Today’s news in brief – 17/1/2025

Global firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has opened its first office in Ireland, launching a Corporate Finance practice in Dublin led by Niall Flood. Flood, with over 15 years’ experience in M&A and leveraged finance, joins from KPMG, where he co-led mid-market M&A advisory in Ireland. He will focus on expanding A&M’s Irish Corporate Finance team, targeting new hires and assisting clients with acquisitions, funding, and private equity investment. Flood emphasized A&M’s unique expertise in transaction strategy and corporate performance improvement. The Dublin office represents A&M’s commitment to local expertise and its continued international growth strategy.
EY has named Hilary Heap as North Market Leader and Manchester Office Managing Partner. Heap, with 30 years of experience, succeeds Stephen Church, who becomes EY’s UK&I private and mid-market leader. Previously EY’s Strategy and Transactions Leader for Northern England, Heap joined the firm in 2016 and was promoted to partner in 2017. She plans to build on Church’s achievements, focusing on client service and regional growth. Church praised Heap’s extensive expertise and relationships, expressing confidence in her ability to lead. The leadership transition highlights EY’s commitment to strengthening its presence in the North of England.
The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) has initiated a project to enhance firm culture and governance within the accountancy profession. Following ethical failures in recent years, IESBA aims to develop a principles-based framework to promote high ethical standards. The project will include global stakeholder consultations and create non-authoritative guidance for firms on embedding ethics into operations. ICAEW praised the initiative, highlighting the importance of an “ethics by design” approach. IESBA’s efforts seek to strengthen ethical behavior, improve compliance, and address governance challenges in accounting firms globally, reinforcing trust in the profession.
FRP Corporate Finance supported Nobel Fire Systems in acquiring Marine Fire Safety, a Surrey-based fire suppression and equipment provider. Nobel, a UK leader in fire detection and suppression solutions, aims to expand its presence in the marine sector and international markets through this acquisition. Marine Fire Safety, known for its high-quality safety equipment, will benefit from Nobel’s scale and advanced technology. The deal, advised by FRP’s Manchester team, reflects growing M&A activity in fire safety markets. Nobel’s Managing Director, Ian Bartle, highlighted the strategic synergy and growth potential resulting from the partnership.