FRP expands offering into Northern Ireland with Belfast launch

Business advisory firm FRP has opened a new office in Belfast. The firm has also named Alison Hollywood as the partner who will lead FRP’s forensic offering from the locale.

FRP Advisory Group is a UK specialist business advisory firm with a team of over 740 people, including 100 partners, spread across 29 offices. It was first established in 2010 and offers a range of advisory services to companies, lenders, investors and other stakeholders, as well as individuals. Since the firm’s 2020 IPO, it has been expanding rapidly – and arriving in Belfast is part of its wider strategy to enhance its coverage and deepen its expertise in key service areas.

Hollywood said of the launch, “In the current economic climate, we’re seeing an increased demand for forensic services, particularly in disputes and investigations. FRP has built a strong reputation for advising on complex and high-profile cases, and the firm’s emphasis on team work and collaboration, combined with the ability to shape our local team and client base, were particularly attractive.”

The new Belfast office will offer FRP's full range of forensic services, with a particular emphasis on dispute resolution and investigative work. Looking ahead, Hollywood confirmed that FRP would look to become “a go-to firm for forensic services in Northern Ireland”.

Hollywood brings more than 24 years’ forensic accounting experience, specialising in complex business interruption claims and advising on quantum in a dispute situation. The new FRP partner has lived and worked in Northern Ireland for her entire career, giving her unique insight into the local market and supporting clients both in Northern Ireland, and across Scotland.

She joins from Big Four firm PwC, where she was most recently a director – and also responsible for the disputes practice in Northern Ireland and Scotland, along with leading the insurance claims offering. In her new role at FRP, Hollywood will now use that knowhow to lead the firm’s forensic services work in the same jurisdictions.

Geoff Rowley, CEO of FRP, concluded, “We’re very pleased to welcome Alison to the FRP team and to announce our expansion into Belfast. Alison’s wealth of experience and her deep roots in the local business community make her the ideal person to lead our new office. This strategic move allows us to better serve our clients in Northern Ireland while also strengthening our overall forensic services offering across the UK.”

FRP’s forensic services team has more than 50 experts, and has expanded considerably in recent years to service the dispute and investigation market. It has also been ranked in the international legal directory Chambers and Partners Litigation Support Guide for the past six years. The firm was also rated gold in the forensics category for the 2024 Consultancy.uk industry rankings.