About Niall May

For Niall May, choosing UCD initially involved following in his family’s footsteps – his three older sisters all attended the university. Even at secondary school, he’d been interested in business and keen to pick an internationally recognised undergraduate programme.

He couldn’t have known back in 1995, however, that choosing to study for a Bachelor of Commerce at UCD would set him on a course to becoming Managing Partner at a leading accountancy firm. Not only that, but his path would remain intertwined with UCD for three decades.

“I've been pretty close to UCD since leaving,” he says. “I’d attend alumni events and have been involved in mentoring programmes, trying to help the people who are where I was back in the 1990s in terms of their career journey.”

Foundation for a lasting career

As an undergraduate himself, he valued the breadth of study in the BComm. “It’s a great qualification and gives you broad exposure to business, particularly in the earlier years, when you're doing everything from law, HR and marketing right through to organisational behaviour.”

As his BComm studies drew to an end, Niall decided to specialise in accounting. “Having got a really good foundation, I decided to do the masters in accounting in UCD Smurfit School, which has a fantastic globally recognised reputation.”

Along with giving him a thorough grounding in accounting, the masters programme also entitled Niall to substantial exemptions for his subsequent professional qualifications with the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Valuable experience for the real world

Beyond the practical benefits, Niall highlights the critical lessons learned during his postgraduate studies. University education equips students with a more analytical and structured mindset, he says, and the masters pushed him to think even more critically.

It also meant he and his classmates had to apply their knowledge to real-life business scenarios, helping them build time management, teamwork and strategic thinking skills.

“I’d say that to anyone going to do the masters – don’t treat it just as an academic qualification, but see it as a stepping stone to your professional career.

Leading the way at RSM

With 26 years of experience in professional services, Niall May was appointed Managing Partner at RSM Ireland in January 2024. “In short, my role is a balance between bringing our strategic plans to life while ensuring we stay ambitious, people-focused and client-driven – so we can continue to accelerate our growth with impact and purpose..”

RSM Ireland has seen impressive growth, achieving record revenue and people growth in the past year. This growth trajectory is set to continue as it continues to expand the services it provides to its growing client base.

In November 2023, RSM Ireland merged with RSM UK. Late last year, it announced plans to pursue a transatlantic merger across the  UK, US, Canada, El Salvador. “That will create the first partner-owned multinational organisation, with 23,000 professionals and a combined revenue of $5 billion” explains Niall.

This significant expansion, coupled with a focus on the mid-market space, is fuelling RSM’s ambition to be the number one firm in the mid-market. “No two days are ever the same,” says Niall, “but it’s all based around collaboration, and being transparent and approachable as a leader.”

Panel

What gets you up in the morning?

I’m an early riser. I’m regularly out walking our dog Coco at six o’clock in the morning. I see quite a few people out walking and jogging at sunrise. It’s a brilliant way to start the day. I’ll be back home before 7am and feel great.

What keeps you awake at night?

Probably the relentless pace of change and the pressure to stay relevant in an increasing complex and evolving world. Are we upskilling enough, for example? Are we doing enough to manage tariffs, regulatory changes, cybersecurity, sustainability and other challenges, and are we helping our clients enough through those challenges?

What keeps you busy away from your desk?

I have three children, who are 9, 14 and 16, and they’re all involved in sports, so during the week, I’m like a taxi service. My eldest, Conor, is getting into golf so I’m trying to as well. More often than not, I end up being his caddy as opposed to his golfing buddy for the day. He’s coaching me, not the other way around!

What advice would you give to younger people seeking to succeed in business?

The key advice would be to ask questions constantly. When I started off in my first year as a trainee, I was told to ask lots of questions, and I continue to do that. That’s where you learn. No one knows the answers to everything.

It’s also vital to stay solution-focused. In any career, particularly in professional services, you're always going to encounter challenges, whether it's changing regulations, client demands or market volatility. There's always something to deal with, but you’ve got to focus on solutions rather than the problems.

That has always stuck with me because it’s how we approach our client work as well. We view client relationships as partnerships. When they have challenges, we're here as independent professional experts to come up with solutions.

September 2025