Appointments

New and notable appointments at Mercer Ireland, Neotas Limited, McGill and Partners, Forvis Mazars, Connelly Partners, BDO Ireland and Deloitte Ireland

By Business & Finance
06 March 2025
Pictured (from l-r) left to right: Grace Guy, Head of Master Trusts & Regulatory Affairs; Paul Kenny, Wealth Leader; John Mercer, Chief Executive Officer; Emma O’Mahony, Senior Risk Manager and Garry Clark, Senior Client Director, Mercer Ireland

This week sees new and notable appointments at Mercer Ireland, Neotas Limited, McGill and Partners, Forvis Mazars, Connelly Partners, BDO Ireland and Deloitte Ireland.

Grace Guy, Garry Clark and Emma O’Mahony, Head of Master Trust and Regulatory Affairs, Senior Client Director and Senior Risk Manager,
Mercer Ireland,

Mercer, a global consulting and investments leader and a business of Marsh McLennan, has announced three senior appointments at Mercer Ireland.
Grace Guy has been appointed as Head of Master Trust and Regulatory Affairs, Garry Clark has joined as a Senior Client Director and Emma O’Mahony has joined as a Senior Risk Manager.
Ms Guy joins Mercer from the Pensions Authority, where she held the role of Head of Supervision and Enforcement. A practicing solicitor, Ms Guy has worked for over 20 years in the pensions industry. She has extensive expertise in pensions scheme governance, regulatory and policy developments and a wealth of experience in leading large change initiatives including the roll-out of the IORP II Directive by the Pensions Authority between 2021 and 2024.
A Scottish native, Mr Clark has over 30 years of experience in the pensions industry, both in the UK and Ireland.
He has worked in Ireland for over 20 years and has recently re-joined Mercer having spent the last 18 years with Aon, most recently as its Head of Consulting, Dublin. During his time in Ireland, he worked with trustees and representatives of some of the largest indigenous and multinational companies to design, manage and deliver their occupational pension schemes.
Ms O’Mahony has more than 20 years of experience in the pensions industry and has worked as an actuary and consultant for Irish, UK and cross-border pension schemes. Most recently, she was an in-house Pension Risk Manager and Scheme Secretary with the National Treasury Management Agency.

Paul Kenny, Wealth Leader at Mercer Ireland, said: “The retirement saving landscape in Ireland continues to evolve. It has been subject to a significant level of change in recent years, and this is likely to accelerate in the months and years ahead. Companies, trustees and pension scheme members need solutions that are forward looking and future proofed. We are delighted to announce the appointments of Grace, Garry and Emma, who we believe will play a key role in Mercer’s ongoing commitment to developing innovative retirement solutions and delivering exceptional client service”.

Jonathan Campbell, Head of Sales,
Neotas Limited,

Neotas Limited has announced the appointment of Jonathan Campbell as its new Head of Sales.
In this role, Jonathan Campbell will oversee the global sales strategy, focusing on expanding Neotas’ presence in key markets, fostering strategic partnerships, and ensuring exceptional client satisfaction. He will work closely with the executive team to align sales initiatives with the company’s mission of empowering organizations with actionable insights to mitigate risks and make informed decisions.
“We are delighted to welcome Jonathan Campbell to the Neotas family,” said Vipul Mishra, CEO of Neotas Limited. “His extensive experience and dynamic leadership will be instrumental in accelerating our growth and delivering value to our clients worldwide. This appointment underscores our commitment to building a world-class team that drives innovation and excellence.”

Jonathan Campbell expressed enthusiasm about joining Neotas, stating, ” Having seen the technology first hand, I am excited to be part of a company that is at the forefront of transforming due diligence and third-party risk management. Neotas’ innovative approach using the latest AI and its commitment to client success are truly inspiring, and I look forward to contributing to its continued growth and success.”

John Barry and Jack Farrell, Partners,
McGill and Partners,

McGill and Partners has appointed John Barry and Jack Farrell as partners in specialty broking in Ireland.
John Barry joins McGill and Partners from WTW (previously Coyle Hamilton), where he was the Head of their Financial Lines and Construction Practices for over 30 years. John has experience in complex D&O programmes for both private and public companies, as well as looking after their professional indemnity, crime and cyber needs. He also provides insurance advisory and due diligence services to funders, government agencies and has extensive experience as an Authority Insurance Advisor on most of the PPPs (public-private partnerships) in Ireland to date.
Jack Farrell also joins from WTW, where he was the Corporate Broker and Construction Industry Leader. Jack originally qualified as a quantity surveyor before moving into insurance.  He has over 11 years of experience delivering insurance advisory, programme design, and placement requirements for a variety of large developer, contractor, and funder clients.
In their new roles, they will play a key part in building McGill and Partners’ business in Ireland and Europe, particularly in the construction sector for both contractors and developers and including Single Project Insurance, PPPs and Latent Defects. John will concentrate on financial lines with particular focus on aviation, insurance due diligence and large property risks. Jack will focus on supporting and developing the European property and construction specialty, concentrating on large and complex risks.

