Chief Executive Officer

Robert Adams

Robert is a co-founder and CEO of FOCUS Capital Partners – the fastest growing boutique corporate finance advisory firm in Ireland – established in 2010 with offices in both Dublin and Limerick.

One of Ireland’s leading corporate finance advisors, Robert has significant commercial experience in mergers and acquisitions, debt advisory, equity fundraising, business turnaround, and strategic advisory services for a wide range of clients both in Ireland and internationally.

He is the chairperson of the acquisition company, which has brought FOCUS Capital Partners and U.S. firm FOCUS Investment Banking under common ownership in 2025 to provide world-class advisory services to middle-market clients on both sides of the Atlantic.

With deep industry knowledge, strong relationships and a commitment to excellence, Robert has completed transactions across a number of sectors, including real estate, hospitality, retail and aviation. Prior to co-founding FOCUS Capital Partners, Robert was a partner at BDO Ireland, spending 10 years in corporate finance advisory with the firm.

He is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland from which he holds several diplomas, as well as a Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) (Hons) from University of Limerick.

Industry experience:

Robert has experience in the Hospitality, Real Estate, Aviation and Retail sectors.

Managing Director

Brian Barrett

Brian’s expertise is in providing strategic advice to entrepreneurs, business owners and companies to assist them in achieving their strategic ambitions and preparing for significant value events. He has over 16 years of corporate finance experience working with SMEs, large corporates and semi-state bodies across Ireland.

Brian has successfully project management and completed many significant transactions across multiple sectors, including retail, technology, food & beverage, agriculture, logistics, banking, energy and leisure.

Brian joined FOCUS Capital Partners in 2019 and is a leading and experienced corporate finance advisor, who provides a broad range of activities from debt advisory, valuations, due diligence, and strategic planning to buy/sell side services to our clients.

Brian previously worked for IBI Corporate Finance and EY Transaction Advisory Services.

Co-leader of the Agri, Food & Beverages Industry Group.

Industry experience:

Building & construction; Business services; Electronics; Energy & renewables; Financial services;  Hotels & restaurants; Leisure; Media, printing and publishing; Telecom; Transport & logistics.

Managing Director

Donal Cantillon

Donal holds an MBA, a BSc. Finance Degree and is a Chartered Accountant with c.20 years of banking and commercial/corporate finance experience working with SMEs, large corporates, and semi state bodies.
His expertise is in the area commercial finance solutions helping companies to achieve their financing and long term strategic aims.
During his career, Donal has worked across and successfully completed many transactions in various sectors including retail, hospitality & leisure, healthcare, manufacturing, engineering, technology, logistics, renewables, and property.

Industry experience:

Advertising, PR & marketing; Agriculture; Automotive; Business services; Chemicals; Engineering; Financial services; Healthcare; Hotels & restaurants; Information technology; Leisure; Real estate & facility management; Recycling; Retail and franchising; Telecom; Trade; Transport & logistics.

Manager

Peter Coffey

Prior to joining FOCUS, Peter trained in Grant Thornton’s Receivership department, then moved to Consulting to work on large deleveraging projects before joining the Corporate Finance team. Peter has significant experience in providing a range of transaction services including due diligence, vendor assist, valuations and IBRs. Peter has gained exposure to various industries including IT consulting, insurance, engineering, and software.

Peter also worked for a family office, managing their property and investment portfolio.

Peter qualified as a chartered accountant in 2020 having previously graduated from University of Limerick with a MSc in Financial Services.

Senior Manager

Orla Devlin

Orla joined FOCUS Capital Partners in 2017 and since then has predominantly advised on Equity transactions across a wide variety of sectors as well as several M&A transactions.

Previously, Orla spent 5 years working in business development and management positions in both start-ups and small businesses in the e-commerce and retail sectors respectively.

Orla graduated from University College Dublin with a Bachelor in Commerce, specialising in Finance. Orla subsequently completed a Masters’s in Finance and Capital Markets at Dublin City University.

Industry experience:

Financial services.

Managing Director

Owen Hackett

Owen holds a Bachelor of International Commerce & Irish degree from University College Dublin and is an associate of Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Prior to joining FOCUS Capital Partners in 2017, Owen worked in Grant Thornton’s Corporate Finance and Corporate Advisory departments specialising in M&A and transaction services. Owen completed his accountancy traineeship in Deloitte and Touche’s corporate audit department.
Owen specialises in M&A and equity finance and has managed the successful execution of several equity fundraise and M&A transactions with a particular focus on high-growth indigenous Irish software and technology companies. In addition, Owen specialises in providing a range of transaction services including due diligence, company valuations, and IBR and has extensive experience in providing strategic advice to leading Irish corporates.
Owen has gained significant exposure to various industries while working in corporate finance including software, artificial intelligence, manufacturing, pharmacy, leisure & hospitality, waste management, renewables, retail, and property.

Member of the Internet, Software, and Technology Industry Group.

Industry experience:

Healthcare; Information technology; Leisure; Retail and franchising.

