We have all heard the soundbites that Cork is set to become the fastest growing city in Ireland over the next 20 years. Jonathan Olden, Managing Partner at Barden Munster, says he gets a real sense of this when speaking to business leaders as they increase their footprint and look to bring high-value positions to the region. “It is and will continue to be an exciting time for the people of Cork if we continue to work hard to reach our true potential,” says Olden.

“Demand for the best talent in the market has certainly increased. The key is to identify a shortlist of two to three quality people, though employers are finding this extremely difficult. The market is positive across Finance, IT, Legal, Financial Services and many other sectors. Cork itself is going through a period of exceptional growth.”

Barden is a partner-led talent advisory and recruitment firm with a team of 40 people in Cork, Dublin, Waterford, and San Francisco. The firm initially specialised in Accounting & Tax recruitment and is now active in the areas of Executive Search, Legal, Financial Services, Projects and Change, Technology, Data Analytics, Supply Chain and Life Sciences.

The firm recently launched a new Life Sciences practice and is strengthening its Business Support and Supply Chain & Procurement practices. Despite tech sector layoffs in Dublin over the past year, Olden says demand for tech talent continues to exceed supply in Cork. “While there has been some impact from tech redundancies filtering into the local market, it is in no way material. The appetite for tech talent continues to grow,” he says.

In Olden’s view, unless there is joined-up thinking across business and housing providers, housing in Cork will continue to be a major issue. “It can be difficult to find housing in Cork and it is important to recognise that the market works differently here. You really do need to have someone working on your behalf in Cork in advance of attempting to relocate.”

Source: Business Plus Magazine

Barden is proud to announce that Rachel McGuckian has joined the team as an Associate with Barden’s Technology Recruitment Practice.

“Delighted to have Rachel join our emerging technology recruitment practice here in Barden.  Her work ethic, smarts, and genuine drive to try and make a difference in people’s lives means that Rachel will be right at home here in our team. Once the team at Barden met with Rachel, we felt she was an excellent match for our values as an organisation and her integrity, positive energy and people skills coupled with her strong career motivations really came across to us. Likewise, Rachel felt that Barden was somewhere she could learn and develop as a Recruitment professional and felt it was a natural next step for her career. We’re all looking forward to an exciting future together and we have no doubt that Rachel’s personality will add greatly to the Technology Recruitment Practice here at Barden and externally to our clients and candidates as she continues to immerse herself in the Technology community here in Cork.’ – Killian O’Leary | Partner | Barden

Rachel achieved a first Class Honours Graduate from University College Cork with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, majoring in Human Resources & Leadership. She is a keen sports person highlighted from her at time at UCC, where she was involved with the UCC Ladies Gaelic Football, UCC Ladies Soccer & Swimming teams.

Having spent time working with EY on placement during her studies Rachel subsequently returned to EY to take up a role as an Assurance Associate focusing predominantly on Client Relations & External Audit work.  Earlier this year, Rachel decided to take her career in a different direction and sought to seek out recruitment opportunities, a sector which she feels is more closely aligned with her passion for helping people and seeing them achieving their career goals.

“I am delighted to be joining the team here at Barden and working closely with the Tech Recruitment Practice. Barden’s approach to recruitment is refreshingly different, as they put their people first and take an advisory approach that truly resonates with me. It’s inspiring to work with such passionate individuals, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of the team. I am looking forward to using my professional and customer service experience to create value for people in new and meaningful ways” – Rachel McGuckian | Associate | Barden

Welcome to Barden Rachel!

Barden’s Accounting & Tax recruitment practice is proud to announce the appointment of Tony Kerslake as Consultant with our team in Dublin.

Tony will work with the Mid-Senior Qualified Accounting team to play a key role in supporting accounting professionals and clients within the Leinster region.

Tony is a Chartered Accountant, having qualified with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand in 2006. Following his qualification he moved to Ireland where he joined Oracle holding a number of key financial roles including Financial Controller, Senior Financial Controller and Finance Director.

