Celebrity agent Noel Kelly sees company profits of over €400k last year

Kelly became a household name during 2023’s RTÉ payments controversy

Ryan Tubridy and Noel Kelly pictured leaving the  Public Accounts Committee. Photograph: Collins
Ryan Tubridy and Noel Kelly pictured leaving the Public Accounts Committee. Photograph: Collins

Post-tax profits at two firms co-owned by Noel Kelly, agent to a number of high profile Irish TV and radio presenters, recorded combined post tax profits of €415,807 last year.

In 2023 Mr Kelly, Ryan Tubridy’s agent and co-owner of NK Management, became embroiled in the RTÉ payments scandal after it emerged he had been centrally involved in negotiating the controversial pay top-up for Mr Tubridy, linked to car manufacturer Renault.

New accounts show Mr Kelly’s Cleary Consultancy Ltd, trading as NK Management, recorded post tax profits of €76,486 in the 12 months to the end of March 31st last year.

The profits are 72 per cent down on the post tax profits of €272,554 for the prior year. The drop follows the company’s investment in new podcast studios where Ivan Yates and Matt Cooper’s Path to Power; Ryan Tubridy’s Bookshelf; Roasted by Mark Moriarty; and Mind Full by Dermot Whelan are produced.

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A separate marketing company operated by Mr Kelly, Century Merchandising Services Ltd, recorded post tax profits of €339,321 during the same 2024 fiscal period.

The accounts for both firms cover the period in which Mr Kelly appeared before Oireachtas committees. At the height of the payments controversy in July 2023, Mr Kelly became a household name after appearing alongside Ryan Tubridy during a gruelling seven hour questioning sessions before two Oireachtas committees at Leinster House.

The new Cleary Consultancy accounts show that accumulated profits at the end of March last stood at €1.25 million.

Shareholder funds totalled €1.364 million while the company’s cash funds declined from €479,119 to €326,394.

Along with Mr Tubridy, NK Management also represents Pat Kenny, Dermot Bannon, Doireann Garrihy, Kathryn Thomas and Joe Duffy.

The abridged Cleary Consultancy accounts – signed off on February 24th by Mr Kelly and Catriona Cleary Kelly – make no reference to the RTÉ payments scandal.

The accounts show that aggregate pay to directors remained at €120,000 in the year under review.

Numbers employed by the business increased by one to 10.

The separate accounts for Century Merchandising Services Ltd- which trades as CMS Marketing – shows post tax profits of €339,321 last year follow post tax profits of €315,205 in the prior year.

Pay to directors at the company totalled €191,384, made up of €142,000 in remuneration and €49,384 in pension contributions.

Accumulated profits at the company at the end of March 2024 totalled €1.366 million. Cash funds increased from €300,389 to €376,392.