Managing Director

Martin Higgins

His core specialist skills in operating fast-growing businesses have been developed over 25 years as a Managing Director/CEO of commercial trading companies. Martin brings commercial business turnaround, growth, and restructuring expertise to FOCUS Capital Partners. He is currently spearheading a number of significant business growth planning and funding transactions.
Martin has gained a wide range of experience in a broad range of companies, Private, PLC and Multi-National.
Martin has developed a recognised reputation for business strategy, rapid growth, and business turnarounds in the European arena (Ireland/ UK/ Italy/ Denmark). He is known for his commercial, real estate, operations, IT, and financial skills. He has led the business acquisition, disposal, and restructuring transactions. Martin has strong relationships with a wide range of Private Wealth Funds, Private Equity groups, and commercial business leaders.

Industry experience:

Energy & renewables; Information technology; Retail and franchising.

Managing Director

Alan Kelly

Alan has 25 years’ experience working in start-ups, SMEs and multi-million euro organisations.
Having started his career at Deloitte, Alan then worked as FC of KWE Ireland, a Japanese Logistics Company specializing in services to the Pharmaceutical and Electronics Industries. Alan was appointed General Manager of KWE Ireland in 2003 and oversaw revenue growth from €12m to €20m in 2.5 years.
Alan then joined Fonua, Europe’s largest mobile phone distributor as Commercial Director with responsibility for Operations, Finance & Business Development.
Since 2016, Alan has been a Director of FOCUS Capital Partners and has led a number of equity fundraising projects in multiple sectors.
He currently heads up the M&A Department and has successfully completed transactions (sell side & buy side) in multiple sectors including technology, software, healthcare, manufacturing & distribution.
Alan is an active member of M&A Worldwide and is a co-leader of the Healthcare Industry Group.

Co-leader of the Healthcare, Biotech & Pharma Industry Group. 

Industry experience:

Business services; Clean technology; Education and training; Electronics; Energy & renewables; Healthcare; Information technology; Telecom; Transport & logistics.

Head of Debt Advisory

Michael Lalor

Michael has 25 years of experience in Financial Services and previously led HSBC’s Corporate Banking business in Ireland. Michael will primarily be involved in debt financing and enhancing our product offering in this area, covering Mid to Large Corporates, Real Estate and PLC clients.

Industry experience:

Agriculture; Beverages; Building & Construction; Education and training; Energy & renewables; Engineering; Food; Government; Healthcare; Hotels & Restaurants; Information technology; Life sciences; Plastics; Recycling; Retail and franchising; Security.

Managing Director

Barry Madden

Barry is a Chartered Accountant with over 12 years of experience between corporate finance and audit & advisory. Barry holds a Bachelor of Business Studies degree (Accounting & Finance major) from the University of Limerick. Before joining FOCUS Capital Partners, Barry spent 4 years in the assurance department of PwC including two rotations in PwC San Francisco.

Barry has substantial experience in the areas of the buy side and sell side of M&A transactions as well as having managed a large number of banking transactions. Areas of speciality include M&A advisory, sourcing external capital, corporate & personal debt restructuring, and project management. This ranges across various industries including retail & leisure, healthcare & pharma, renewables, logistics, and Real Estate. Barry also has extensive experience in the areas of financial modelling and valuations, financial planning & analysis, and financial due diligence.

Member of the Healthcare, Biotech & Pharma Industry Group.

Industry experience:

Energy & renewables; Healthcare; Leisure; Real estate & facility management; Retail and franchising; Transport & logistics.

Associate Director

Jonathan Mawhinney

Jonathan joined the debt advisory team at FOCUS Capital Partners in 2024. He has extensive experience in sourcing, structuring, negotiating and executing transactions across a wide range of sectors with founder-led businesses and both domestic and international private equity.

Previously, Jonathan held various positions in corporate banking, having spent over 15 years working with AIB. During this time, he gained extensive experience in restructuring and cashflow lending in the hospitality, retail, distribution, pharmaceuticals, waste, technology and engineering sectors. In his last role with AIB, Jonathan held a senior position on a corporate origination team for 5 years with a focus on sponsor-led deals and M&A transactions in the mid-market.

Jonathan holds a B.A. in Economics from UCD.

Manager

Ruairi McEntee

Ruairi joined Focus Capital Partners in 2022 and has worked on a number of Equity and M&A transactions to date.
Ruairi arrived at Focus Capital Partners having spent 3 years in PwC’s audit department (International and Domestic Business) working on a range of clients from large tech firms to smaller indigenous companies. After PwC, Ruairi spent 2 years abroad working in Financial Accounting roles in a couple of ASX listed companies and on his return to Ireland, worked as a Financial Accountant for one of the largest vehicle distributors in the Country.
Ruairi qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2017 having graduated from UCD with a BComm and subsequently completed the Msc in Accounting in DCU.

Industry experience:

Automotive; Business services; Retail and franchising.

