Francois van Heerden, Business Development visit to UHY London Our Business Development & Client Relations Manager, Francois van Heerden, recently visited the UHY Executive Office and UHY Hacker Young Office in London to gain some valuable international experience. Working with an exceptionally energetic & progressive team of committed professionals is an honour and real privilege. This not only applies to UHY FDW, but the wider UHY International network. This was of the one of the many reasons I wanted to join the UHY FDW team, and visit other offices within our Global network. I have just returned from my visits to the UHY Executive Office and UHY Hacker Young Office in London. Having recently joined UHY FDW, I wanted to learn more about the UHY network and how the International offices operate as a team. Also having moved to Ireland from South Africa in June, it was a great opportunity for myself and my family to have a short break and explore London. UHY FDW has been a member of the UHY International network since 2008. UHY, who celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2016, is a network of independent accounting and consulting firms with offices in over 325 major business centres across more than 95 countries and is currently ranked 16th among the largest international audit, accounting, tax and consultancy networks by fee income (source: International Accounting Bulletin, January 2017). As UHY FDW has been the Irish member of the UHY network for almost 10 years, it is clear the UHY values run deep within the firm. Working together well is something that differentiates UHY from other networks. Coupled with a strong line on quality and meeting international standards, member firms create the UHY brand experience – a high quality service wherever clients need to operate. Our work as a network has never been more important as we deal with the effects of Brexit. There is a huge amount of uncertainty surrounding Brexit and as a network we are advising our clients, and anyone else who asks us, that they should actively take whatever initial steps they can now to minimise any potential disruption to their businesses. You can read more about our thoughts on Brexit in our August 2017 Brexit Update During my meeting with Dominique Maeremans, the Marketing & Business Development Manager for UHY International. We discussed Business Development trends in UHY International & UHY Farrelly Dawe White, including, utilizing technology within BD Departments, Cross border client engagement opportunities; as well as quality delivery and UHY Branding. I also met Rhys Madoc, Executive Director of UHY International. We discussed BD in the Global network and our (being UHY International, Global network) aim to ensure a close working relationship between all member firms within the Global network. This week I was back in London visiting the UHY Hacker Young London Office for a workshop on Business Development & Marketing. I met up with Zoe Paradine and Georgina Daly from UHY Hacker Young, UK offices in our Global network. We discussed our BD Vision & Strategic Plan, BD Tools & Software, Client Relations and creating an “Excellent Experience” for clients and staff. Exciting new networking avenues were also on the agenda. Visit our UHY International page or the UHY website Learn more about UHY from our publications Why UHY? Capability Statement 2017 UHY Global Issue 4 Contact Francois van Heerden Email Call Francois van Heerden Request a Call Back From Our Team UHY is a network of independent accounting and consulting firms with offices in over 325 major business centres across more than 95 countries. Our services and teams are tailored to suit the culture of each client including publicly listed corporations, large and medium-sized companies, privately owned businesses, not-for-profit and public organisations. The following data was reported for our network as of January 2017: Countries: 99 Offices: 325 Total staff: 7,852 UHY is currently ranked 16th among the largest international audit, accounting, tax and consultancy networks by fee income (source: International Accounting Bulletin, January 2017). www.uhy.com #2017 #UHYFDWTeam #UKNI

Continuing our ‘5 minutes with…’ series we spoke to one of our Tax Managers, Jane Jackson Jane Jackson is Tax Manager at UHY Farrelly Dawe White. Originally from England, Jane is an AITI Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) and has an LLB in European Law and French. She moved to Ireland in 2004 and now lives in Mornington, Co Meath with her husband Roy; their four-year-old daughter, Susanna; their rescue dog, a Cairn Terrier cross called ‘Fitz’ and four hens. In her spare time Jane does yoga and is a regular gym-goer. Tell us about your career path to date. I grew up in Rochdale, Greater Manchester and went to Bury Grammar School for Girls in a nearby town. Victoria Wood, the late English comedian and actress went to the same school. I completed an LLB in European Law and French at the University of Lancaster and also spent a year at the University in Nancy studying French Law. I worked at Deloittes for three years as a Trainee Tax Consultant. I saw the advertisement for the job