Grant Thornton Cork announces substantial growth as it celebrates 10 years in business

Grant Thornton Cork has announced it plans to grow its people to 400 by the year 2025, as part of its ongoing growth and expansion ambitions.

The target was announced at a celebration event at the firm’s office at Penrose Dock, marking 10 years in business in the city. Grant Thornton Cork first opened its doors in 2013, offering just two service lines.

Since then, the firm’s service offerings have rapidly expanded in line with increasing client demand, providing wide-ranging top-quality service in the areas of Audit, Tax, Advisory, Financial Accounting Advisory Services and Financial Services Advisory.

That increased demand from local, national, and international clients has also seen steady growth in people numbers, with 272 staff now employed at Grant Thornton Cork, including four partners: Michael Nolan, Denise O’Connell, Gerard Walsh and Shane O’Neill.

The firm continues to build its dynamic and diverse workforce, this year bringing on international hires as well as 35 graduates, which is reflective of the diverse clientele it serves, from small businesses to large US companies. Significant economic growth in the local economy has seen up to 30% growth in core Cork work, while the move to working and doing business remotely has led to an exponential growth in FDI and international work.

Speaking at the 10th anniversary celebration event, Michael Nolan, Audit and Assurance Partner at Grant Thornton’s Cork office said: “I am delighted to celebrate 10 years in business in Cork, in what is a real milestone for myself, all of the Cork team, and for the firm as a whole.

“We started out as a small team in the city’s South Mall, before finding our new home at Penrose Dock in 2020, to facilitate the forecasted significant growth and our rapidly increasing workforce, and we haven’t looked back. Ten years on, we remain the first large professional services firm to open in Cork since the 1970’s.

“Reflecting on the past decade, I am immensely proud of the diverse and talented workforce that we have built in the past ten years, and the workplace culture that we have created in the process, building a team who have long-term careers ahead of them with opportunities to develop.

“Looking forward, I am excited to further build our innovative and dynamic team and continue to offer top quality services to our clients and businesses in Cork, nationally and internationally.”

The growth at the Cork office is reflective of the wider expansion at Grant Thornton Ireland, which announced that its turnover will hit €300m by the end of the year, exceeding planned targets, while its workforce has grown to 3,000, having created more than 1,500 new jobs in the past two years. The professional services firm also expects to welcome 370 new graduates into the firm by the end of 2023.

2023 will also see the term of current Managing Partner Michael McAteer come to a close after seeing the firm through its largest growth period on record.