Pat Costello on the pluses and minuses of a life in accountancy

As the number of accountants in Ireland reaches 25,000, outgoing chief executive of Chartered Accountants Ireland Pat Costello looks at the challenges facing the profession

Pat Costello, outgoing chief executive, Chartered Accountants Ireland Pic: Fergal Phillips

Pat Costello is retiring from his role as chief executive of Chartered Accountants Ireland this year – but he sees a bright future for accountants.

Costello has had a varied career – he spent his early years in the Irish army and served a number of tours of duty as a peacekeeper in Syria, Israel, Lebanon and Yugoslavia, and he also sits on the board of the Policing Authority – but it is ...