Rob Heron has ambitious plans for EY in Northern Ireland and he’s taken over at the helm at a time when the professional services giant is very much in growth mode.
nd the recently appointed managing partner is eyeing expansion and a new way of working.
It’s a company which has seen its workforce soar to 750 here, grow its revenue by 10% in the last year and is now emracing a fresh, modern hybrid-working environment to benefit both its talented workforce, and its clients.
“We currently have 750 people based here in Northern Ireland,” Rob tells Ulster Business. “The plan is to grow that significantly – a multiple of the size that we currently are.
“That growth is going to come in a number of different areas.
“That includes data analytics, tech consulting, and project management, for example.
“But our core services such as corporate finance, audit and tax – they are all growth areas for us.”
EY is very clear in its mission and approach to a hybrid-working model. It’s not about presenteeism, the grand ‘return to the office’ or just working from home, it’s about adapting and embracing the flexibility
Rob himself is a clear proponent of hybrid-working, splitting his time between the firm’s Belfast office, client sites and at home on his family farm in rural Killinchy, Co Down.
And as a result of that, EY is able to draw in from a much wider talent pool based right across Northern Ireland, Rob says. The business is already seeing interest from staff from further away from the city itself.
“You can work for EY wherever you live,” Rob says. “What has been clear during the pandemic is that we can recruit talent from right across Northern Ireland and we can deliver exceptional client service and results, regardless of where those people are based.
“There is an enormous pool of talent across Northern Ireland, and that is where EY’s hybrid model is really going to come in to play.
“Led by Lindsay Russell, our people lead for EY Northern Ireland, we have consulted closely with our people and for us, the hybrid model is the way to go. People no longer have to be in an office or workspace five days a week.
“It’s about getting people into the workspace to collaborate. Some things work very well virtually, but equally, some are done much better face-to-face. For example, coaching, training, development and problem solving.”
EY continues to work with some of Northern Ireland’s largest indigenous businesses, SMEs and start-ups, but also global giants of industry due to its international footprint.
“The various geopolitical issues have definitely had an impact on the types of services which our clients demand,” he says. “While the key areas of our business remain strong, such as audit and tax, other areas are also experiencing signifiant growth – that includes cyber-security, tech, digital transformation and sustainability.
“That evolves as we adapt to meet the service needs of our clients. The great thing about working with EY in Northern Ireland is that you get to work with a full range of clients.”
That includes some of our largest and fastest-growing firms, such as poultry giant Moy Park and software business Kainos.
“Being part of an international firm we are also working with global superstar names,” he says.
Some of the start-up businesses it works with include Belfast-based Responsible – a sustainable fashion tech firm – along with many others through its own Ireland-wide EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme.
For EY, its workforce is key to its success. It’s also about rewarding the talent within. EY has promoted or progressed more than a third of its staff in the last year alone.
The firm also has a 50/50 male to female split in its workforce below partner level, and says it’s committed to reaching a target of 35% female partners by 2025.
“We are looking for a range of people. It’s not just those within accountancy. We can offer people a great experience, we offer all the support and development they need, regardless of background. I myself didn’t study accountancy or finance. It’s about finding people with a really curious mindset, and those who are driven by purpose and really focused in making a difference.”
Rob says there continues to be a very strong pool of talent across Northern Ireland. And through partnerships with universities and colleges, along with academics and degree apprenticeships, he says there is a great ability to help influence that talent pool, and ensure there are the right skills in place.
“Our people culture is incredibly important,” he says. “It’s about giving people a sense of purpose. For us it’s something we are focused on – the continual development of people.”
That’s reinforced by its three pillars: entrepreneurship, equality and purpose, each underpinned by trust.
“We are looking for a diverse workforce. We want a broad range of people to support that diversity of thought.”
Rob took over his new role as managing partner in February this year, and formerly held the role of EY UK&I tax partner.
“I came into the role on February 1 and I’m very fortunate to be taking over a business which is in a really good position,” he says. “The former managing partner Michael Hall did a fantastic job – the whole business is performing really well, across the UK and Ireland.
“We have a really clear strategy. We grew by almost 10% last year in Belfast, in terms of our revenue and we are continuing on that growth trajectory.
One of EY’s strengths is its strong local footprint, but international reach. Rob says that’s something which he believes will help the company’s rapid growth and expansion plans.
“Our growth will be connected to the local market in which we are very strong,” he says. “We have our own Entrepreneur Of The Year programme, plus partnerships with Young Enterprise, Catalyst and Ormeau Baths – these are all incredibly important to us.
“But what the pandemic made clear to us is that we can work for clients anywhere across the UK or Ireland, or beyond.
“That gives people here the opportunity to work with some fabulous indigenous companies, and some of the best businesses we have across the UK and Ireland, and globally.”
While the current wider landscape is peppered with global challenges – from soaring inflation to the impact of the war in Ukraine – Rob says the greatest opportunities “lie in the quality of people we have here in Northern Ireland”.
“Through technology and digital avenues, you can grow, transform and scale businesses in Northern Ireland into global giants,” he says. “We have some fantastic businesses which I think will grow to become very large companies.
“In terms of the NI Protocol, I think it presents more opportunities than challenges. With the unfettered access into GB and the fact that we’re effectively still part of the single market for goods creates a unique and interesting opportunity for Northern Ireland.
“There are challenges out there. In my view, some elements of the NI Protocol could be made more pragmatic. There are also the wider geopolitical challenges.
“The war in Ukraine is first and foremost a humanitarian crisis and concern, and as we’ve seen it’s also having a major impact for business locally and globally. Coupled with other factors, including coming out of the pandemic, we are seeing levels of inflation which we haven’t seen in decades.”
Despite a very challenging macro-economic environment, Rob is posibive about the future ahead, in terms of both leading EY in continued growth mode and the wider business landscape across NI and beyond.
“There are always challenges and uncertainties,” he says. “We have to find the opportunities and the way through them. In my view, the best-managed businesses are those which are forward-looking and prepared to take risks.
“Northern Ireland is a great place and we have superb talent. With hybrid-working I’m spending more time at home with my family, and running – that’s very important as well.
“I’m enormously positive about Northern Ireland’s future, its opportunity and the role EY can play in that.”
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