Nominated for the Hi Style Rémy Martin Men of the Year Awards 2025, Luke Gibbons is a standout name in Irish academia and climate advocacy—and he’s just getting started. From his hometown of Claremorris, County Mayo, to the halls of Harvard and the heart of Capitol Hill, Luke brings purpose, passion, and a deep connection to community into everything he does.

“Growing up in Claremorris, County Mayo gave me a deep appreciation for community, resilience, and looking out for your neighbours. It’s where I learned the importance of staying grounded and never losing sight of who you are or who you are doing the work for.”

That small-town grounding now fuels a global mission. A PhD candidate in Law and Research Ireland Scholar at Trinity College Dublin, Luke’s research explores how company directors’ duties can better respond to climate-related financial risk—spanning Ireland, the EU, US, UK, Canada, and Australia. His journey has taken him through Trinity, Oxford, Emory, the European Academy of Diplomacy and Harvard, where he studied as a Fulbright Scholar.

“Each step of the way from Trinity to Emory, Oxford, Harvard, and now the Academy has been a stepping-stone, sharpening my thinking and fuelling my belief that law can and should serve the planet as well as the people.”

Recognised as Irish Law Student of the Year, one of the Top 30 Under 30 Environmental Educators in the World, All Ireland Young Sustainability Changemaker of the Year and Young Mayo Person of the Year, Luke’s accolades reflect not just his intellect, but his impact.

“You never set out to win awards; you just try to do the right thing and work hard. But to be nominated alongside so many incredible men doing important work is humbling.”

Luke is also the founder of the Ireland America Young Professionals Network, a community of over 1,000 members across the US and Ireland, created to support young Irish professionals abroad, for which he was named as one of the Top 40 Under 40 Irish in America 2024.

“I’ll never forget the moment I graduated from Oxford, when I was completely overcome with emotion. It suddenly hit me: little old me from the west of Ireland had walked the same halls as some of history’s great minds, and somehow, I’d earned my place there.”

Through every role — whether representing Ireland at the UN, climbing a NYC skyscraper to raise funds for homelessness, or standing up for Ireland’s farming communities — Luke carries his values with pride.

“The climate crisis. That’s really the short answer,” he says when asked what drives him. “I’ve always felt a deep sense of urgency around climate justice, and that’s only grown stronger over time.”

A Climate Reality Leader appointed by Al Gore and a member of Mary Robinson’s Climate Leadership Alliance, Luke blends academic rigour with real-world advocacy.

“Imposter syndrome is a big one. In Ireland, we sometimes feel we have to tone ourselves down and that ambition is something to be embarrassed about. But I’ve learned, particularly from mentors in the U.S., that confidence isn’t arrogance, it’s just clarity about your purpose and your values.”

And that clarity is exactly what makes Luke a true Man of the Year — a trailblazer who carries the spirit of Mayo into every room he walks into, making change wherever he goes.

Photo: Luke Gibbons standing behind the desk of the Former US Vice President Kamala Harris in her office in the White House