BDO LLP will maintain operations in Limerick, Dublin and 17 UK locations, and remain part of BDO Global’s $11bn international network.

BDO Ireland and BDO UK are to merge and create an international business with revenues of €1.26bn, around 8,500 employees and approximately 500 partners.

The combined operation, known as BDO LLP, will amount to “one of Europe’s largest accountancy and business advisory organisations focused on the entrepreneurial, growing and ambitious mid-market”, according to BDO.

BDO LLP will maintain operations in Limerick, Dublin and 17 UK locations, and remain part of BDO Global’s $11bn international network providing business advisory services in 169 countries and territories, with 95,000 people working out of 870 offices worldwide.

The merger will come into effect at the start of the businesses’ new financial year on Saturday (4 July), and would create “greater scale and capability” across amalgamated audit, tax, deals and consulting, risk, and outsourcing services, they said.

Mark Shaw, UK managing partner at the new organisation, said: “The accountancy profession is transforming to reflect changing client needs and the desire for closer international working. At the same time, advances in technology and AI are changing the way businesses operate and the expectations they place on their advisers.

“Bringing BDO UK and BDO Ireland together is our response to that shift, creating greater scale, capability and investment capacity for the future.”

The Irish part of the new entity will double in size, grow from 43 partners to 70 over the next five years, and be led by Brian McEnery as regional managing partner in Ireland, the companies said.

“This is a merger built on a foundation of shared culture and mutual respect,” said McEnery.

“Clients will gain access to a wider network of specialists across the UK and Ireland, while our people will benefit from greater opportunities for collaboration, development and long-term growth.”

The combined entity will continue to invest in client service, quality, digital capabilities and talent development, it said, while “bringing together two organisations with a long history of collaboration on cross-border client engagements, talent exchanges and sector initiatives”.

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