Michael McAteer new managing partner of Grant Thornton Ireland

Grant Thornton has unveiled the new Managing Partner of its Irish arm. Michael McAteer will take on the role at the turn of the year, following a nine year stint at the accounting and consulting firm.

Global professional services firm Grant Thornton will see its Irish wing take on new leadership in 2018. The group has appointed Michael McAteer as its next Managing Partner, following the stepping down of the incumbent Paul McCann, who has served two terms in the role. McCann will continue as a Partner in the firm’s Irish Financial Services wing and also head up the European banking group of Grant Thornton International.

McAteer will assume office from January 1st, 2018, ascending from his current role as head of Advisory Services. He joined Grant Thornton in 2008, since becoming one of the highest-profile insolvency practitioners in Ireland over the past decade. His appointments have included acting as joint administrator to Quinn Insurance since 2010, as examiner to Eircom, and joint liquidator to Irish property group Treasury Holdings.

Preceding his arrival at Grant Thornton, McAteer was owner of Foster McAteer for nine years, having previously worked as a Project Manager for Wespac Banking, and having spent twin eight-year periods as an accountant at Farrell Grant Sparks and FGS. He is a member of Chartered Accountants Ireland, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, and the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies-Ireland on insolvency matters.

Commenting on his appointment, McAteer remarked, “We are in a new era of business, which is very different from the last decade, and while it is full of opportunity, there are also numerous challenges on the horizon. We are working very closely with our clients to guide them profitably through this time while also staying focused on growing our own business in a number of key sectors.”

Early in 2017, Grant Thornton reported global revenue growth of 3.3% to hit $48 billion. In Ireland, the firm has 48 partners and more than 1,200 staff at offices in Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Galway, Kildare, Limerick and Longford.

The Irish consulting industry is today estimated to be worth €676 million, up from €553 million in 2013.