Eugene qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1991 and has over thirty years of experience across all areas of practice, but mostly focusing on taxation.
He has headed busy taxation departments in both small and large practices and gained a wide variety of experience across all taxations heads. These include advising clients on group reconstructions, merger and acquisition transactions, VAT on property and succession planning for retirement. Eugene has a wide experience across various sectors including construction, agricultural, financial services and the entertainment industry.
Eugene joined Woods & Partners in 2018 after heading up the ROI tax department with PKF-FPM Accountants Ltd. This role included managing large cross border corporate reconstructions, he is a regular speaker at taxation briefings to various business groups. He oversaw the running of a busy ROI taxation department and was part of an overall award winning taxation team.
Eugene is a keen rugby supporter and is a member of County Cavan Rugby Football Club. He also is a keen runner and swimmer. He is married to Deirdre and has three children. He has served on various committees and is currently PRO for Breifne Swim Club and a member of the executive committee.
Having worked for a number of years in KPMG and Kingspan PLC in a management and leadership role, Conor established Woods and Partners in 2013. Over that time, the firm has grown to over 30 staff, across four offices and we are servicing a diverse range of clients both internationally and domestically.
Conor’s key areas of expertise are in Audit and Business Advisory services to our SME corporate client base and Charities in Ireland. As a Senior Statutory Auditor, Conor have over twenty years’ experience in Audit and Business Advisory. Conor’s clients operate in aviation, technical & engineering, media and entertainment, life sciences, charity and not for profit.
In 2010 Conor was appointed Accounting Technical Advisor to Senator Mary Ann O’Brien on the drafting of the accounting framework for Charities in Ireland. Having been appointed as the inaugural Chair of the Charities Regulatory Authority in 2014 by the Minister of Justice, he played a key role with the setting up of the Charity Regulator in Ireland and also sat on the Audit and Risk Committee of the Authority for two years. Conor now advises a large number of Charities in Ireland in the area of governance, transparency and financial reporting and he lectures with Chartered Accountants Ireland in this area. Conor’s key areas of expertise are Corporate Governance, Accounting and Regulation for Charities in Ireland in the context of the Charities Act 2009, the Governance Code and SORP FRS 102 and is also former Chair of Chartered Accountants Ireland Charity and Not for Profit Group.
In 2015 Conor was appointed to sit on the Strategy Board of Chartered Accountants Ireland by the President of Chartered Accountants Ireland.
According to Conor, his major motivation in setting up the practice in 2013 is to provide technical and advisory services in Audit and Tax, to the standard of the “Big 4”, but without losing the access to Partners and intimacy with clients that comes with a smaller practice.
Interests outside of work
Conor is married to Ann and has 3 children. He is heavily involved with Carnaross GFC in Meath, where he coaches the U10 and U7 teams. In addition to the GAA, Conor swims, rows and cycles and competes in the occasional triathlon and plays golf badly at Headfort GC. He also sits on the Board of Management and Parents Association of Carnaross National School.
Tomás joined Woods and Partners full time in 2015 after previously completing our summer internship programme. He qualified as an ACA after completing his final exams in 2018. Prior to joining Woods and Partners, Tomás graduated from Dublin City University (DCU) with a BA (Hons) in Accounting and Finance.
Tomás has amassed significant experience and exposure beyond that of a typical training in a firm outside the Top 10. He has worked with both large international and local clients and has acquired a strong knowledge across the areas of Charity, Aviation Finance and Leasing, Agriculture and Agri-Business, Construction and Owner-managed Businesses. He now works on various projects across Statutory Audit, SME Consultancy, and Corporate finance. Tomás has a simple goal – “to act as a trusted business adviser, always aiming to add value to your business”.
In 2015 whilst still in DCU, Tomás started his own farm enterprise. He now farms in partnership with his family, operating a large suckler-beef operation in his time outside of office hours. Whilst the agri-sector is going through major changes and challenges at present he declares “the outdoor farm environment delivers an incredibly healthy lifestyle and can be highly rewarding”.
Tomás is an active member of Carnaross GFC serving on both the Executive and Finance Committees, whilst also a player on the first team. He has a passion for Irish language and culture and also a keen interest in horse racing, just don’t ask him for tips.
Elaine joined Woods and Partners in 2015 and is currently in her final year of completing her training contract and exams. Prior to joining the team at Woods and Partners, Elaine graduated from Waterford Institute of Technology with a BA (Hons) in Accounting.
Elaine manages a diverse portfolio of clients from large indigenous companies to SMEs and owner-managed businesses and sole traders and provides them with varied technical and practical business support. This includes the production of management information, statutory financial reporting, general business advisory and strategic growth advice. By gaining an in-depth understanding of her clients’ businesses, Elaine works alongside them to help them grow, meet their targets and stimulate them to think beyond the day to day operations of their businesses.
Her portfolio includes a broad range of business sectors including Charity and Not-for-Profit, Religious Orders, Pharmaceutical, Construction, Agricultural and Equine, Manufacturing, Opticians, Interior Design and Retail.
Interests outside of work
Outside of office hours Elaine has a keen interest in horse riding, owns her own horse and is an active member of the Meath Hunt serving on the Meath Hunt Committee. Elaine also swims regularly and is a qualified swimming teacher.
Maria joined the Woods & Partners family in January 2020. Maria brings to the clients of Woods & Partners a wealth of knowledge from twenty years’ experience of carrying out roles in bureau services across private practice, SME’s and multi-national corporations. Maria is adept at managing the needs of our bureau clients in the fast changing environment within which businesses operate today.
Maria key areas of expertise are in the managing of operational reporting of bureau services that comes with experience from different business environments.
Maria is an active member of a local equestrian club and is involved various aspects of the Meath Hunt Pony Club. Maria is married to Kevin and together they have 3 children, all of which are involved in different equestrian areas.
Cormac joined Woods and Partners in 2016 and is currently in his final year of completing his training contract and exams. Prior to joining the team at Woods and Partners, Cormac graduated from National University of Ireland Galway with a BA (Hons) in Commerce. Cormac is a senior associate in the accounts and audit department.
Cormac enjoys playing with his local hurling club, Kilskyre and has represented Meath in Leinster and All-Ireland Championships for Handball. Cormac also has a keen interest in the family farm.