Producer and business leader Sheila Friel has been recognised as one of the Top 50 business people of 2017 in Belfast.

Creeslough native Sheila Friel was honoured as one of the pioneering business people of the city in a gala event in October.

The Managing Director of Imagine Media Productions is now one of the Belfast Business Top 50 – a list by Belfast Media Group celebrating those who show an outstanding commitment to driving economic success in the city through entrepreneurial leadership.

Recipients of The Belfast Recipients Top 50

Sheila, a 46-year-old mum of two, is a founding member and managing director of Imagine Media, and independent television production company based in Belfast.

A communications graduate from DCU, Sheila has worked in television for over 25 years.

Sheila co-founded Imagine 17 years ago and has guided it to become an award-winning company which is highly respected in the world of television and media.

Founded in 2000, Imagine has produced content for national and international broadcasters such as BBC, TG4, ITV and RTÉ, specialising in Irish language, documentary, factual entertainment, sports and children’s programming. It brings groundbreaking documentaries and entertaining factual programmes to our screens in Irish and English languages.

Sheila has overall responsibility in the strategic development of her business, managing all content from development to delivery. She is also a producer and executive producer on many of the company’s projects herself.