In this episode of the EY CEO Outlook podcast, Frank O’Keeffe tells host Richard Curran about his journey through the ranks of EY to the role of Managing Partner, his passion for building a better working world and views on how that world is changing, and what motivates him and helps him to maintain the ‘relentless focus’ his has applied through his career. They also talk about:

•  Growing up in a very entrepreneurial home, and his father’s career working alongside Penney’s Founder Arthur Ryan
• Why Covid-19 has put empathy so high up on the priority list for CEOs and leadership teams
•  EY’s partnership with the HSE during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Business and people’s renewed focus on environmental sustainability, and EY’s plans to become ‘carbon negative’
• Entrepreneurship, and keeping indigenous Irish companies in Ireland. 

Since childhood Frank O’Keeffe has been deeply interested in business and people, so perhaps it is no surprise that he was drawn to working with EY, an organisation where such interests can lead to a successful and fulfilling career. 

A relentless focus on building relationships with team members and clients and overseeing the health and growth of the EY business has seen O’Keeffe rise rapidly through the ranks of the organisation, to his current position as Managing Partner of EY Ireland. Such focus has never been more important to the role as he works to guide his own people, EY clients, and the business through the choppy waters of COVID-19.