Senior Manager

Paul Meade

Paul joined FOCUS Capital Partners in 2019 and has substantial experience in the areas of M&A, debt and equity fundraising. He has significant experience in providing a range of transaction services including due diligence, valuations, financial modelling and strategic planning. Paul has gained exposure to various industries including technology, pharmacy, hospitality, renewables, retail, and property.
Prior to joining FOCUS Capital Partners, Paul trained as an accountant across several departments including Transaction Services, Corporate & Personal Tax, and Audit in Moore. Paul is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Business and Finance from Dublin University College.

Industry experience:

Agriculture; Energy & renewables; Engineering;  Hotels & restaurants; Information technology.

Manager

Edel Mulvihill

Edel joined FOCUS Capital Partners in early 2020 as a Management Accountant on the internal Finance team. During this time, Edel worked primarily on managing several hospitality assets, compliance, and financial business performance. As of the start of 2023, Edel pivoted to the Corporate Finance division of FOCUS Capital Partners and has gained valuable experience in a number of M&A transactions.

Prior to joining, Edel spent over four years working in the Audit and Advisory Department in Crowe Ireland working on a range of clients from large national companies to SME’s across a variety of sectors.

Edel graduated with a first-class honours’ degree in Theology and Business from GMIT. She holds a Diploma in Taxation from Chartered Accountants Ireland and a Professional Diploma in Financial Advice (Qualified Financial Advisor) from UCD. She is a member of the Institute of Bankers. Edel qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2019.

Industry experience:

Beverages; Building & Construction; Financial services; Food; Retail and franchising.

Managing Director

Eoin O’Keeffe

Eoin has over 18 years’ experience assisting privately owned business across Ireland and the UK access debt and equity markets. Eoin has extensive debt advisory experience having spent over 10 years in corporate banking environments in both Dublin and London. More recently Eoin has worked in professional services firms advising companies in MBOs, Trade Sales and Private Equity transactions
Eoin has built strong deal experience across a wide variety of sectors including insurance, logistics, technology and business services. Eoin’s experience opens access to private equity and financial institutions across Ireland and the UK helping business owners achieve their long term strategic objectives.

Industry experience:

Building & construction; Information technology; Insurance; Telecom.

Managing Director - Equity

John O’Sullivan

John is a Managing Director of Equity at Focus Capital with responsibility for capital raising, family offices and growth capital / PE funds. John has 20+ years of investment experience in private equity, venture capital and private debt. Previously John was Chief Investment Officer, an Investment Committee member, and Co Head of Ireland at Beechbrook Capital. He was a founding member of Beechbrook Capital Ireland taking the business through the regulatory journey, fund raising first and final closes and then deployment of the fund.
For 10 years John was Senior Vice-President at Enterprise Ireland co-managing the direct equity portfolio, primarily responsible for late-stage venture and PE deals in high growth companies. John has worked on 7 IPOs, 100+ exits and 300+ syndicated transactions.
He has gained a wide range of experience across many sectors including technology, Pharma, Medical devices and other high growth industries, working closely with founders, funds and professional management teams.
John is a regular panellist over the last 14+ years at leading European PE and VC conferences where he has built a network of contacts across funds, institutions and family offices.

Industry experience:

Aerospace & defence; Business services; Energy & renewables; Life sciences.

Manager

Chris Redahan

Chris joined FOCUS Capital Partners in April 2024 and has been actively involved in multiple debt and equity fundraising mandates. He brings extensive experience in transaction services, including due diligence, valuations, financial modelling, and strategic planning. His expertise spans various industries, such as real estate, e-commerce, technology, digital media, hospitality, and construction.

Before joining FOCUS Capital Partners, Chris spent 4.5 years at Hines Real Estate Investment Ireland, where he worked in both the Finance and Investment Management teams. Prior to that, he spent four years at KPMG Consulting, gaining experience across diverse projects, clients, and industries while qualifying as a chartered accountant. Chris holds a B.A. in Computer Science and Business from Trinity College Dublin.

Manager

Cormac Shankey

Cormac joined FOCUS Capital Partners in 2021 and has been involved in numerous M&A, debt and equity transactions.

Cormac previously spent 4 years in KPMG’s financial services audit department working on a wide range of investment management clients, predominantly hedge funds, UCITS and AIFs domiciled in Ireland and abroad. Cormac also completed a secondment to KPMG’s risk consulting department where he worked on a tracker mortgage remediation project for one of the pillar banks.

Cormac qualified as a chartered accountant in 2021, having previously graduated from UCD with a BComm in 2017.

Manager

Stephen Tomsett

Stephen joined FOCUS Capital Partners in 2022 and has gained considerable experience in the areas of M&A and debt fundraising. Stephen has gained exposure to a broad spectrum of sectors, including technology, healthcare, engineering, waste, logistics, industrials, retail and property.

Prior to joining FOCUS Capital Partners, Stephen worked in EY’s UK & Ireland Assurance practice before moving to its Government & Infrastructure department. Following this, Stephen spent some time in the Finance department of eShopWorld.

Stephen qualified as a chartered accountant in 2020, having previously graduated from Dublin City University with a B.A. in Accounting and Finance in 2016. Stephen is also a qualified financial advisor (QFA).