Irish names on 30-under-30 list of ‘talented young visionaries’

Fashion designer Róisín Pierce, Nasa research scientist Caoimhe Rooney and Abhilash Borana, the founder of Shannon-based Fáilte Solar, are among the "talented young visionaries" named in this year's Forbes magazine's annual 30 Under 30 Europe list.

Ms Pierce, the founder and creative director of her eponymous womenswear label, was named as one of the rising stars in the art and culture category after establishing her brand in 2020.

The Dublin-based designer, originally from Co Galway, was earlier this year named as a finalist for the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers, while in 2019 she received the Chanel Prix des Métiers d'art's inaugural award.

Dr Rooney, from Belfast, is the sole mathematician within a group of astrophysicists based in the Nasa Ames centre in Silicon Valley that is studying the atmospheres of planets beyond our solar system.

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She is also the co-founder of Mathematigals, an educational initiative to boost representation of women and girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) subjects. She tweeted that she was “thrilled and honoured” to be listed in the science and healthcare category and “fortunate to be doing the work I love at Nasa”.

Mr Borana, originally from India, came to Ireland to complete his master’s degree in international commercial law and stayed to co-found Fáilte Solar, a fast-growing wholesaler of solar power equipment based in Shannon’s Western Business Park.

He was named in the manufacturing and industry category that hails under-30s who are “creating the products, methods and materials of tomorrow”.

‘Coach at heart’

Also on the list, in the technology category, is Nigerian-Irish businessman Oshobugie (Bobby) Idogho. A former Deloitte consultant, Mr Idogho, who moved to Ireland from Nigeria at the age of seven, is the co-founder and chief executive of the London-based Radically Digital, a technology consulting firm with more than 50 employees that also has offices in Lisbon.

Rochita Dua, from Delhi, who is a senior international growth consultant for Google at its European headquarters in Dublin, was included in the media and marketing category. Ms Dua, a “coach at heart”, has educated more than 10,000 people about digital advertising, helping start-ups and agencies.

The full Forbes list names 300 people, across 10 categories, who are under 30 and “inspiring change and driving innovation” in their respective fields. Some 59 per cent are founders or co-founders whose companies have collectively raised more than $2 billion (€1.89 billion) in funding.

Among the well-known names on this year's list are Bridgerton actor Simone Ashley, pop star Griff and the members of the Italian rock band Maneskin, who won the Eurovision Song Contest for Italy in 2021 with their song Zitti E Buoni (Shut Up and Behave).

Since their victory, the quartet have gone viral on TikTok with a cover version of Beggin' by The Four Seasons, starred in a Gucci ad campaign, performed at the Coachella festival and opened for the Rolling Stones in Las Vegas.

Sports personalities named by Forbes include Paris Saint Germain forward Kylian Mbappé, Liverpool winger Mo Salah, the women's top-ranked tennis player Iga Swiatek and reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu.