Feargal O’Rourke

Feargal O'Rourke is an Irish accountant and corporate tax expert who recently succeeded John Gibney as Chair of the Audit Committee at C&C Group plc, effective January 13, 2025. O'Rourke retired from PwC in October 2023 after a 37-year career with the professional services firm, during which he served as Managing Partner in Ireland for his last eight years. During his PwC career, he advised Irish and international companies on investment, financing, and business structuring, led the PwC tax practice, and was heavily involved in the OECD BEPS process.

O'Rourke is known for developing the Double Irish arrangement used by U.S. firms such as Apple, Google, and Facebook in Ireland. In January 2024, he was appointed by Ireland's Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment as Chair of IDA Ireland, the semi-state body that promotes foreign direct investment into Ireland. He is also Chair of the Institute of International and European Affairs, an Irish-based international think tank.

O'Rourke was born on August 3, 1964, in Athlone, Ireland, and is a graduate of University College Dublin. He is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and an Associate of the Irish Tax Institute.

Career History

• Chair of IDA Ireland (appointed January 2024)
• Managing Partner, PwC Ireland (2015-October 2023)
• Head of PwC Tax Practice (2011-2015)
• Senior Tax Advisor and Management roles in EMEA, PwC (1986-2023)

What Feargal O'Rourke could bring to Chair of Audit Committee at C&C Group plc: O'Rourke brings three decades of financial and tax expertise honed through advising multinational corporations at PwC, along with demonstrated leadership in risk management and governance through his role at IDA Ireland. His deep experience in corporate structuring, tax optimization, and regulatory compliance positions him to strengthen C&C Group's audit and internal control processes, particularly valuable for a drinks company navigating complex distribution and branded product portfolios across UK and Irish markets.