featured industry leaders including Micheal Jacobi, Leah Gunn, Matti Reuter and Micheal Quinn, who shared insights from their professional journeys and perspectives on careers in hospitality.
Congratulations also to TU Dublin lecturers Dr Clement H. Ryan and Dr John Ryan for their support and guidance of the winning team.