in a graduate magazine and I never thought I’d get it. In fact, I only went to the interview because they promised to reimburse my train ticket! I moved to Ireland in March 2004 and started working as a Senior Tax Assistant for Browne & Murphy in Dublin 2. I was with Browne & Murphy for four years. In 2008, I moved to Haydon Chartered Accountants, a Balbriggan-based firm which also had a Dublin office. In December 2010, I transferred to Haydon’s Dublin office. I joined UHY FDW as Tax Manager in June 2014. Are you where you expected to be in your career? More or less, yes. My father was in the legal profession and I originally planned to become a solicitor but I wanted to start earning so I decided not to go to law school. When I graduated from University, I took up a temporary position in Health & Safety at Railtrack in 1997 and worked there for a year. Then I got a job as a Trainee Tax Consultant with Deloittes in Crawley, West Sussex. There is a lot of law in tax consultancy so my law degree has given me an excellent grounding for my career and my current role as a tax manager. Why did you decide to move to Ireland? My husband, Roy, is half Irish and he started working in Ireland in 2004. Tax in the UK is very similar to tax in Ireland so I could transfer my skills over here fairly easily and so it made sense for us to move at the time. I’ve always been an animal lover and so is Roy. We’re very interested in animal welfare. When we moved to Ireland we immediately got involved in animal welfare charities. After I had my daughter, Susie, in 2013, my charity work had to take a little bit of a back seat but I still do a lot of administrative volunteer work for Westie Rescue. What’s the best career advice you received? Work as hard as you can without killing yourself and be true to yourself at all times. Don’t get stonewalled. Based on your own experience, what are your top career tips? Embrace change, always work for a company that will help you develop new skills and provide opportunities to put them into practice. How would you define your work style, and how has this evolved over the years? Diligent, logical, analytical and empathetic and I’m getting better at it as I go along. In terms of managing teams and individuals, what are your insights? True teamwork used properly can be so beneficial, effective and uplifting. What about communication and negotiating the typical ups and downs of working life? Poor communication is counterproductive. So much time is wasted trying to find information that should be much more freely given. The information often exists in the company, but it’s so hard to find it sometimes. Has networking played an important part in your career? Now and again. It can be a great tool. What do you like most about your career? I enjoy interacting with clients and meeting people. Every day is different. I also like the challenges I encounter. I like problem-solving. Give me a problem and I’ll try to solve it. If you had to choose another career tomorrow, what would it be and why? Working with animals or with young children. My own animals and child have been so important and so precious to me – it would be lovely to have that as a career. Contact Jane Jackson Email Call Jane Jackson Request a Call Back From Our Team #2017 #5MinutesWithourTeam #UHYFDWTeam

Continuing our ‘5 minutes with…’ series we spoke to Director, Michael Bellew Michael Bellew is a director at Dundalk based UHY Farrelly Dawe White Limited. Michael became a partner in 2001 after joining the firm in 1996. He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and specialises in audit services for our clients who range from SME’s right up to multi million euro international businesses. Michael also has considerable experience in corporate finance and business planning and works closely with clients from a wide range of sectors including manufacturing and software and technology. Michael is married to Lisa and has three sons, Jack (16), Ciarán (7), and Ruairí (5). Tell us about your career path to date. I attended the Christian Brothers (now Coláiste Rís) secondary school in Dundalk. I literally had no idea what career I wanted to pursue after completing my Leaving Certificate. I attended college briefly in Galway and had considered perhaps becoming a teacher, but that wasn’t for me. I returned to Dundalk and ended up working in Customs Clearance on the Newry Road for a couple of years. These were agents who processed the customs paperwork for anyone importing goods into the State. At that time goods imported into the State were subject to VAT at point of entry as well as Excise Duties and Customs Duties, dependent on the nature of the goods. We may well be returning to an element of that if the formalities of Brexit are not properly planned out. My father, Tom, was a politician but had also been an accountant. On one occasion, he returned from a trip to London with two big accounting books and suggested that I might be interested in studying accountancy at night, which many people were doing at the time. I read the books and it did spark an interest with me despite never having studied accountancy or any business related subjects at