Is Kroll building Europe’s most powerful restructuring team? Inside its Kirby Healy acquisition

Global financial advisory leader Kroll has acquired Dublin-based insolvency specialist Kirby Healy, in a move that significantly strengthens its restructuring and risk advisory services in Ireland. The acquisition effectively doubles Kroll’s local restructuring headcount, expands its capabilities across contentious financial services, and positions it more firmly as a go-to firm for complex business turnarounds in the Irish market.

The Kirby Healy team, including co-founders Myles Kirby and John Healy, will now operate as part of Kroll’s Irish platform, deepening its footprint across insolvency, litigation support, forensic investigations, and dispute advisory. The integration brings Kroll’s total restructuring personnel in Ireland to 26, embedded within a broader team of 70 professionals spanning valuation, compliance, cyber resilience, and construction services.

How does the Kirby Healy acquisition expand Kroll’s restructuring and advisory reach in Ireland?

The acquisition reflects a deliberate acceleration of Kroll’s expansion strategy in Ireland and Europe, responding to a clear uptick in demand for high-impact, multidisciplinary restructuring and turnaround expertise. By acquiring Kirby Healy, Kroll gains a well-regarded local player with a proven record in insolvency and forensic advisory.

Kroll’s Irish restructuring practice now includes a dedicated bench of professionals who offer services ranging from formal insolvency and examinerships to sensitive matters such as matrimonial disputes, white-collar crime investigations, and shareholder litigation support. These areas are witnessing increased client demand amid volatile macroeconomic conditions and elevated operational costs for Irish enterprises.

In a statement, Declan Taite, Managing Director at Kroll, said that the move not only expands capability but also meets the growing appetite among Irish business owners for early-stage restructuring counsel. Taite explained that geopolitical and economic uncertainty has made Irish companies more proactive in seeking advisory support — a shift that demands deeper and broader expertise within the local restructuring ecosystem.

Why is Kroll focusing on Ireland now—and what’s the larger European context for this move?

Kroll’s strategic investment in Ireland is part of a broader European play that gained momentum earlier this year with a series of high-profile hires and market entries. In particular, Kroll launched its German restructuring practice with the appointments of Aurelio Garcia-Miro and Andreas Fluhrer as Co-Heads of Restructuring for Europe. These hires marked the firm’s formal entry into continental European insolvency services and highlighted its intent to become a pan-European restructuring heavyweight.

Ireland represents a key jurisdiction in this expansion due to its status as both a local SME hub and a base for many multinational subsidiaries. The addition of Kirby Healy gives Kroll a team capable of handling sensitive domestic cases as well as cross-border mandates. This aligns with the firm’s pitch to multinationals and financial institutions seeking seamless advisory across geographies.

Myles Kirby, who co-founded Kirby Healy in 2016 with John Healy, noted that joining Kroll enables the firm to scale its capabilities, particularly in cross-border insolvency and enforcement. According to Kirby, the new alignment with Kroll provides access to global infrastructure while retaining a hands-on approach with local clients—particularly important for high-stakes disputes and distressed businesses navigating legal complexity.

What does Kirby Healy bring to the table—and what’s changing for clients in Ireland?

Kirby Healy has carved out a niche in Ireland as a high-end boutique for insolvency, forensic accounting, and dispute resolution. Since 2016, the firm has served clients including the Irish Revenue Commissioners, government departments, major law firms, and private companies. Its specialties include cross-border litigation, complex bankruptcy, and expert testimony—skills that complement Kroll’s broader forensic and risk advisory services.

Myles Kirby, a Cork native, is particularly noted for managing complex insolvencies involving international asset recovery and creditor disputes. His partner John Healy, from Mayo, brings deep expertise in forensic accounting for high net-worth matrimonial cases, partnerships, and corporate shareholder conflicts.

Both professionals will now work under the Kroll banner, offering clients enhanced scale and access to global insights while continuing to deliver bespoke local support. As a result, Kroll is now positioned to offer end-to-end advisory across all stages of the business lifecycle—from valuation and capital structuring to enforcement, compliance, and cyber risk.

Kroll’s President of Risk Advisory, Brent Tomlinson, said the acquisition demonstrates the firm’s long-term commitment to its European restructuring platform. Tomlinson emphasized that Kirby Healy’s strong local expertise will enhance Kroll’s ability to deliver integrated advisory services for clients dealing with financial distress, litigation, or transformation pressures.

How are institutional and business clients reacting to the restructuring advisory trend in Ireland?

The acquisition underscores a broader shift in Ireland’s financial advisory market, where institutional clients and SMEs are both showing increased willingness to engage early with restructuring experts. According to Kroll’s local leadership, Irish businesses are no longer waiting for court orders or crisis points to seek external help—instead, there’s growing awareness around pre-insolvency planning, dispute containment, and stakeholder engagement.

This shift has been driven in part by rising costs, tightened credit availability, and post-pandemic business model disruptions. Kroll believes this trend will continue into 2026, especially in sectors like retail, hospitality, and construction—where cash flow volatility and margin pressures are acute.

Analysts familiar with the Irish advisory landscape suggest that demand for white-collar investigation and forensic litigation services is also increasing, driven by regulatory scrutiny, data-driven fraud, and shareholder activism. Kroll’s bolstered bench strength, now incorporating Kirby Healy’s team, is expected to give it a competitive advantage in servicing this evolving demand profile.

What lies ahead for Kroll’s restructuring business in Europe after the Ireland and Germany expansions?

Kroll’s strategic emphasis on restructuring and transformation advisory appears far from over. Industry insiders expect the firm to pursue additional bolt-on acquisitions or senior hires in jurisdictions such as France, the Netherlands, and offshore financial centres like Jersey and Luxembourg.

The firm has been investing heavily in technology-led investigations, cross-border litigation support, and cybersecurity capabilities to complement its core financial restructuring services. These moves suggest that Kroll is positioning itself as not just a restructuring expert but a multidisciplinary partner for end-to-end enterprise risk management.

From an institutional investor perspective, Kroll’s aggressive expansion strategy signals confidence in sustained market demand for insolvency and forensic services. With firms across Europe facing insolvency risks due to macroeconomic headwinds, regulatory tightening, and ESG disclosure obligations, Kroll appears to be betting that a full-service restructuring playbook will resonate with clients navigating business model disruption.