John
Kelleher

Who I Help

Large corporates in manufacturing. SMEs and family-owned businesses. Charities and not-for-profit organisations. Various trades. Hospitality. Professional services.

How I Help

Audit and assurance. Non-audit financial statements. Management accounts. Tax compliance for corporates and individuals. Business advisory. Business sale and succession support.

“Know the people as well as the numbers.”

John Kelleher is a Director at AAB, based in Cork, with close to 20 years’ experience across audit, non-audit financial statements, management accounts, tax compliance and advisory work. John works with a wide range of clients, from large manufacturers to SMEs, family-owned businesses, charities and organisations across hospitality and professional services. He believes understanding a client’s business is just as important as understanding their numbers, and has built his reputation on strong, long-standing client relationships and a genuine interest in the people behind the figures.

Sectors/Support

Manufacturing. SMEs & Family Businesses. Charities & Not-for-Profit. Hospitality. Professional Services.

A Career Built on Variety

What my week looks like varies from week to week, and is also dependent on the time of year. My work ranges from audit, spanning large companies to not-for-profit organisations such as charities, to the preparation of non-audit financials, management accounts, and tax compliance for both corporates and individuals. I also support clients through advisory work. The variety of work makes it both challenging and interesting, as I need to keep up to date with legislation and changes across each of these areas.

I always had an interest in numbers and dealing with people, which drew me to accountancy. Once I looked into the career path more and realised you would also need to understand a client’s business, not just their figures, I knew this was the path I wanted to take.

Understanding the Business, Not Just the Numbers

I have been in the business for close to 20 years. Over that time, I have built up vast experience and knowledge across various professions, both corporate and individual, and I have helped clients set up new businesses and supported them through good times and bad. For all my clients, I take the time to get to know their business and the important members of their team, because understanding how a business works is just as important as understanding the numbers. That knowledge is what helps me support my clients effectively.

Earning Trust and Respect

At the beginning of my career, the biggest challenge was understanding legislation and applying it correctly; the knowledge built up over the years has helped enormously with that. Working with new clients and building relationships with them can also be challenging, as you have to earn their trust and respect. A lot of my new clients come from referrals, which certainly helps, and good communication is extremely important throughout.

Listening First

I take the time to get to know a new client and their team, understanding their business and their short and long-term goals, whether that’s growing in the market or selling in a few years. I look at what areas the business is performing well in and where they might be struggling. That understanding helps me ask the right questions and give the correct advice, and it is also really important to be honest with clients from the start.

One client came to me through a referral from another client, as they were struggling with some compliance issues. I already had a good understanding of the sector they were in, and by listening carefully to their queries at our first meeting, I was able to give good feedback and advice straight away. They were impressed and joined the practice immediately, and that relationship has since led to further referrals and new business.

Seeing Businesses Thrive

There are a few aspects of the role I find satisfying. The variety of the work always keeps it interesting, and I enjoy sitting down with clients and working through the issues they may have. It is very satisfying when you have a solution that helps a client’s business grow and develop, and seeing a business thrive that you have been involved with from the beginning gives me great satisfaction. What stands out as most rewarding about being part of both my team and the wider AAB organisation is helping young students achieve their goal of qualifying as an accountant; many started with us on short internships and returned for their training contracts and now work in different parts of the world.

A recent example that stands out involved the sale of a business for a client, carried out over a number of years as the owner’s approached retirement with no family members to take over. We made sure good procedures and structures were in place and had the company in very good standing by the time it came to sale. The eventual sale was a smooth process, and the clients achieved a sale price they were extremely happy with. The greatest compliment a client can give me is a referral, when a potential new client rings up and specifically asks for me because I was recommended; it shows the level of trust a client has placed in you.

Keeping Pace with Change

The greatest challenge in my area is the constant change in legislation, and it is important to keep up to date with these changes through relevant CPD courses. The speed of change within technology and AI can also be challenging; clients sometimes bring information they’ve found themselves using AI, but the question they asked may not have been quite right, so part of the job is making sure they have the correct information.

A common misconception about my profession is that we spend all day looking at numbers on a screen. Accountancy is much more than numbers; it is also about understanding a client’s business. My top strengths are my experience, client relationships, attention to detail and problem-solving, and having nearly 20 years’ experience has shaped who I am today and allowed me to be comfortable dealing with clients across various industries. Looking ahead, I am particularly keen to develop my understanding of technology and AI, and how it can bring benefits not just to me, but to my clients too.