He then moved to Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. where he was a Director of Accounting & GPO before moving to Glen Dimplex as GBS Head of Record to Report & Accounts Receivable. Tony spent time working with SteriPack Ireland as Senior Financial Controller before making the move into the world of recruitment.

“I am delighted to be joining the team in Barden and to have the opportunity to work closely with Elaine, Ornaith and the rest of the team in the accounting and tax recruitment practice. For a number of years, throughout my career, I worked with Elaine, Ed and the Barden team as a client so I have first-hand experience of their work, spirit and values. I am excited about joining such a passionate company and group of people, and having the opportunity to work with senior accounting professionals to help them navigate their career paths and make the best decisions for their professional futures.” – Tony Kerslake | Consultant | Barden Leinster

“We are so excited about Tony joining Barden. We have worked with Tony for a number of years and he has always been a great supporter of and friend to us. Tony has outstanding experience in the finance world across a variety of roles and sectors and there is no doubt this experience will be of great benefit to the professionals and clients he will work with in Barden. I’m so excited to see the impact that Tony will make in the accounting community as he continues to hone his new trade.” –  Elaine Brady | Managing Partner | Barden

Welcome to Barden Tony!

We can’t believe that we have already started the fourth year of our partnership with the Chartered Accountants Student Society of Ireland (CASSI). The years are flying by and we feel very privileged to be working with such an amazing, passionate and enthusiastic group that make up the CASSI members.

As we kick off year 4 of the partnership we thought it might be a good time as ever to stop for a moment to reflect on the year gone by and see what’s in store for the coming year.

What is the partnership all about?

In Barden we only work with the best. Chartered Accountants do too. And, that’s why we decided to work together.

This partnership with CASSI strikes to the heart of what we are all about in Barden – knowledge and insights first, jobs second. By working directly with, and supporting, CAI and CASSI we are aiming to make a real difference in the lives of the accountants of tomorrow.

“The time, effort and energy we invest in our partnership with CASSI is a real manifestation of our purpose here in Barden – we want people armed with the information and understanding they need to make the most informed decision possible about their future.  It’s as simple as that and it’s want we want to do again this year with the next intake of accounting professionals approaching qualification.”  Elaine Brady | Managing Partner | Barden Leinster

What happened in 2022?

Things were finally starting to return to ‘normal’ after a few strange years with the global pandemic, which challenged the way we worked and did things.

During 2022 we were delighted to see our first in-person event take place in October with the Barden & CASSI FAE Careers Evening in Chartered Accountants House.

On top of this we managed to deliver 7 career webinars, with over 1,000 CASSI members registering to attend. The webinars covered topics to support CASSI members taking the very best next steps in their professional futures.

Our 1:1 career advisory sessions continued to be a massive hit with CASSI members, with over 200 professionals availing of the offering. These sessions are delivered by our expert recruitment team, are personalised and are aimed to answer every question CASSI members might have about their professional futures.

We worked hard to deliver up-to-date and relevant content for newly qualified accountants across lots of different channels including our website, Chartered Accountants Ireland website and student newsletter, our social media channels and CASSI’s Instagram account.  The content included lots of great advice and insights on CVs, interviews, salaries, building your online presence etc. We also grew our ‘Barden Shorts’ and ‘Barden & CASSI Webinar Recordings’ offering on our YouTube channel, which now has over 80 videos. We also partnered with Chartered Accountants Ireland to deliver the FAE Exam Guide 2022.

And finally we launched the Barden Talent Programme in 2022!

“It’s wonderful to see how many options there are for Chartered Accountants at the early stages of their career. The team have really enjoyed mentoring CASSI members over the last 3 years . Every accountant’s goal is different and what’s important to them changes rapidly.

The Barden Talent Programme has been a huge success for the clients and candidates which is super to see especially given that it was only launched in 2022.  We look forward to year 4 of the Barden & CASSI partnership.” Jonathan Olden | Managing Partner | Barden Munster.

What’s next for 2023?

