Citco’s HR team was named HR Team of the Year at the HR Leadership & Management Awards 2026, recognised for driving strategic transformation through a commercially focused approach to people practice. The award was presented at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, on 15 October 2026, placing the team among Ireland’s leading HR functions.

The judges recognised a team that has delivered measurable outcomes while supporting wider business objectives. Their assessment centred on a client liftout case study, which showed HR acting as a genuine business partner rather than a support function working at a distance from commercial decisions.

“The judges recognised Citco’s HR team for driving strategic transformation through a commercially focused approach to people practices,” the panel said. “The team has delivered measurable outcomes while supporting wider business objectives, with the client liftout case study highlighting the role of HR as a genuine business partner. Its structured approach to data maturity and focus on employee experience demonstrate a forward thinking HR function creating meaningful organisational impact.”

The data dimension of the entry deserves particular attention. Structured approaches to data maturity allow HR teams to move from reporting what has happened to shaping what happens next, giving leaders the evidence they need to make people decisions with confidence. Judges valued that discipline alongside the team’s attention to employee experience, a combination that keeps analytical rigour connected to the people it is meant to serve.

The recognition also reflects a wider expectation across the sector. Awards increasingly look for HR teams that can demonstrate influence on commercial outcomes, not only on internal service standards. For HR leaders weighing how to position their own function, the Citco entry offers a practical reference point: define the business problem, use data to frame it, and show how the team’s work changed the result.

For organisations preparing 2027 entries, the win illustrates how a team-level submission can make a strong case when outcomes, method, and business context are presented together. Teams that can evidence their contribution in those terms are well placed to stand out.

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