Stephen Cross, Head of Innovation and Strategy at McGill and Partners said: “John and Jack have extensive experience in placing insurance for businesses with complex needs and providing high-level advisory services. Therefore, they are perfectly placed to grow our specialty broking arm in Ireland. We are delighted to have them join our expanding team and look forward to working with them.”

Ashish Apte, Director in International Tax Team,
Forvis Mazars,

Forvis Mazars has announced the appointment of Ashish Apte as a Director in the firm’s International Tax Team, specialising in transfer pricing. Apte’s expertise will further strengthen Forvis Mazars’ capabilities in this rapidly growing area, enhancing the firm’s strategic offerings to meet the evolving needs of our global clients.

Apte has extensive experience in assisting clients with transfer pricing documentation and in providing strategic advice on global transfer pricing matters, including the development of transfer pricing policies, cost allocation strategies, intangibles management, value chain analysis and operating model optimisation. Ashish has also represented clients during audits, Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) and Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP) processes.

Claire Healy, International Tax & Transfer Pricing Partner, commented on his appointment: “We are delighted to welcome Ashish to the team. He brings a wealth of experience in addressing transfer pricing challenges across Western Europe and India. His expertise will further strengthen our international tax team, enhancing the support we provide to clients in this increasingly complex tax landscape. We are confident that Ashish will prove to be an invaluable asset to the firm, driving continued success and growth in this critical area.”

Sam Moorhead and Mikey Fleming, Co-Creative Directors,
Connelly Partners,

Connelly Partners has bolstered its creative team, appointing Sam Moorhead and Mikey Fleming as Co-Creative Directors. This follows a strong start to 2025 as the agency has won competitive pitches including Waterways Ireland, University of Galway, The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth (DCEDIY), and been added to The Health Service Executive (HSE) agency framework.

Moorhead and Fleming have been a creative team since 2011, partnering at TBWA/Ireland, Boys + Girls, and later founding Verve’s in-house agency, Showrunner. Their work for brands like Three Mobile, Aldi, SKODA, Lyons Tea, Tayto, VHI, and LEGO have earned multiple awards.

They join the Executive Creative Director (ECD) Mike Garner and digital specialist and Creative Director, Chris Preston. This creative team makes up part of Connelly Partners’ global offering overseen by Chief Creative Officer (CCO) Alyssa Toro and Dublin’s Managing Director (MD) Vaunnie McDermott. This expansion marks the beginning of a period of growth for the agency with more creative roles planned for the coming months.

“Connelly Partners is on a roll, strengthening our end-to-end offering across strategy, creative, production, social and digital. Our integrated approach based on really understanding the customer journey has powered our momentum, driving strong business results for our clients,” said McDermott. “Sam and Mikey’s long-standing partnership has earned them a reputation for crafting campaigns that are anything but ordinary and built on solid strategy. Their creativity combined with the power of AI is exactly what we need to continue driving commercial success.”

Siobhán Phelan, Patrick Glover, Donal Ryan and Richard Sammon, Partners in the Audit department,
BDO Ireland,

