Grant Thornton Ireland announces six new partners

Press Release

Grant Thornton Ireland announces six new partners

10 Feb 2023

Announcement is part of the firm’s continued growth plans to meet growing client demands

Grant Thornton Ireland today announced six new partners across several business units as the firm continues to grow in line with client demands. Today’s announcement of partner appointments in Tax, Corporate Finance, Business Consulting, Finance Operations and Financial Services Advisory reflects a culture of promotion and ambition across the firm. Grant Thornton Ireland currently employs over 2,500 people across seven locations in Ireland, and has a presence in Bermuda, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man.

Speaking on the appointment of the six new partners, Managing Partner at Grant Thornton Ireland, Michael McAteer said,

“These new Partner appointments show our commitment to promoting talent and empowering our people to achieve their ambitions. They also reflect and build on our plans for the continued growth of our firm, in line with the needs of our clients.’

‘Given the economic situation as we head into 2023, there are several challenges facing Irish businesses, including the increasing costs of doing business and inflation, an evolving global tax landscape, technological disruption, the impacts of climate change and Brexit. Grant Thornton is ready to support Irish businesses in overcoming these obstacles, to build resilience and effectively manage risks so they can continue to thrive.”

The six new partners have been appointed across several of the firm’s key business units including Advisory Services, Finance Operations and Tax:

Ann-Marie Costello becomes Partner in Corporate Finance Advisory. Ann-Marie joined Grant Thornton in 2012 and while she has significant experience across transaction advisory services and debt restructuring, she specialises in the area of M&A working on behalf of numerous Irish SME’s and international clients on both buy-side and sell-side deal mandates. Ann-Marie has worked with many of the firm’s largest Irish clients and has also developed an extensive network of international clients with investment strategies focused on Ireland.

is appointed as Tax Partner, specialising in the provision of Indirect Tax services to domestic and multinational organisations. He has more than 15 years’ experience delivering advice to clients on complex Indirect Tax matters, particularly in the areas of property, financial services and assisting multinationals meet their multi-jurisdictional obligations. He regularly represents businesses interacting with the Irish tax authorities and facilitates the resolution of tax audits and disputes.

Trevor McCarron, the firm’s Chief Financial Officer, becomes Partner in Finance Operations. Since joining in 2017, Trevor has transformed the Finance Department’s culture while improving the efficiency, delivery, and output of information. Trevor has extensive experience in delivering on strategic initiatives both in Grant Thornton, and in his previous roles, and he has a clear vision for the future of Finance within Grant Thornton.

Sarah Meredith, who joined the firm in 2010, is appointed Tax Partner. She works in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) area of Tax; and her exceptional technical knowledge means she is considered a trusted advisor for a large portfolio of clients. 

Shane O’Neill becomes Partner in Financial Services Advisory, after joining Grant Thornton’s FSA team as Head of Technical Change in 2021. He has significant experience in Strategic Business Transformation, Digital, FinTech and RegTech innovation, and complex M&A programmes. Shane helps our clients to shape, grow and launch their businesses; and his vast network, both locally and internationally, ensures that he is considered a key external advisor in his area, within the marketplace.

Padraig Ryan, who joined the firm in 2016, becomes Partner in Business Consulting Advisory, having previously worked with Ornua Cooperative Limited (formerly the Irish Dairy Board) and Children’s University Hospital. He has over fifteen years of experience in enhancing business performance and adding value by providing strategic and operational support to our clients. Padraig has a proven track record of leading strategy development, complex transformation projects, process standardisation and end-to-end project and programme management.

Experts / Authors

Ann-Marie Costello

Ann-Marie joined Grant Thornton's Advisory Practice in 2012, having trained in a Big Four firm. Her area of expertise is predominantly Lead Advisory, acting both buy-side and sell-side on deals, as well as Transaction Advisory Services and Debt Advisory Services.

Sarah Meredith

Sarah joined Grant Thornton in 2010 having worked in a professional services firm for over four years. Sarah has extensive international tax experience and is involved in a significant number of group restructuring and acquisition projects for large clients. Sarah advises on a wide range of issues to include transfer pricing, interest limitation rules and both inward and outward bound investment from Ireland.

Trevor McCarron

Trevor joined the firm in 2017 and is currently CFO for the Firm. He has over 20 years experience in Head of Finance roles with majority spent in the professional services industry. Trevor was appointed Partner in 2023. Trevor focusses on enhancing the quality and efficiency of financial information within the Firm to deliver a best of class Finance function. Trevor is a member of a number of internal committees as well as participating in the Grant Thornton International Finance forum.

Shane O'Neill

Shane joined Grant Thornton Ireland in 2021 as Head of Technical Change within the consulting practice, leading large scale enterprise change programs in the banking sector.

Padraig Ryan

Padraig is a Partner in our Business Consulting team with over fifteen years’ experience of enhancing business performance and adding value by providing strategic and operational support.