dmg media Ireland has selected 40 brilliant young minds in the accountancy industry as part of the 40 Under 40 series

Hazel Clarke - partner, ifac

Hazel Clarke exemplifies excellence in accountancy through her remarkable 15-year journey at ifac.  Starting as an account’s trainee post-Leaving Cert, she balanced full-time work with night studies, achieving part-qualified status by 2010. 

Now a partner at ifac's Trim office, Hazel's commitment to personal and professional development is evident in her advocacy for continuous learning and flexible career paths within ifac. 

She champions the firm's hybrid working model, recognising its positive impact on work-life balance, especially for working parents like herself. 

Her deep connection with the farming community underscores her dedication to providing tailored financial advice, helping clients thrive in a demanding sector. 

As a mentor, Clarke supports young talent through alternative pathways into the accountancy profession, believing career success shouldn’t be limited by geography or traditional routes. 

• Hobbies: Following Meath GAA, keeping fit and spending time with my family, which usually revolves around food. 
• Best piece of advice you've received: We have two ears and one mouth, so we can listen twice as much as we speak. 
• Why you love your job: I love helping people, whether that be a client or a colleague. It’s the people part for me, and I’m lucky to get to work with great people across our organisation. In 2017, we introduced our Graduate Training Programme, which welcomes graduates around the country each year. Seeing our graduates develop and thrive is a huge bonus for me and something I love being part of; we are invested in their success. 
• Motto for life: The worst decision you can make is no decision at all.

Jun King Cepe - audit director, Forvis Mazars Ireland

Jun King Cepe is an audit director in the financial services audit & assurance team at Forvis Mazars Ireland. With 12 years of audit experience, he specialises in aviation finance and banking and capital markets.

Since joining the firm in 2020, he has led out in the aviation finance audit team and is recognised by his clients and colleagues as a technical expert in IFRS 16 – lease accounting and other industry-specific accounting and auditing practices related to aircraft leasing. 

King Cepe’s industry expertise, strong client relationships and focus on audit quality have really played a pivotal role in the rapid growth of the firm’s Aviation audit practice in the last five years.

As a proud Filipino, King Cepe also serves as the primary link between Forvis Mazars Ireland and the Philippines firm. “With such a vibrant Filipino community in our Irish practice, I’m proud to help facilitate secondments and knowledge exchange that boost both efficiency and audit quality for both our offices.”  

In 2023, King Cepe was chosen to represent Forvis Mazars Ireland in the global “Gen You” recruitment campaign. As part of this initiative, he collaborated with peers from across Europe and the Americas to promote audit as a meaningful and future-focused career path.

The campaign aimed to inspire young talent to join Forvis Mazars and become the next generation of audit professionals. 

Before joining Forvis Mazars, King Cepe worked at EY, where he handled a variety of leasing, banking and asset management clients from Ireland, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand.

Through his knowledge in auditing aircraft leasing companies, he was awarded EY’s prestigious “GEM (Go the Extra Mile)” award for innovation, having developed an automated audit solution for client group with over 200 entities.

The initiative significantly enhanced audit efficiency and quality, reduced costs and strengthened client relationships. 

• Hobbies: I play tennis from time to time and enjoy singing (mostly in karaoke). I also love listening to traditional music and currently learning to play Irish traditional music on the tin whistle. 
• Best piece of advice you've received: As my mom always told me when I was younger – Discipline and hard work always pay off. 
• Why you love your job: I feel trusted by my team and my audit partners and I really appreciate that they value my insights and consistently encourage my contributions.
• Motto for life: "Never stop learning because life never stops teaching." 

Marty Murphy - head of tax, ifac 

Marty Murphy is head of tax at ifac, one of Ireland’s leading professional services firms.

A Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) and a Chartered Tax Advisor(AITI/CTA) with the Irish Tax Institute, and an associate of Chartered Accountants Ireland (CPA/ACA), Murphy has over 15 years’ experience advising Irish businesses on complex tax and restructuring matters. 

A graduate of NUI Galway with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, Murphy began his career with one of Galway’s oldest accountancy firms.