BDO Ireland has appointed four new partners to strengthen its leadership team.
The expansion of BDO’s leadership team reinforces the firm’s ability to support clients with professionals who bring deep industry knowledge and a results-driven approach. The new partners will join the Audit department, ensuring BDO continues to provide industry-leading expertise and tailored solutions to businesses across Ireland.
Siobhán Phelan has been appointed as a Partner within the firm’s Audit department. She has over 17 years of experience in the provision of audit, financial reporting, and advisory services, having previously worked at Deloitte. She also has extensive experience of International Financial Reporting Standards, FRS102 and Irish Company Law. She has advised major corporates on acquisitions, disposals, restructuring, and complex tax accounting. Phelan’s skillset also comes with a wealth of audit transition experience, having overseen transitions for several significant firms further enhancing the firm’s offerings.
Patrick Glover joins the firm as a Partner within the firm’s Audit practice, strengthening BDO’s capabilities in assurance and advisory services. Previously with PwC, Patrick Glover has extensive experience advising UCITS and alternative asset management clients from both US and European investment managers, spanning diverse strategies and structures. He also has extensive experience conducting audits for management companies, major international leasing firms, and special purpose vehicles.
Donal Ryan also joins the firm’s Audit practice as a Partner, bringing extensive experience in asset management and financial services. Before joining BDO, he worked at PwC, where he specialised in auditing and advising asset management companies, UCITS, alternative investment funds (AIFs), special purpose vehicles (SPVs), hedge funds, private equity firms, and securitisations. His deep industry knowledge and technical expertise make him a valuable addition to BDO’s financial services team, where he will continue to support clients in navigating the complexities of the sector.
Richard Sammon joins the firm’s Audit department from PwC, bringing with him 24 years of experience in audit and financial reporting. Throughout his career, he has managed a substantial portfolio of clients across a wide range of industry sectors, including software development, supply chain solutions, distribution, not-for-profit, and professional services. In addition to his audit expertise, Sammon has extensive experience in delivering non-audit assurance services, including accounting advice on acquisitions and group restructuring activities. He has also played a key role in supporting family businesses with succession planning and business ownership transitions. Richard’s depth of experience and client-focused approach makes him a valuable addition to the department.

Commenting on the appointments, Brian McEnery, Managing Partner at BDO Ireland, said: “We are delighted to welcome these outstanding professionals to the BDO team. Their expertise, leadership, and commitment to excellence align perfectly with our mission to deliver superior service and strategic insights to our clients. These appointments also highlight our focus on nurturing talent and expanding our capabilities to meet the evolving needs of businesses in Ireland, which is essential as we continue our journey under our future Growth Strategy. Their leadership will play a pivotal role in supporting BDO’s clients as they navigate complex business landscapes and pursue growth opportunities. I look forward to the contributions they will make as we continue to drive excellence and high impact advisory services in our industry.”

Caroline O’Driscoll and Tom Maguire, Adjunct Professors,
Deloitte Ireland,

Deloitte Ireland has announced two Deloitte Tax & Legal partners have been appointed as Adjunct Professors in two of Ireland’s leading universities.

Caroline O’Driscoll, Deloitte partner and Co-Founder of award-winning social enterprise I Wish, has been appointed Adjunct Professor in University College Cork, within the College of Business and Law.

Tom Maguire, Deloitte partner and published author, has been appointed as Adjunct Full Professor in Tax Policy at UCD Smurfit School.

“Tax is a critical issue domestically and internationally. One only has to look at the pace of change in the past few years as we and other countries sought to adhere to OECD agreements and other policy developments. These in turn feed into our annual Budgets and Finance Acts. It is an increasingly fascinating space to work in, so I am delighted to be joining UCD Smurfit School as an Adjunct Full Professor in Tax Policy.

“I look forward to collaborating with the UCD team and to engaging with students,” said Tom Maguire.

Caroline O’Driscoll said: “Like many of my generation, I was the first in my family to go to university. When I graduated with my law degree, I knew what an incredible opportunity I had in front of me. I was determined to take it. Education is one of life’s great levellers, it has allowed me to participate at the table in a way my parents never had the chance to.

“I am passionate about education and I have spent the last 10 years advocating for equality in STEM education for girls through the organisation I co-founded, I Wish. I am delighted and honoured to support students on their journey by joining by my alma matter, University College Cork, as Adjunct Professor.”

Commenting on the appointments, Daryl Hanberry, Head of Tax & Legal, Deloitte Ireland, said: “Tom and Caroline’s appointments are well-deserved. Not only are they committed and authoritative tax practitioners, they are also leaders within the business community who are both committed to supporting the current and next generation of professionals. I know they will both continue to make an impact that matters in these new roles.”

Beyond Maguire ‘s advisory work, he is an author and thought leader in Irish Tax policy. He has a bi-weekly column in the Business Post and has written several books, including the highly-regarded ‘Irish Capital Gains Tax’. This features a foreword by the then Minister for Finance and current EU Commissioner Michael McGrath.

He is also the author of Bloomsbury’s leading texts for those working in tax – “Irish Income Tax” and “The Taxation of Companies”. Both are recognised as the most authoritative commentary on those taxes in Ireland with the latter containing a foreword by Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe recognising Tom’s authorship.

O’Driscoll has over 25 years’ experience advising companies on inward and outward investment in the technology sector.

In a voluntary capacity, O’Driscoll is the co-founder of the social enterprise I Wish (Inspiring women in STEM), she is a former chairperson of the technology industry group it@cork and was a member of the Department of Education’s STEM advisory group for better gender balance in post primary education.

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