“Multinationals are not here for 15% corporation tax. They are here for a myriad of reasons, including labour and a skilled workforce. If they can’t get them here, they’ll go somewhere else.”
In October, Grant Thornton announced that it was hiring an extra 1,000 staff to meet heightened demand for accountancy and professional services. However, the firm’s managing partner admits that the biggest challenge will be funding the right people. In a podcast with Ian Kehoe, Michael McAteer said that securing the right talent was the biggest issue facing many businesses right now, and that many new employees would have to come from Europe and Asia.
In a wide-ranging interview, McAteer also talks about the impact of the pandemic upon society, businesses and the workplace, and gives his economic outlook for 2022 and beyond. He believes that the surge in dealmaking will continue, although he expects a number of smaller trading businesses to fold when the state supports end.
