The Grant Thornton Ireland team comprises approximately 3,000 people, with over 400 professionals working within the Consulting practice including 11 partners. Our core focus is on guiding a local and international client base through the essential transformations in today’s evolving business landscape. We place transformation excellence at the core of our services and complement this with specialist resources across sustainability, technology, risk, strategy, economic advisory, and people and change.
As partner, I lead our conduct and banking and capital markets regulatory risk offering in the financial services sector. I bring my sectoral experience as a former banker and regulator to the role, driving solutions for clients across industries. This involves responding to the needs of clients across all areas of risk and regulatory change, mainly focused on banking, asset management, insurance, and payments industries.
Regulatory expectations are now core to institutions’ strategic considerations
I feel fortunate to work with brilliant people who are committed to supporting our clients in providing practical solutions to complex issues. Regulatory policy and the pace of change has moved forward at a ferocious speed, and so has the industry’s attitude and approach to implementation. The environment we operate in today is markedly different from the one I began my career in. The conversations I am having with senior management in institutions nowadays are a world away from even 15 years ago. Regulatory expectations are now front and centre and core to institutions’ strategic considerations.
In 2024, clients are getting to grips with a variety of regulatory changes. These include implementation of the Individual Accountability Framework, wholesale market conduct risk management, the advent of digital and operational resilience, and finally the implementation of the final post-financial crisis reforms (Basel IV). In Ireland, the long-awaited update to the consumer protection code (due in early 2025) is expected to bring changes in expectations, especially considering the advent of digitalisation and AI.
Understanding the perspective of those around me before making a decision has served me well
The most important business lesson I have learned in my career is to listen to other people’s perspectives and take opportunities when they present themselves. Collaboration has been central to every area I’ve worked in, and understanding the perspective of those around me before making a decision has served me well, especially when developing solutions to changing business challenges.
Getting away from it all involves quality time with family – my wife Irene and our two children, as well as our dog Sandy. A combination of GAA coaching, running and watching movies make good use of any free time I have. I am also involved in charity work, and through my son (who is profoundly deaf) I am on the board of the charity Chime, and the Holy Family School for the Deaf. Occasionally, I have been known to run a marathon to raise money for these worthy causes!