school. I got a job at Kirk & Associates, an accountancy practice in Dundalk in November 1989. A month later, Alan Farrelly and Kevin Dawe set up what is now UHY FDW on Jocelyn Street, close to where I was based. Despite working in close proximity to one another, I didn’t formally meet Alan until we both attended a wedding at the Nuremore Hotel in late 1995. In the spring of 1996, Alan contacted me and asked whether I would be interested in having a chat. By that stage, the firm had moved to premises on River Lane. Alan made me an offer I couldn’t refuse and I’ve been with the firm ever since. How has the firm progressed since you joined? After I joined the firm in 1996, I worked very closely with Alan and was appointed office manager very soon after joining the practice. In the early days, we were on the road a lot with clients who were in a strong growth phase, dealing with new set-ups and mergers and acquisitions. The firm was in a growth phase itself, expanding with clients and employees alike. We travelled the length and breadth of the country and across the water at the time. Due to our own growth, we needed to find new premises and in March 2001, we moved the business to our current location at Blackthorn Business Park in March 2001 and acquired the practice of Donovan Reilly at that time. Continual growth of the firm and of our clients led us to seeking an international affiliation. In 2010, we became part of the UHY global network. It has been a very good move for us, has given us a global reach, and has allowed us to provide greater service offerings to our clients. What do you like most about your career? I like the variety; every day brings new challenges. In my role, I primarily deal with the firm’s large audit assignments together with responsibility for all compliance and legal matters of the practice. I am also involved in litigation support and forensic accounting services in which I deal with many family law cases arising out of separation and divorce, shareholder disputes, loss of earnings claims. This is very interesting and challenging work, with a lot of time spent dealing with lawyers and attending court. What’s the best career advice you received? There was little or no career advice at school in my day, thankfully this has improved since then. On reflection, the best advice I got in this regard was from a client I worked with many years ago during a car journey down to Athy. His advice to me was if I was ever to get into partnership with anyone in business to choose my partners wisely. Based on your own experience, what are your top career tips? You’re always learning. If you’re not learning, you’re finished. Technology, legislation, and how clients do business are constantly changing. My advice to people just starting out in accountancy is to be committed and consistent in your approach to your studies. People think professional exams are an easy ride and they get a rude awakening when they experience the reality. I would also recommend that people have an outlet outside of work to ensure they have a break from the combined pressures of job and studies. It’s also good to ask plenty of questions, we’re all constantly learning. Don’t think because you have a Masters in Accounting that you know it all, real world scenarios are completely different to textbook situations. Never be afraid to ask questions or seek advice. How would you define your work style, and how has this evolved over the years? I dress smart, I work smart, and those that know me, know that I don’t suffer fools gladly. I work until the job is done and be it right or wrong, I expect the same level of commitment across the board. In terms of managing teams and individuals, what are your insights? During my brief involvement in competitive rowing at college, (something I retained a keen interest in to this day), every member of the team played an important role in the boat. If any one member was out of sync with the rest of the crew then the boat didn’t function properly. It’s no different in managing teams and individuals, every individual plays an essential part in the team and a good manager knows where to place the team players to maximise the output most efficiently. What about communication and negotiating the typical ups and downs of working life? Communication can be frustrating for people. It’s best if everyone knows what’s expected and required of them. Poor communication and lack of planning can lead to problems that could easily be avoided. Has networking played an important part in your career? Networking is about building real relationships with people. It’s important to nurture relationships with existing clients and strangers alike; you never know where your next client is going to come from. If you had to choose another career tomorrow, what would it be and why? I enjoy music and going to concerts and love to play guitar so I would be a lead guitarist and singer in a rock band, for obvious reasons.; that’s the dream! Alternatively, I would be a corporate lawyer in New York with the cut ad thrust of business in New York. I love New York, the buzz, the hustle and bustle, there’s just so much happening all the time. I’ve always had an interest in the law and have worked on various corporate cases and schemes involving numerous lawyers both here and abroad. My other interests include cars, motorbikes, machinery and DIY. If I could choose another career tomorrow, whatever it would be I’d certainly make sure it was one that would allow me to be driving a 1969 yellow Lamborghini Miura. Contact Michael Bellew Email Call Michael Bellew Check out our last ‘5 minutes with…’ post starring Andrew Carroll Watch our video where Andrew discusses a career with UHY FDW Request a Call Back From Our Team #2017 #5MinutesWithourTeam #UHYFDWTeam

