Deloitte commits to increased recruitment targets in Belfast

Deloitte, the professional services firm, has today committed to growing its workforce in Belfast to 1,000 by 2020 after revealing it is significantly ahead of previous recruitment targets.

The announcement was made by Deloitte’s UK chief executive David Sproul and chairman Nick Owen following a meeting with Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness in Belfast.

In September 2014, Deloitte said it would create 338 jobs over the following five years as part of the second phase of its growth plans at its Belfast Delivery Centre, in an investment of £30m that was backed by a financial package of £2.6m from Invest NI. The new roles in technology, pensions, actuarial consulting and finance aimed to increase its local workforce to 700 by 2019.

However, Deloitte is already ahead of schedule to deliver on those commitments, with more than 200 new staff hired since the start of the current recruitment campaign. The firm now has a total of 460 employees in Northern Ireland with another 43 young people set to join Deloitte in Belfast through its award-winning BrightStart Apprenticeship Scheme in September.

The firm anticipates that many of the additional jobs it will create in the next four years will build on the strong expertise already established in its Technology Studio, in areas such as data science and analytics, cyber security and digital engineering. Deloitte will also continue to grow its human capital, actuarial, tax and audit practices.

Following the recruitment drive, Belfast will be Deloitte’s largest office outside of London.

Nick Owen, chairman of Deloitte in the UK, said: “By 2020, Deloitte in Belfast will be the firm’s largest office outside London. That is testament to the success that the team here has enjoyed since announcing significant expansion plans and the breadth of expertise within the business. This commitment by Deloitte reflects the confidence we have in Belfast as a great place to do business and a hotbed of talent, particularly for graduates and school-leavers. It also demonstrates our continued commitment to social mobility as a core part of our talent strategy and our desire to continue to further deliver on this commitment in Northern Ireland.

“We were grateful to the First and Deputy First Minister for taking the time to outline their economic priorities today and giving us the assurances necessary to proceed with this investment.”

Welcoming Deloitte’s decision to raise its recruitment targets, Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Arlene Foster said: “I welcome this announcement by Deloitte, one of the biggest professional services firms in the world. Deloitte’s decision to increase its workforce to 1,000 by 2020 is a strong endorsement of Northern Ireland’s dynamic economy. Deloitte is making this commitment based on the talent and quality of staff in Belfast and it is a clear indicator of the confidence that the firm has in Northern Ireland as a business friendly economy that will continue to grow and attract investment.”

The deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, said: “Deloitte is already a significant employer in the north of Ireland and I welcome this further commitment to create even more high quality jobs. Deloitte is delivering on its recruitment plans and is also in the process of securing new Grade A office accommodation. This announcement today demonstrates the Deloitte determination to invest in our economy and the scale of their ambition. Investment by companies like Deloitte signals to other potential investors we continue to offer an attractive ‘pro-business’ environment.”

Jackie Henry, senior partner for Deloitte in Belfast said: “Our meeting with the First and Deputy First Ministers has confirmed our belief that Belfast will continue to be a good place to do business in the years ahead. The skills agenda is absolutely critical to Deloitte’s view of Belfast as a centre of excellence and we hope the new Department for the Economy will continue to see value in investing in the local skills base.”

End

Notes to editors

About Deloitte
In this press release references to Deloitte are references to Deloitte LLP, which is among the country's leading professional services firms.

Deloitte LLP is the United Kingdom member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (“DTTL”), a UK private company limited by guarantee, whose member firms are legally separate and independent entities. Please see www.deloitte.co.uk/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of DTTL and its member firms.

The information contained in this press release is correct at the time of going to press.

Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.