Kieran Ryan & Co.

Founded in 1989 by a chartered accountant whose earlier career included tax administration and a large Irish practice, Kieran Ryan & Co. has grown into a partner-led firm serving business clients. The firm calls its approach progressive and independent, and it says it gives a personal and proactive service across a wide range of financial, accounting, taxation and consultancy work.

Partner-led assignments and client teams

Partners lead each assignment, which the firm says gives it a detailed knowledge of each client's business. Its ethos is to work with a client rather than for one, seeing itself as part of the client's team and looking for ways to add value. It also gives advice outside normal office hours on ad hoc business and financial questions, and where the work goes beyond a short exchange it is charged on a pre-agreed basis.

Taxation, audit and accounting services

The practice's services span taxation, audit and accounting. Its tax work aims to help clients improve business performance, minimise taxes and plan for the future. Staff numbers have increased year on year, with particular growth in recent years, and the practice has used that growth to widen its range.

Transaction advice, restructuring and group reorganisations

Transaction advisory services support clients through deals, and outsourcing takes accounting tasks off a client's hands. Property development and construction also appear among its areas of work, alongside group reorganisations and restructuring. Typical extra work includes bank negotiations, restructuring, business plans and financial projections for groups, and tax planning.

Referrals from clients, banks and professional advisers

Most new work comes from referrals by clients, banks and other professionals the firm has dealt with over the years. The firm says this reflects a reputation for solving problems, and it has built its practice on that reputation rather than on a broad marketing effort.