Martin Shanahan appointed Partner at Grant Thornton Ireland to drive ambitious growth plans both in Ireland and Internationally

Press Release

Martin Shanahan appointed Partner at Grant Thornton Ireland to drive ambitious growth plans both in Ireland and Internationally

26 Oct 2022

Grant Thornton Ireland has announced the appointment of outgoing IDA Ireland CEO Martin Shanahan as Partner, heading up the firm’s Industry and FDI activities in a key strategic move to drive ambitious growth plans in Ireland and internationally.

Speaking about the appointment, Managing Partner at Grant Thornton Ireland, Michael McAteer said,

“Martin is a highly experienced, senior leader who brings huge value to Grant Thornton. He has led two Government agencies at CEO level and has been integrally involved in both the development and execution of industrial policy for Ireland. Martin also has significant international experience, operating at the most senior levels of business.

His career path to date demonstrates his versatility and proven delivery as a leader, and also shows why his skills, capabilities and experience are a strong and complementary fit for Grant Thornton as Head of Industry and FDI, and our vision to transform professional services. This appointment is a clear statement of our intent to go beyond and strive to provide the best possible advice to our clients.”

Martin has a proven track record during his eight years as CEO of IDA Ireland, and previously with Forfás, the Government’s enterprise advisory board. He has been at the forefront of driving industrial development in Ireland for most of his career through his various roles.    

Commenting on the role, incoming Partner and Head of Industry and FDI, Martin Shanahan said, “Grant Thornton is a dynamic, inclusive and client-focused professional services firm with global reach, and I am excited to take on this opportunity to help drive its ambitious growth and expansion plans. The scale, breadth and depth of Grant Thornton’s operations in Ireland and abroad are hugely impressive and a real success story.

I look forward to being part of this entrepreneurial team, to help realise Grant Thornton’s ambition to be the international advisor of choice for FDI and the first port of call for companies coming to and operating in Ireland.

Professional Services are changing, and I look forward to working with colleagues across the firm to ensure that Grant Thornton leads that change and leverages its immense capability for the benefit of our clients.”

This latest Partner announcement reflects a broader culture of growth and ambition across the firm. Grant Thornton Ireland currently employs over 2,500 people across 7 locations on the island of Ireland and in the Isle of Man, Gibraltar and Bermuda.