Azets Ireland is doubling the size of its outsourcing division to 40 people as it bids to support firms on “increasingly complex” reporting and payroll requirements as well as the recruitment of trained staff.
The professional services firm said the expansion of the division, scheduled to take place within 18 months, marked a key element in its growth plans in Ireland.
Through the expansion, Azets will roll out cloud accounting and bookkeeping services, management reporting, payroll services, business process outsourcing and staff secondment services to businesses in Ireland, including entrepreneurial, owner-managed and family-owned businesses.
Azets said market estimates suggested this growing industry was worth close to €1 billion last year but that there was only a handful of firms providing such services to small, medium sized and large companies in Ireland. It added that the growth would enable it to service existing and new clients in sectors such as property development, energy, retail and professional services.
The outsourcing department is led by Susan Wylie, a senior partner with more than three decades in the business advisory sector, with the team also including Avril Shortt and Jennifer Kelly in key roles.
Azets has committed to scale up its presence in Ireland and employ 400 people by the end of 2025. It currently employs a team of 220 people at its locations in Dublin, Enniscorthy and Waterford. The international outsourcing, compliance and advisory group employs 8,200 people across a network of 189 European offices in the Nordics, Britain and Ireland.
“With businesses facing increasingly complex reporting and payroll requirements as well as difficulties in recruiting trained staff, companies of all sizes are looking for the support of experienced professionals who can navigate regulatory compliance,” said Ms Wylie.
“By outsourcing certain accounting and compliance functions and leveraging the most modern cloud-based solutions, business leaders can regain valuable time and focus on growth and innovation,” she said.
“This need will only grow with pension auto-enrolment being introduced in January, 2025 and gender pay gap reporting requirements being extended to employers with 150 or more employees this year and to employers with 50 or more employees in 2025.”
Azets Ireland chief executive Neil Hughes added that many firms were currently underserved by the biggest professional services companies at a time when they are facing rising wage costs, new regulatory obligations and difficulties attracting and retaining talent.
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