Professional services giant EY Northern Ireland has selected Ebrington Plaza in Derry as the location for its new north west regional hub - its seventh office on the island of Ireland.
The firm had committed to expand into Derry when it announced plans at the Northern Ireland Investment Summit in September 2023 to create 1,000 jobs in Northern Ireland over the next five years, doubling the EY NI headcount.
EY says it expects to commence occupancy at its new hub in the second quarter of 2025.
Ebrington Plaza, developed by Draperstown-based Heron Property Ltd, comprises around 62,000 sq m of grade A office space.
Software consultancy firm Alchemy Technology Services, founded in 2018 by John Harkin and which currently employs around 150 people in the city, became the first tenant of Ebrington Plaza last October in a move it said reinforced its position both as a leading player in the global insurance industry and an employer of choice in Northern Ireland
EY says the office in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area will play a crucial role in its strategy to expand its regional presence and will be a key driver in delivering market-leading services for clients.
The firm’s Northern Ireland managing partner Rob Heron said: “This move aligns with our strategy to grow the business and tap into the pool of world-class talent across the north west.
“We are delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with stakeholders in the region and become an integral part of this vibrant community.
“More broadly, the selection of Ebrington Plaza is a significant milestone for EY in Northern Ireland, reflecting our ongoing commitment to investing in the region and supporting economic growth.
“EY has built an incredible business in Northern Ireland, proudly providing a superb service to a broad range of clients across the island of Ireland, the UK and our global network.”
Frank O’Keeffe, EY Ireland managing partner, added: “An office in the north west has long been the ‘missing link’ for EY on the island of Ireland, and we are really proud to confirm that we will be opening our office in Derry later this year.
“This will be EY’s seventh location on the island of Ireland and we are really looking forward to being able to serve so many incredible clients, organisations and entrepreneurs in the region as we help to shape their futures with confidence.
“Equally as important, it will enable us to harness the world class talent that is living and working right across the north west. We can’t wait to get started.”
EY, which supports organisations across a broad range of industries and sectors, in areas such as audit, corporate finance, tax and law, consulting, AI and data analytics, currently employs more than 1,000 people in Northern Ireland and 5,100 people on the island of Ireland, with offices in Belfast, Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.