BDO’s UK network member is poised to merge with its Irish sister firm, as it positions itself for its own regional consolidation. BDO has confirmed the two companies have now exchanged contracts, following a successful partner vote for the proposed merger.
Brian McEnery, managing partner at BDO Ireland, commented, “We have worked side-by-side for decades on cross-border engagements, client collaborations and talent exchanges. We know each other well and this shared history gives us confidence that we can build something even stronger together.”
Like many peers – including the previously mentioned Moore – BDO is a network of partnerships that are separately owned and managed by the senior practitioners in each country, overseen by a global umbrella body. BDO’s combined UK and Ireland business would have annual revenues close to £1.1 billion, and combine the Irish offices in Dublin and Limerick with the UK firm’s 18 sites – with 552 partners and 8,500 employees. On completion, the group will remain within the BDO International network, which has almost 120,000 staff in 1,800 offices.
Completion of the merger is expected in spring 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The ‘in-network’ deal is described as a major milestone for both businesses, with a release from the firm claiming that it will cement BDO’s position as “one of the largest accountancy firms in Europe focused on the entrepreneurial, growing and ambitious mid-market.”
Mark Shaw, managing partner at BDO UK, added, “Partners in both the UK and Ireland have been clear in their support. They are excited about the next phase of our growth story and are pleased to have reached this important stage in the deal. This is a merger built on a foundation of shared culture, with mutual respect and commitment to our people, to quality and the consistency of service which our client heartland of entrepreneurial, growing and ambitious businesses requires. We look forward to working, thriving and winning together.”
The merger will broaden BDO’s offering across its four core service lines of audit, tax, deals and consulting, and risk and outsourcing. It also aims to help meet the ever-evolving needs of clients, providing improved cross-border ties and consistency of service to clients and increased capacity to invest in people, technology and innovation.
It also comes at a time when a number of firms are turning to consolidation via mergers and acquisitions to shore up their financial performance, in a slow consulting market. MHA and Roberts Nathan recently relaunched as Baker Tilly Ireland, for example, while Moore Kingston Smith expanded into Ireland with its purchase of Irish accounting and advisory firm Moore – part of the same international network.
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