Outsource Your Payroll. Reap The Benefits Now. Is your business ready for the big payroll changes that are set to come into effect in Ireland on January 1, 2019? If you’re not compliant with PAYE Modernisation, it might be time to outsource payroll so that you meet Revenue’s requirements and avoid penalties. Avoid the potential financial cost and stress by reading our brief guide to the benefits of outsourcing payroll. There are many benefits to outsourcing payroll including cost-savings, increased productivity, expertise, compliance, continuity and confidentiality. If you haven’t yet made the decision to outsource payroll, you’re probably considering making the switch. Here is our brief guide to the benefits to outsourcing which will leave you wondering why you waited until now to improve efficiency and increase your peace of mind. 1. COST It can often be expensive to employ staff with the necessary training to operate a payroll system. If you calculate the hours your employees spend on payroll-related activities, plus payroll software costs, training costs, printers, printing and distributing payslips, creating tax documents etc, you could be surprised by the result when you compare that amount to the cost a payroll service provider can offer. In addition to cost-savings, outsourcing payroll allows your staff to concentrate on more essential tasks. 2. EXPERTISE Payroll mistakes can be painful, upsetting and stressful. A good payroll service provider is far less likely to make a serious error than your in-house staff, as you are paying them for their expertise, knowledge and finely-tuned checking procedures they have in place. 3. COMPLIANCE If you outsource payroll, you can focus on running your business knowing your payroll obligations are dealt with correctly, efficiently and lawfully. PAYE Modernisation is due to come into effect in Ireland on January 1, 2019. Will your business be ready? According to Revenue you must ensure that the following measures are in place: • you have the right PPSN for all your employees • you have received an up to date tax credit certificate for all your employees and that you are applying the most recent one • all your employees are registered with Revenue. A good payroll service provider will know all the ins and outs of payroll-related tax laws and latest government legislation. 4. CONTINUITY With a payroll service, output, speed and quality won’t vary in accordance with holidays and sickness and you avoid a logistical nightmare on payday. 5. CONFIDENTIALITY If you outsource payroll, you are guaranteed total discretion and confidentiality. Your data is fully secure and backed up, and measures for detecting fraud are in place. #2017 #Payroll #UHYFDWTeam

Shop Front Improvement Grant Scheme Do you own a town centre business in one of Louth’s three major urban areas? Don’t miss your chance to avail of a local authority grant to update your shop or business front in Dundalk, Ardee and Drogheda. How a business or shop looks is one of the most important elements in determining the character, quality and perception of your business and our towns’ streets. It is hoped to promote good quality shop and business fronts through this initiative to benefit both your business and our towns. The Shop Front Improvement Scheme has been extended by Louth County Council (LCC) throughout 2017. First launched in 2016, the scheme is part of the LCC’s suite of business incentives. If this is of interest, our team can assist you with the application process for this grant and determine whether you are eligible. Call Thomas today or visit our website to view our full suite of services. Call +353 42 933 9955 Email info@fdw.ie Email      Call Download our information sheet here #2017 #BusinessinIreland #GrantScheme

The Companies (Accounting) Act 2017 It’s what everyone in accounting is talking about. The Companies (Accounting) Act 2017 is bringing the Companies Act 2014 into line with new EU accounting rules. Stay ahead of the competition with our brief guide to these important changes. The Companies (Accounting) Act was signed into law by the President of Ireland on May 17. It was enacted by the end of May and a subsequent commencement order (SI 246 of 2017) had the effect of bringing most of the provisions of the 2017 Act into force on June 9. Section 80, which deals with certain filing and registration requirements for external companies), will commence at a later date. Under the 2017 Act, all unlimited foreign incorporated bodies that are subsidiaries of limited liability bodies corporate, with a branch