Over the coming year we’ll continue work closely with CASSI to make sure their members get access to the right information, at the right time so when they qualify they can make the right decisions about their professional future.

We’ve already gotten off to a super start, with the support of the new CASSI and regional committee members, and so far have brought you the first in-person event of 2023 with the Barden & CASSC FAE Careers Evening in Cork at the beginning of March.

Our webinar season kicked off at the end of February with over 400 registering to take part.

Also during 2023 we’ll be delivering…

• More webinars
• More in-person events
• More 1:1 career advisory sessions
• More content, resources, insights and Barden Shorts
• Building on last year’s launch of the Barden Talent Programme!

How to get in touch with us…

Interested in finding out more, or organising a career advisory session? Drop us a quick email and they’ll be in touch to take it from there.

For anyone in Dublin get in touch with Brian O’Connor ACA, in our Dublin office, at brian.oconnor@barden.ie.

For anyone in Ulster, Galway, Sligo or the Midlands get in touch with Ed Heffernan, in our Dublin office, at ed.heffernan@barden.ie.

For anyone in Cork, Munster or the Southeast , get in touch with Siobhán Sexton ACA, in our Cork office, at Siobhan.sexton@barden.ie.

Proud to once again sponsor the Dublin Chamber‘s International Women’s Day 2023 event, which will take place in person on 8th March in the Radisson Blu, Golden Lane.

Our very own Sandra Quinn ACA, Partner at Barden and expert in executive search and senior careers, will join Natasha Adams from Tesco Ireland, and a super panel of speakers to discuss the IWD23’s theme of #EmbraceEquity.

“Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #EmbraceEquity.”

On the night the speakers will discuss their careers, challenges they have overcome and offer advice to fellow business leaders.

Join us for this free, not be missed, in person event and hear from…

• MC: Ruth Scott, Radio Broadcaster
• Keynote speaker: Natasha Adams, CEO, Tesco Ireland
• Julie McLoughlin – JANDO
• Katharine Deas – Oriana B.
• Charmaine Kenny – Hatched Analytics
• Pauline Logan – Local Enterprise Offices
• Sandra Quinn ACA, Partner with Barden and expert in Executive Search and Senior Finance Careers.

For further info and to book click here.

#DCIWD23 #IWD2023 #EmbraceEquity

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Tara Higgins as Director – Operational Finance and Business Support within Barden Munster.

A core part of Tara’s role is working directly with professionals in the areas of Operational Finance and Business Support, helping them to identify and map out their future career path, and secure their ideal roles. Tara will also partner with clients to build world class teams in these, and other, areas of business. 

“Tara took a risk in joining Barden in our very early days and has been a cornerstone of our Cork practice ever since.  A real expert in recruitment, Tara has taken on and delivered on a very wide array of projects for our clients nationally and has led the way here in terms of evolving additional service lines to meet the needs of some of our most important clients.  Tara has a very bright future here in Barden – in stepping up to director I’ve a feeling she is only getting started.” –  Jonathan Olden | Managing Partner | Barden Munster

“After 5 years of working with Barden and back then joining what was an early day’s start-up office, it’s been incredibly exciting to see the team around me, both in Cork and nationally, growing and going from strength to strength. From my first day, my goal was to help Barden to have more opportunities to help people, those looking for the next step in their career, our clients and prospective clients initially in Operational Finance and then across new areas and specialisms. As a result, I have enjoyed a varied recruitment partnering role where no day is the same (ever!). I’m looking forward to what this year will bring as I continue to help Jonathan, Ed and Elaine to grow new areas and to develop some of the existing areas in which Barden can support people who are looking for their next challenge and our growing client base. Next up: shaping a Business Support and HR Recruitment Practice! I am very grateful to the team and peers I have around me on this next chapter with Barden.”– Tara Higgins | Director – Operational Finance & Business Support | Barden Munster

A little about Tara…

Tara Higgins  is Director – Operational Finance & Business Support with Barden. She is part of our team in Cork, and is an expert in Operational Finance and Business Support recruitment and careers.