He went on to work in a large international practice and later at one of Ireland’s foremost private client advisory firms, building deep expertise in corporate structuring, succession planning, and high-value tax planning. 

Since joining Ifac as partner in 2020 and being appointed head of tax in 2022, Murphy has led the growth of the firm’s tax advisory division. In 2025, he was elected to the Council of the Irish Tax Institute, recognising his contribution to the profession and the farming and SME sectors. 

Murphy lives in Kildare with his wife Emma and his son Joey. 

• Hobbies: I’ve always loved building complex things. Whether it’s DIY projects around the house or tackling a 1000-piece Lego set, there’s something deeply fulfilling about creating structure from chaos.
• Best piece of advice you've received: “Measure twice and cut once.” That mindset has guided me through everything from home projects to professional challenges. Plan, check your workings and plan again before implementing. 
• Why you love your job: I love my job because it lets me build things that matter. I get to solve complex problems, guide people through pivotal decisions, and help create long-term value for families and businesses. It’s challenging, but purpose-driven—and that’s what keeps me coming back. 
• Motto for life: “Make it work, then make it better and then do it again.”

Rebecca Palmer - portfolio manager, Malone & Co Accountants

Rebecca Palmer qualified as an ACCA in 2019, placing first in Ireland and fifth in the world in her first ACCA exam I sat. That early result set the tone for the kind of high standards she holds herself to.

Today, Palmer works as a portfolio manager at Malone & Co. Accountants, where she supports a diverse range of clients, from sole traders and high-net-worth individuals to SMEs and professional services firms.

She assists with everything from statutory accounts and tax compliance to business advisory, forecasting and revenue audits.

Palmer says she loves the balance and certainty of accounting, the fact that everything has a place and there's always a right answer. There’s something deeply satisfying about making the numbers tie to her and knowing everything’s in order.

A mother of two young boys, aged four and one, Palmer's goal is to keep growing in her career while being present for her family. She plans to take her tax exams to round out her professional toolkit when the time is right.

• Hobbies: Outside of work and motherhood, I rely on my close-knit group of friends to keep me sane. Every year we take a spa break together, next year marks our 20th “friendiversary”, and we’re planning something big.
• The best piece of advice I’ve ever received is: “In our job, everything is fixable.” Mistakes happen, it’s how you respond that matters. Having the confidence to pivot and find the solution is what makes you grow. 
• Why you love your job: Malone & Co. has built a culture that genuinely supports working parents. I know that if I get a call and need to run, I can. No questions asked. There’s a deep level of trust, and we operate on the principle that trust is there to be lost, not earned.
• Motto for life: if it's meant for you, it won't pass you.

Cian Higgins - head of quantitative solutions, Forvis Mazars

Cian Higgins is a director in the financial services audit & assurance department and head of quantitative solutions at Forvis Mazars Ireland.

He leads a specialist team that delivers valuation, modelling and credit risk solutions to financial services clients across banking, asset management and structured finance. His work includes advising on IFRS 13 fair value assessments, impairment modelling and derivative pricing. 

Higgins began his career in model risk and credit analytics and has since worked extensively on the development and validation of IRB and IFRS 9 credit models for both domestic and international banks. 

Before joining Forvis Mazars, Higgins gained cross-sector experience in practice and industry. He held managerial roles in Deloitte, worked as an AVP in modelling at GE Capital Aviation Services and served as a Senior Model Risk Analyst at Bank of Ireland. These roles provided him with valuable exposure across audit, advisory and risk functions. 

Higgins holds a Master’s of Economic Science from University College Cork. He is a regular contributor to industry initiatives, including the Irish Funds Macroprudential Project Group and the Green Team Network.  

• Hobbies: I'm a passionate rugby fan and enjoy travelling to games. I also play and watch golf and like to stay up to date with current affairs – something that often informs my work. 
• Best piece of advice you've received:  Progress over perfection. Consistent effort and a clear head will take you further than overthinking. 
• Why you love your job: I enjoy learning about how clients’ businesses operate – where the complexities lie and what drives value. Every client is different and I enjoy the challenge of piecing things together and finding practical solutions to complex problems. 
• Motto for life: Only time will tell.