in Ireland, will be subject to certain registration and filing obligations. The main purpose of the 2017 Act is to transpose Directive 2013/34/EU on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings into Irish law. It also amends the Companies Act 2014. The Act amends or inserts a number of areas in the Companies Act 2014, principally Part 6 of the Act which deals with financial statements. Section 15 amends Part 6 of the Companies Act 2014 by inserting a new Chapter 1A (sections 280A – 280H) which provides for the criteria for companies to qualify as “small”, “medium” or “large”, and introduces the new “micro” category of company. Micro companies are very small companies and can qualify for abridgement and audit exemptions if eligible. It is hoped that the 2017 Act will reduce cost and simplify the procedure related to the preparation of financial statements for companies. The 2017 Act also made a number of amendments to the Companies Act unrelated to the implementation of the Directive and addresses certain anomalies in the Companies Act. Finally and in relation to non-filing structures, Section 1274 of the 2014 Act set out that unlimited companies must file financial statements where they fell under the category of a designated type company (Designated ULC). Irish unlimited companies where at least one member was unlimited and non EEA were not designated ULCs, therefore were exempt from filing financial statements with the Companies Registration Office (“CRO”) and could avail of filing a Special Auditors’ Report. Section 76 of the 2017 Act amends Section 1274 of the 2014 Act, whereby these previously “non-designated” companies, now fall under the remit of a designated company. This will have a hugely significant impact existing non-filing structures. The 2017 Act makes it mandatory for Irish unlimited companies, (which are part of a non-filing structure, and which were previously exempt from filing financial statements), to file their financial statements with the CRO. If you would like to discuss how UHYFDW can help you to comply with the Companies (Accounting) Act 2017, please contact our Corporate Compliance Manager, Richard Windrum. Alternatively, you can speak to your usual UHYFDW contact, or complete the contact form on www.fdw.ie. Call +353 42 933 9955 Email info@fdw.ie Email    Call #2017 #Act #BusinessAdvisory #BusinessinIreland

UHY Global – Issue 4 UHY Global, a bi-annual magazine, gives you insight into international business topics, featuring thought-leading opinions and experiences from global contributors including UHY member firms, leaders of UHY service and industry groups and external sources. A true representation of what the UHY network is about. Our fourth issue covers the following topics: Continental shift – Doing business in the new Africa. Smart buildings reach for the skies  – They are efficient, connected and cool – and construction is booming. Is the future alternative? Renewable energy can no longer be considered a fringe interest, by either policy makers or investors. Opportunity in uncertain times – Are the M&A highs of 2015 once more in reach, despite ubiquitous global uncertainty? Read the full version here Request a Call Back From Our Team #2017 #BusinessAdvisory #UHYGlobalIssue

Continuing our ‘5 minutes with…’ series we spoke to Richard Windrum, our Corporate Compliance Manager Richard Windrum is the Corporate Compliance Manager for UHY Farrelly Dawe White. He helps clients to comply with both Irish and European Legislation. The changes in Irish company law legislation are the biggest for the past 60 years and involve an increased risk of prosecution for non-compliant companies. Richard lives in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan and in his spare time, he enjoys socialising with friends, music and travelling abroad. Q. What has your career path been like to date? A. I’ve worked at UHYFDW for just over two years. Previously, I worked in Dublin for nine years – most recently with one of the Big Four auditors – PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). During my time at PwC, I was a consultant in Entity Governance & Compliance. I started my career as a Chartered Secretary with Binder Dijker Otte (BDO) for six years. Q. What is your educational background? A. I went to primary school in Castleblayney and attended Monaghan Collegiate during second level. Originally, I planned to be a school teacher but changed my mind. After I completed my A Levels in Armagh, I did a BA in Business Studies & Accounting at the University of Ulster’s Magee Campus in Derry. Q. Why did you choose business studies over teaching? A. I started teaching piano when I was 16 and I enjoyed it so I thought I might like to be a school teacher. However, I was also really interested in the law and accounting. My BA in Business Studies & Accounting and MSc in Management and Corporate Governance were the perfect fit for me because they involved both of those areas. Q. Did your degree include a work placement so that you could acquire practical experience? A. During my third year at the University of Ulster, I had to take a year out and find work relevant to my degree. I was offered a role at Northern Ireland Electricity. At first, I was mostly doing administration work and operating the switchboard. I was also involved in helping to progress jobs through to the engineers and produce reports for senior management.  