A UCC grad, Tara started her career in finance before moving into recruitment in 2015. She joined Barden Cork in April 2018 at a very exciting time when the Cork office was in true start-up mode. Over the past number of years, she has helped our managing partners to grow various areas of the Cork business, which she is extremely passionate about.

Contact Tara at tara.higgins@barden.ie or via LinkedIn.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Michelle Geary as Head of Research, Support & Innovation with Barden in Munster.

Michelle joined Barden in 2021 and since then has worked with and supported the accounting & tax, financial services, IT and legal recruitment teams, and the leadership teams, with core administration and operation activities.

Before joining Barden Michelle worked as complex manager and duty manager with Press Up Hospitality Group, and Assistant Manager with 3Arena. In 2010 she completed a BA Arts in Politics and History with University College Cork.

“The last 14 months have been a whirlwind in the best way possible and I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to take on this new role within Barden. It’s been an incredible learning experience to date and having the support of the phenomenal team here in Barden has been a crucial part of this. They are simply the best bunch of humans! I’m excited for what the next few months hold for us and how we will scale up the research function internally.” – Michelle Geary | Head of Research, Support & Innovation | Barden Munster

“Michelle has been a breath of fresh air in Barden – always thinking 2 steps ahead, solving problems before they become problems, always obliging and always with a smile. Not only has she shaped and delivered a best-in-class support function for our team but she has brought innovation in terms of research methodologies, service lines and systems. As she grows her research and support function here over the coming years it is inevitable that she and her team will have a lasting impact on what recruitment actually means in Barden. Can’t wait to see what we do next Michelle!” – Ed Heffernan | Managing Partner | Barden Ireland

In her new role Michelle will work to expand the research function within Barden, while also working with her team, Sabrina and Karyn, to develop other aspects of the function to ultimately support the wider Barden team. A core focus will also be on streamlining internal processes and ensuring we make the best use of the excellent tools available to us to continue supporting the fantastic professionals and clients we work with.

Well done Michelle!!

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Denis Galvin as Director of Senior Appointments within our Accounting & Tax recruitment practice in Munster.

Denis joined Barden in 2018 and since joining has been instrumental in developing and growing the mid to senior appointments aspect of the business within the accounting and tax practice. He has also played a pivotal role in supporting Jonathan Olden, and the rest of the team in shaping Barden Munster into the business it is today.

“It’s such a pleasure to call Denis a colleague here in Barden – his knowledge, empathy, work ethic and smarts are second to none and he’s been a real driving force with us over the last four years.  His appointment to Director is a natural next step and I look forward to working with him to help realise our potential over the coming years. So well deserved Denis!” –  Jonathan Olden | Managing Partner | Barden Munster

As Director, Denis will continue to support the core function of the business which is to support professionals in identifying and taking the best next steps for their careers, and helping leaders to build world class teams. The main goals for the team over the coming year will focus on team development, technology and strategy, with a particular emphasis on growing the team team by taking on exceptional professionals who wish to use their professional qualification in a different way.

“I’m really excited to take on this new leadership role within Barden. My role will constantly evolve over the coming years across many areas; however, the core fundamentals will remain largely unchanged. In Barden we act as trusted advisors to the senior finance and executive community within Cork and the Munster region, giving them insights and access to the best opportunities and talent.

I’m also looking forward to helping Barden’s leadership team to strategise and prepare for the future. I’m really really proud to have played a small part in Barden’s growth story so far.

And I very much look forward to contributing to future successes.” – Denis Galvin | Director – Senior Accountants | Barden Munster

A little about Denis…

Denis is a Chartered Certified Accountant and has spent over 10 years across practice, multinational and start up environments. Denis joined Barden in August 2018 and leads the Mid – Senior market in Barden Munster

Denis completed an undergrad in Computer Science & Economics in UCC. Following that he went on to complete his ACCA exams through practice, working with Roberts Nathan in Cork, before making the move into industry. Denis then went on to gain his PQE in industry, working specifically with Apple, Netgear and Genesis, enabling him to gain experience across global and European finance hubs and shared services, and also within a rapidly growing, Cork born, technology company.

