By Business & Finance 
Pictured: David O’Kelly, Corporate Finance Partner, KPMG.
KPMG closed the highest number of merger and acquisition deals in Ireland during 2019.
KPMG closed the highest number of merger and acquisition deals in Ireland during 2019 according to the latest Mergermarket Global and Regional M&A report.
The report, which includes country analysis and league tables for Ireland, shows that KPMG advised on 17 deals in Ireland during 2019, the highest number of deals closed by any advisor in Ireland.
Notable deals closed by KPMG over the course of the year included:
- Sale of a minority stake in Beauparc Utility Group to the Blackstone Group
- Acquisition of US based Project Service LLC, by an Applegreen plc and IST3 led consortium
- Acquisition by ESB of a 50% interest in Coillte’s wind development business
- Disposal of Delice de France by Aryzta plc
- Sale of Gortahile Wind Farm to Greencoat Renewables Plc
- Sale of MAAS Aviation to Egeria B.V.
- Minority investment in Shorecal Limited by a family office and Dominos Pizza Group plc
- Acquisition of Robert Smyth & Sons by Fane Valley
Commenting on the league table results, David O’Kelly, Corporate Finance Partner, KPMG said:
2019 was another strong year for deal-making in Ireland and we are delighted to have advised on the highest number of these deals. Looking to 2020, new research we are conducting with the deal-making community in Ireland indicates confidence in another strong year. The research results will be published later this month in our M&A Outlook 2020 report, charting trends in the sector for the year ahead.”
KPMG announced this week that it will create 800 new jobs over the coming year, across the company’s offices in Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Galway. KPMG currently employs 3,300 people in Ireland, up from 2,000 just six years ago.
