KMPG Partner Terence O’ Rourke speaks to Students | Claire Crowley

     February 27th, UCC saw the arrival of one of the most notable figures in Irish business - the managing partner of KPMG, Terence O'Rourke, who spoke in regards to the current state of the economy. The evening gave students and graduates alike an opportunity to gain an insight into the current state of the economy and the chance to meet the Managing Partner of one of the largest employers of UCC graduates.Mr. O’Rourke has been the Managing Partner of KPMG for four years and has supervised the firm while the country has been through one of the toughest times in its history. He gave the audience an insight into the path he took to develop his career, from graduating with an Arts Degree, to undertaking a Masters in Accounting, where he “could do what he want and also travel the world.”With his time in KPMG, he has seen how different businesses have managed to pull through the current economic crisis, but he also has seen many businesses fail. He believes Ireland has advantages, even in the current crisis, as we are an English speaking – “the language of business”, small and friendly country. He feels that the country is slowly improving and that our good relations with other countries will help us in the long run.O’Rourke’s speech was then followed by a Q&A and then by a talk from Robbie Butler, lecturer in the Department of Economics here in UCC. Butler gave his own opinion of the current state of the economy, putting an academic slant in to the discussion of the night.