Contact Denis at denis.galvin@barden.ie or via LinkedIn.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Aoibhín Byrne as Business Lead in Tax, Treasury and Practice within our Accounting & Tax recruitment practice in Dublin.

Aoibhín joined Barden in 2019 as an Associate with our accounting & tax practice, she later went on to progress to Senior Associate in 2021. She has played a vital role in developing the operational finance aspect of the practice, and more recently the tax, treasury and practice side of the business.

“I am absolutely delighted to announce the appointment of Aoibhín Byrne to Business Lead – Tax, Treasury and Practice.  Over Aoibhín’s tenure with us, she has continuously added value to all people she deals with. Her natural empathy and understanding has made her stand out across the industry. From her initial specialisation of part-qualified accountants, to building out our payroll specialism, to advising and guiding tax and treasury and broader practice professionals, Aoibhín has excelled at everything she has turned her hand to. She is professional, driven and genuinely cares about every person she advises and guides and she personifies what it means to be ‘Barden’. I am delighted to welcome her to the Leadership Team.” –  Elaine Brady | Managing Partner | Barden Leinster

“It’s been a whirlwind 3+ years since I joined the Barden team and it’s definitely a career choice I haven’t looked back on. Working with like-minded professionals in such a collaborative environment is really a dream come true for me – the people are the heart of our business and I’m really lucky to feel supported by such incredible individuals. I’m excited to join the Barden leadership team and work more closely with the business while still supporting the Tax, Treasury and wider Practice community” – Aoibhín Byrne | Business Lead | Barden

A little about Aoibhín …

A proud Cork/Dublin woman, Aoibhín joined the Barden team in 2019, after spending three years in KPMG Tax. Aoibhín studied Commerce with French in University College Cork (UCC).

Partnering with professionals and businesses, Aoibhín is passionate about sharing her commercial expertise to support informed decision making.

Contact Aoibhín at aoibhin.byrne@barden.ie or via LinkedIn.

We are delighted to announce that Lorraine O’Leary has been appointed as Senior Associate with our IT recruitment practice in Cork.

Lorraine joined Barden as an Associate in February 2021 and has been an integral part of the IT team, supporting Killian O’Leary in growing the IT practice within Barden. She is an expert in IT recruitment with a particular focus on infrastructure and analytics careers.

“Lorraine has been an integral part of the growth of the emergent IT Practice within Barden from the very early days. Having graduated from college, stepping into the professional world can be daunting for many, not to mention having to start a job with minimal support due to having to work from home during the Covid pandemic. This didn’t deter Lorraine and she really excelled in such adversity. Lorraine needed to ‘learn on the job’ and has really utilised her skills to excel in the role of IT Recruiter on our team.

She has displayed fantastic grit and determination when some processes became quite challenging and Lorraine’s resilience has shone through in the various successful assignments she has delivered on. Lorraine is now seen as a ‘Trusted Advisor’ to both clients and candidates and is a dream to work with. To my mind, Lorraine possesses all of the skills required (proactivity, self-management, resilience, common sense, great listening and attention to detail) to make a real success of her future career as a key member of our IT recruitment team at Barden and I’m delighted she’s on my team. It excites me to see her further develop over the coming years. Well done Lorraine!” – Killian O’Leary | Partner | IT | Barden

In her new role Lorraine will continue to support IT professionals in identifying what the best next step in their career might be and in providing guidance and unbiased advice throughout their career move. In particular Lorraine will be working directly with analytics and infrastructure professionals throughout Ireland.

“I am extremely proud to have seen and been involved in the growth of Barden’s IT practice over the last 2 years. Every day I am surrounded by exceptional recruiters who are wonderful humans, and I get to work with amazing candidates and clients. I look forward to meeting many more of these individuals, sharing their successes and I’m excited to see Barden’s IT practice continue to grow.” – Lorraine O’Leary | Senior Associate | Barden

Well done Lorraine!!