They only took in 12 students from the top ten per cent of students across the four University of Ulster campuses and Queens, so I was fortunate to get the role. They kept 3 of us on, outside the 1 year initial term, including myself, and offered to pay for my final year of university if I agreed to work for them after completing the course. Q. What did you decide to do after you graduated from the University of Ulster? A. Shortly after I finished my exams I spent six weeks in Australia. Then I went on to do an MSc in Management & Corporate Governance at Jordanstown, the University of Ulster’s main campus. I also secured an Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators qualification as an addition to the Masters. The qualification involved working with both figures and legal, which was ideal. Q. What was it like job hunting after finishing your Masters? A. When I finished my studies, I graduated as the top accounting student of the year and was offered a job at KPMG before graduating. However, I decided to turn it down and accept a trainee position at BDO instead. I had to get used to a few new ways of doing things, for example, the legislative differences between the North and South. I stayed at BDO for six and a half years. Q. What was your next career move? A. In 2011-12, I started thinking about a career advancement and in 2012, I joined PwC at Spencer Dock in Dublin. As part of that roll, I oversaw trainees and ensured that they had the right skills for the job. I enjoyed the additional exposure in this new roll and spent two and half years at PwC before moving to my current role at UHYFDW. Q. What responsibilities does your role at UHYFDW involve? A. I started at UHYFDW in April 2015. I was hired to assist clients comply with corporate legislation, in particular the new Companies Act 2014 and now also the new Companies (Accounting) Act 2017, together with EU legislation. The Companies Act 2014 is the biggest change in company law for the past 60 years. Under the new legislation, there is increased risk of prosecution for failing to comply with the Act. Q. Apart from music, what other interests do you have? A. I like to travel abroad. Longer haul destinations, I’ve visited Australia and New Zealand, I’ve also visited New York, Washington, Virginia and Florida. The next destinations on my bucket list are Route 66 including Yosemite Park and Canada. Contact Richard Windrum Email Call Richard Windrum Request a Call Back From Our Team #2017 #5MinutesWithourTeam #UHYFDWTeam

The Argus, Accountant feature and new recruits article, 18 July 2017 Click on the images below to view the PDFs of our recent press coverage with an article on cloud-based accounting and another on our new recruits in 2017. Cloud-based accounting is the way forward More than 90% of small and medium-sized businesses will be using cloud-based accounting software by the end of 2017, according to a new Accountex report. What does this change mean for business owners? Read more… Exciting Times at UHY FDW – Significant Job Creation for Leading Top 20 Irish Accountancy Firm Due to continued growth an expansion, UHY FDW are pleased to announce the creation of 20 new professional positions across their various service departments to further enhance their current services to clients. Read more… Book A Complimentary 30 Minute Consultation With One Of Our Tax Experts NOW #2017 #LatestTopics

Kicking off our ‘5 minutes with…’ series is our very own Managing Director, Alan Farrelly Alan Farrelly (pictured with renowned footballer Lionel Messi) is the Managing Director of UHY Farrelly Dawe White (UHY FDW), an audit and accounting firm with its head office in Dundalk and branches in Balbriggan, Belfast and Dublin. A co-founder of the company, Alan is highly committed to providing clients with professional, director-led services. He lives in Blackrock with his wife, Dorothy, and their three sons, Ronan (22), Peter (19), and Daragh (17). Q. When did you decide to become an accountant? A. I developed a strong interest in maths at primary school in The Friary and took accounting as an extra subject for my Leaving Certificate. Accounting wasn’t offered as a subject at The Marist at the time. Shortly after I finished my exams, I was offered a position as a trainee accountant at a Dundalk firm. Q. What was your career path? A. I worked for four years at Frank Lynch & Company then I took up a role at Fitzpatrick & Kearney in Newry for three and a half years. During my time working in Newry I qualified as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and began to think about setting up my own practice. Before making the leap, I decided to get some more professional experience so I moved to a firm in Drogheda. A year later, on 8 December 1989, I set up the practice in Dundalk with my colleague, the late Kevin Dawe. Q. What is the history of UHY Farrelly Dawe White? A. The company was initially based on Jocelyn Street. Eamonn