The gold medal acknowledges his leadership in advancing the European ideal throughout a career dedicated to promoting cooperation and shared prosperity.
In partnership with the global CEO advisory firm Teneo, the Trinity Long Room Hub’s European Laureate Award acknowledges figures – both Irish and international – whose careers epitomise the best about Europe and all it represents. In November 2025, former Taoiseach Enda Kenny was the inaugural gold medal recipient.
Danny McCoy
Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub Professor Patrick Geoghegan said:
“The Trinity Long Room Hub is delighted to recognise Danny McCoy’s contribution to public service through his long-standing commitment to Europe and the ideals and values it represents. Through his advocacy with Ibec and his work as an economist and adviser, he has helped reaffirm Ireland’s place at the centre of a shared European home. Thanks to his leadership, Irish business has developed a strong, credible and influential voice in national and European policymaking.”
“Danny McCoy’s career exemplifies how economic expertise can serve society, and how business leadership can serve the common good. During the debates over Brexit, he was a consistent and active champion of cooperation, stability, and the protection of existing relationships and the avoidance of a hard border on this island. A strong proponent of all-island economic cooperation, he has contributed significantly to peace and reconciliation, and his work on the Joint Business Council, representing business across the island, has underpinned the economic foundations of the peace process.”
The longest-serving leader of a national business organisation on the Executive Council of Business Europe, Danny McCoy has worked closely with successive Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, as well as with the European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund.
Appointed a Cavaliere of the Order of the Star of Italy for services to European business, he was also elected a Member of the Royal Irish Academy, and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Business at Trinity College Dublin.
Gary McCann, Frances Fitzgerald, Danny McCoy, and Patrick Geoghegan
Professor Patrick Geoghegan welcomed guests and members of the public to an award ceremony on 23 April 2026 at the Trinity Long Room Hub. Danny McCoy was presented with the gold medal by Gary McGann, Chairman of Teneo’s Advisory Board, followed by an address by the awardee.
The event also included a panel discussion on ‘Ireland, Europe and the Future of Business’ chaired by Conor Brophy, Managing Director of Teneo. Panellists will include Dr. Frances Ruane MRIA, former Director of the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI); Richie Boucher, former CEO of Bank of Ireland; and Frances Fitzgerald, former Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, MEP, and Senior Advisor at Teneo.
Mick O’Keeffe, CEO of Teneo, Ireland said:
“Danny McCoy has made an exceptional contribution to Irish and European business life, combining economic insight with a deep commitment to cooperation, dialogue and shared prosperity. Teneo is proud to partner with the Trinity Long Room Hub and we are delighted to celebrate Danny’s achievements and his enduring contribution to the European ideal, and honour him with this prestigious Trinity European Laureate Award. He is a most deserving recipient.
Danny McCoy said:
“I am truly honoured to receive the prestigious Trinity European Laureate Award and to follow in the footsteps of such an outstanding previous recipient. I accept this award on behalf of my colleagues at Ibec, who have helped shape the organization into what it is today- enabling us to exert significant influence in Europe on the issues that matter most to Irish business.
Through my involvement with BusinessEurope, I have seen firsthand the positive role that European business plays in enabling a fairer, united, and prosperous Europe for all its citizens, as well as in tackling critical challenges such as competitiveness, digital readiness, and, more recently, the areas of security, defence, and resilience- something I have been able to support through my recent appointment as Chair of the Business Europe Security & Defence Taskforce.”