Limerick-based firm makes inaugural appearance on prestigious Deloitte rating.
Kirby Group Engineering has been named as one of Ireland’s Best Managed Companies – a prestigious programme run by Deloitte. The listing recognises businesses from across the island of Ireland, ranging from retail and hospitality to the manufacturing and construction sectors.
Kirby is a family-founded firm which is based in Limerick and has operations across Ireland, the UK, mainland Europe, the Nordics, and South Africa. It employs over 1,900 people and provides full mechanical and electrical contracting services as well as specialist high-voltage (HV) and medium-voltage (MV) design and construction services. Its clients include a number of global IT leaders and range across different sectors including Data Centres, Life Sciences, Industrial, and Power and Renewables.
Eight new businesses have been awarded the Ireland’s Best Managed Companies (BMC) accolade at the 17th annual awards programme. This year, Deloitte recognised 115 indigenous companies at the awards, representing 25 of the 32 counties across the island of Ireland. The network of companies has a combined turnover of more than €22 billion and provides employment to over 62,000 people.
To earn a place among this year’s Best Managed Companies, the Kirby team underwent a rigorous selection process. The business was assessed under the pillars of sustainability, innovation, culture, and governance, and was officially unveiled as a new addition to the list at a ceremony in Dublin.
Brian Murphy, Lead Partner for Ireland’s Best Managed Companies Awards Programme, said:
“Congratulations to all winning companies on their achievement. Irish indigenous businesses
continue to impress, demonstrating unwavering resilience and commitment to excellence in an
everchanging economic landscape. The Ireland’s Best Managed Companies programme recognises the significant contribution that these businesses make to our economy, our communities and our nation as a whole. As a vital part of our business ecosystem, it is essential that they are supported to grow and scale into the future, and the Best Managed programme hopes to support them as they do”.
Glenn Shanley, Head of AIB Corporate Banking, said:
“Ireland’s Best Managed Companies is a showcase of what we see daily in AIB – the incredible
strength, ambition and resilience of our indigenous companies. The process is a celebration of strong management teams and the energy they bring to the business world. We can see many shared traits in the 2025 winners – for instance, a willingness to face challenges head on and turn them into opportunities, embedding sustainability as a priority, and creating a culture in which people are comfortable with sharing opinions and challenging each other. Congratulations to all winners, I wish them every success in the coming year.”
Kirby CEO Henry McCann says it’s a milestone for the team:
“This is a landmark achievement for a company that has grown from humble beginnings just over 60 years ago. Having ‘People’ as our core value means we have been investing for years in approaches that create a healthy, happy and productive place of work. I believe that open and collaborative atmosphere feeds into all aspects of how we approach our projects and is an essential part of our continuing growth and expansion”.
Alistair Tosh, Kirby HR Director, added that being recognised among Ireland’s Best Managed Companies is a valuable asset for recruitment:
“We operate in an intensely competitive labour market and strive to be seen as ‘the employer of choice’ among our potential candidates. We know that people don’t just want any job or any career – they value an employer who wants a long-term relationship, acknowledges experience, and supports growth and development. Joining the ranks of Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies is an excellent way to demonstrate Kirby is that employer”.
A list of current opportunities available at Kirby is available here.