White, another Dundalk man, joined us as a director in 1991. Three years later, we moved to a premises on Riverlane. We decided we wanted to expand the business so we bought a practice in Balbriggan in 1998, which was taken over by Director Richard Berney in 2002. One of the co-founders, Eamonn, was bought out by Director Michael Bellew in 2008. In 2001 we took over another firm called Donovan & Reilly and Brendan Reilly is still with us. We moved to our current location in Blackthorn Business Park on the Coes Road in 2001. Director Gareth Evans joined UHYFDW in 2011 and Thomas McDonagh is also a director. Sadly, Kevin, the co-founder of the business, died after battling an illness in 2012. Q. How did you turn UHY FDW into the thriving business it is today? A. We work hard for our clients and pride ourselves on offering director-led services. We are also constantly innovating and regularly invest in training to make sure our staff are up-to-date with changes in legislation and business. We also made the decision to join UHY in 2010 to give us an international platform. As a member of UHY, our firm is able to offer specialist sector and global knowledge to the same high quality, professional standards in major international business centres. Q. Do you have any career highlights as an accountant? A. I was elected president of the Leinster Society of CPA in 1998 then went on to be elected president of The Institute of CPA in Ireland in 2004. Aged 38 at the time, I was the youngest ever CPA Ireland president. It was a tremendous honour. During my term, I travelled to Singapore for world accounting body IFAC’s AGM. Out of that AGM, the Edinburgh group was set up with the goal of developing further areas of accounting. I was part of the group for three years and looked at improving accounting and auditing standards. I still serve as a member of CPA Ireland’s disciplinary committee. Q. Have you participated in any recent training programmes? A. I completed the Timoney Advanced Leadership Programme in 2013 and since then two other directors at the firm have also completed the programme. I was involved in setting up the programme with my UHY colleagues in Spain at the San Telmo Institute in Seville. The programme was offered to business people in Ireland in 2012 at the height of the recession. We thought it would help business leaders to better understand the challenges they faced and to be inspired by the different ways people cope with adversity. The programme is based on the Harvard Experience of case study learning. Participants are given a case study to work on such as how to better handle difficult employees or create marketing plans or increase staff motivation. In 2014 we set up the Alumni Programme. Later this year we will visit the IESE Institute in Barcelona. It’s the number one Management & Development Education Programme in the world as voted for by The Financial Times. Q. What is required to be a successful leader? A. A good leader has to have ethics and be able to show direction. I’m a fan of Nike’s ‘Just do it’ slogan. I encourage people to push through barriers. If you want to succeed as a leader, don’t be afraid to take on a challenge. You might make a mistake but people learn from their mistakes. Q. What are your goals for UHYFDW? A. I’d like UHYFDW to be the professional firm of choice for everybody in the North East. We are seen as leaders in the industry. We made the switch to Cloud accounting in 2016 and migrated all of our data onto the Cloud. We have adapted and we are keen to innovate so that we can continue to provide professional, director-led services to our clients in the years ahead. Q. What interests do you have outside of your work-life? A. I’m a massive football fan. One of my personal highlights was meeting the footballer Lionel Messi and getting my picture taken with him in Barcelona. I’m also keen supporter of Dundalk FC and was a football coach for our local football team, Rock Celtic from 2003 to 2015. I started training the Under 6s and then progressed to training one of the senior teams. I was chairman of Rock Celtic from 2011 to 2014. In 2016, I got the opportunity to interview Bayern Munich Sporting Director Matteus Sammer and later the same year, I attended an open training session with Bayern Munich that was given by Pep Guardiola. Contact Alan Farrelly Alan Farrelly Book A Complimentary 30 Minute Consultation With One Of Our Tax Experts NOW #2017 #5MinutesWithourTeam #UHYFDWTeam

