9 September 2024
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Founded in 1978 in Mallow, Co Cork, James Byrne & Company has expanded over the years, adding an office in Blackpool Business Park and establishing a presence in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. Today the Cork firm announced it has joined Forvis Mazars, a leading international audit, tax, advisory and consulting firm. The merger will establish a new Forvis Mazars office in Cork, located at 89/90 South Mall, and will be led by Fiona Byrne. The new entity will combine Forvis Mazars’ international reach and domestic capabilities with the strong reputation James Byrne & Co has built over 40 years of business excellence. As part of the merger, the long-standing Mallow office will be led by Marie Kelly, Director, with James Byrne serving as a Consultant.
Pictured at the announcement (l-r): James Byrne, Consultant, Forvis Mazars Cork; Fiona Byrne, Practice Lead, Forvis Mazars Cork; Tom O’Brien, Managing Partner, Forvis MazarsTom O’Brien, Managing Partner, Forvis Mazars.
Pic: www.CorporatePhotographersDublin.ieFiona Byrne, Practice Lead, Forvis Mazars Cork, said: “As the firm’s new Cork practice, we are excited with the opportunity this presents to our fantastic team at James Byrne & Co. In addition to our new location in Cork city we will also continue our presence in Mallow and will work together with our new colleagues in Ireland and abroad to build a fresh dynamic and agile practice providing new and existing clients with the very latest in audit, taxation, advisory and consulting services as well as providing our team with meaningful and rewarding careers.”
Tom O’Brien, Managing Partner at Forvis Mazars, commented: “Welcoming James Byrne & Co into the Forvis Mazars family is a pivotal step in our strategy to be a truly national firm. Cork, as a dynamic business hub, offers tremendous growth potential and is an ideal location for us to provide our clients with high-quality, tailored solutions. Fiona Byrne and the rest of the team at James Byrne & Co bring invaluable local expertise to our firm across our full range of service lines.”
The Cork practice will offer a full range of audit, tax, advisory, and consulting services, strengthened by the appointments of Stephen Gahan as Partner, Tax and David Swinburne as Partner, Financial Advisory. They will join Fiona Byrne, Partner, Audit & Outsourcing, in leading the office. These appointments will enable the Cork practice to leverage Forvis Mazars’ extensive resources and sector-specific expertise to deliver innovative solutions and meet clients’ evolving needs and expectations.
Reflecting on the announcement, James Byrne said: “Today marks a significant milestone for our practice. For over 40 years, James Byrne & Co has served our clients with excellence and integrity, often building relationships that span generations of businesses and families. Today’s announcement ensures that, as the practice moves forward, we will be best positioned to continue to do so. Looking ahead, we will be able to leverage the resources and expertise of Forvis Mazars, a firm that shares our values and has a strong reputation in the Irish market. This will give our clients access to a broader range of services and a deeper pool of talent, knowledge and innovation.”