Maurice Hickey on Radio Kerry: Driving growth across the region

A proud Kerry native, Maurice’s career reflects the strength of regional business. He began as an intern with Kerry Group in Tralee while studying accountancy at UCC, before training with Deloitte in Cork. After several years working across the west and southwest, Maurice has since returned home to Kerry, combining professional progression with a strong connection to place.

“It showed me that you can build a serious, progressive career from Kerry and that mindset has stayed with me. It's something I always try and pass on to the younger generation; you don't have to leave the region to take on a meaningful career with a big organisation.”

Today, Maurice works across Forvis Mazars’ Galway, Limerick and Cork offices, supporting organisations throughout the region. During the interview, he highlighted growing confidence across the west and southwest, driven by strong talent pipelines and increased domestic and international investment.

“There is a serious opportunity now within the region across sectors like life sciences, medtech, engineering and technology,” he explained. “Multinationals are now seeing Kerry as a place to invest too. With a strong talent pipeline and stability in the region, I think confidence is high and businesses are businesses are looking to establish themselves here for the longer term.”

Maurice pointed to SMEs as a key driver of regional momentum, with family-owned and indigenous businesses becoming more ambitious earlier in their lifecycle – investing in digital tools, exporting sooner and improving competitiveness on an international stage.

Despite ongoing challenges, including rising costs and global uncertainty, Maurice noted the resilience of regional businesses, many of which are investing in efficiency, automation and disciplined growth strategies.

Talent remains both a significant strength and an ongoing challenge for the region. Hybrid working models, he believes, are helping businesses retain skilled people while allowing individuals to build meaningful careers outside the major cities.

“When a business is genuinely part of the community, people feel invested in its success and that leads to more sustainable growth in the longer term.”

For Maurice, the combination of ambition, talent and community continues to underpin the region’s potential and reinforces why living and working in Kerry has never been more compelling.

Listen to the full interview on Radio Kerry.