€1.5 Million Overall Fund For Existing LEO Clients Are you looking for an investment for your new product launch or market opportunity? Are you an LEO (Local Enterprise Office) client? Would your Brexit proofing measures benefit from an investment of up to €25,000? “The LEOs will have an overall investment fund of €1.5 million. This fund will be available through the network of 31 Local Enterprise Offices, targeting investor ready LEO Clients who wish to start, grow, or develop innovative Micro Enterprises” Sheelagh Daly, Head of Enterprise & Chair of LEO Network. What does the LEO Grant Investment cover? The LEO Grant Investment of up to €25,000 may be considered for the following tasks outlined under. If you secure an investment under the programme you will be required to meet with your Local Enterprise Office to assess your funding requirements and agree the eligible costs associated with your development prior to any drawdown of funding. Following this meeting your Local Enterprise Office will issue a formal letter of offer which will outline the terms and conditions required to drawdown the grant investment. Capital Expenditure associated with your new innovative development Salary Costs associated with your new innovative development Consultancy, Research, Innovation, Marketing Costs associated with your new innovative development. General Overhead Costs including working capital costs associated with your new innovative development What innovative developments are eligible? New Product New Process New Market Market Diversification Strategy Make addition to the management team Other The LEO Innovation Investment Fund is targeting existing LEO Clients with an innovative business idea. This is a call for proposals from ‘Investor Ready’ LEO clients (client with short term investment or funding requirements in the next six months) in the manufacturing and traded services sectors who wish to start, grow, or develop innovative micro businesses Why Should You Apply? There is a €1.5 Million Investment Fund and targeted business supports on offer to help support your business A potential €25,000 Grant Investment available from your Local Enterprise Office Investor Ready Programme and one to one mentoring Avail of a suite of targeted business supports and mentoring from your Local Enterprise Office. Open to existing LEO clients with a compelling and innovative business idea. Opportunity to pitch to panel of investors LEO Client Definition An existing LEO Client is defined as a client that has received M1 Support (Investment) and/or currently resides in the LEO Projects Portfolio and/or has received M2 Support (Training, Mentoring, etc) in the past 3 years prior to the date of application Existing LEO M1 Clients with an innovative development plan which might include New Product Launch New Process Development New Market Opportunity Diversifying your existing marketing strategy Changing your Business and/or Revenue Model Introducing Brexit Proofing Measures to sustain the future development of your business Making an addition to your Management Team Existing LEO M2 Clients trading for greater than 12 months Manufacturing businesses with innovative products or processes with potential to export Traded Services businesses who have an innovative service offering which has the potential to serve international markets All sectors are eligible to apply but priority will be given to new start ups in the following sectors: Software/IT, Digital, Creative and Gaming, Food and Agri, Healthcare and Lifesciences, Traded Services included Fintech, Environmental and Cleantech Submit Online Application and mandatory video on or before July 31st 2017 Visit the LEO Innovation Investment Fund website Are you are thinking of investing in Ireland? Read our short blog post 5 Reasons Why Businesses Should Be Investing In Ireland Book A Complimentary 30 Minute Consultation With One Of Our Tax Experts NOW #2017 #BusinessinIreland #GrantScheme

Ireland raises capital investment by 60% in five years – three times the global average Ireland is powering ahead of the global average in terms of capital investment in its economy’s business resources and public infrastructure, strengthening its future growth prospects, reveals a new study by UHY, the international accounting and consultancy network. The study found, Ireland has seen capital investment increase by 60% over the last five years* to USD 61.4 billion in 2015 (latest figures available). This equates to 21.7% of its GDP in 2015. UHY says higher capital investment levels are an indicator that businesses are positioning themselves to expand capacity, to improve productivity, or to move into new markets by opening new sites. They also reflect governments’ support for growth by improving the transport links, more efficient power generation capacity and other vital infrastructure that businesses rely on. The UHY study looked at “gross capital formation” – or capital investment – in 41 major economies around the world, measuring trends over a five-year period, and comparing investment levels to their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Gross capital formation measures spending on assets such as IT systems, new equipment and machinery, and investments in infrastructure projects by governments. The UHY study compares it to GDP in order to put it into context against the size of a country’s economy. The G7 The G7 is also seeing a slower rate of increase than the world average, raising capital investment by an average of 11.1% over a five-year period. However, the average amount invested by G7 economies is still substantial – at 20.7% of GDP. Download the full study Are you are thinking of investing in Ireland? Read our short blog post 5 Reasons Why Businesses Should Be Investing In Ireland Book A Complimentary 30 Minute Consultation With One Of Our Tax Experts NOW #2017 #BusinessinIreland