Deloitte’s Louise Kelly discusses the evolution of the financial sector and her role within it.
With more than 20 years of experience as a tax advisor in the US and Ireland, Deloitte Ireland’s global trade strategy and resilience lead Louise Kelly has experience in advising global and domestic businesses on complex cross-border investment strategy, tax structuring and transformation.
She said her current role has encouraged her to embrace change and constantly stay on top of an evolving industry. “One of the first things I do every morning is check the news,” Kelly told SiliconRepublic.com. “After more than 20 years working in tax, I’ve learned how closely current affairs shape the decisions my clients will be making that day.”
What does a typical day look like as a global trade strategy and resilience lead?
My role is to help businesses use tax not just as a compliance function but as a lever for resilience, transformation and growth. That means staying one step ahead of economic shifts, policy changes and global developments is essential. I work with clients across the US, Ireland and internationally so my day doesn’t always follow a conventional 9 to 5 rhythm.
With the pace of change accelerating, driven by everything from economic shocks to shifting geopolitical dynamics, flexibility has become a necessity. In addition to advising clients, my new role as the global trade strategy and resilience lead at Deloitte means I am asked to do a lot more media. This includes contributing to commentary, offering my perspective on international developments and helping shape the conversation on how tax and trade intersect with long-term business strategy. I love it.
How does your role feed into the wider financial landscape?
My role is deeply connected to the wider financial landscape, both in Ireland and globally. At its core, it’s about helping businesses remain resilient in the face of constant change. These businesses are not just corporate entities, they’re employers, innovators and contributors to Ireland’s economic strength. Ensuring they can navigate complexity and continue to thrive means protecting jobs, supporting Government revenue and sustaining long-term national growth. In my new role, I’m delighted to deepen that impact. It’s incredibly motivating to know that the work we do not only supports individual clients, but also contributes to Ireland’s competitiveness more broadly.
What are the most important skills you use as part of your role?
Technical expertise in tax, and my global experience are, of course, essential to what I do. But just as important are the less visible skills, listening carefully to what really matters to clients, being curious enough to ask the right questions and having the confidence to challenge their thinking in a way that helps them move forward successfully.
It’s about seeing around corners and helping businesses unlock possibilities they may not have considered. This also means challenging the status quo, making bold but grounded recommendations and building the kind of trusted relationships where we can point out ‘here’s what we should do differently and here’s why’. That mix of deep knowledge and strategic thinking as well as trust makes a real difference.
What excites you about your career at Deloitte and have there been challenges?
I love interacting with the brilliant minds around me, people who challenge me, inspire fresh thinking and bring genuine ambition to solving complex problems. Even after more than 20 years in tax, I’m still amazed by its potential as a powerful tool for positive change. Every year, Deloitte submits recommendations to the Government ahead of Ireland’s Budget, outlining ways we believe the country can become even more competitive and a better place to live and work.
That’s a great example of where we can make a difference. Challenge-wise, this year the volatility in global trade has been a major pressure point for many businesses. That’s why we’ve placed such a strong emphasis on resilience. We know further changes in trade policy and global supply chains are coming, but if we can help businesses build agility into their strategy now, they’ll be in a far better position to absorb shocks and even open new opportunities.
How has the industry changed since you first started your career?
Flexibility in work has become more accepted. As a mother, this is important to me because I need to balance two sides of my life every day and being able to be more flexible with when and where I work makes a huge difference. It’s impossible to ignore the huge difference technology and in particular AI is having and will continue to have. From a tax perspective, I see a huge opportunity for people starting in tax now to reduce administrative work and focus more on developing deeper tax technical skills and providing insights to clients leveraging technology and AI. When I started we completed paper tax returns that were often faxed or hand delivered to the Revenue offices. People who embrace this shift will thrive most in their careers and will deliver more for their clients.
Have you noticed any interesting trends or patterns lately?
What we are seeing is a real shift in how businesses we work with are approaching complexity. Instead of treating it purely as a challenge, many are starting to see it as a space for innovation. When faced with supply chain pressures or market uncertainty, as we’ve seen lately with the tariff announcements, we are working with clients to use this opportunity to rethink their structures and explore new markets. It’s a reframing of strategy. I’m also seeing a greater appetite for cross-border collaboration. Irish businesses, in particular, are becoming much more outward-looking and seeking partnerships in regions they might not have considered before. That willingness to adapt and look beyond traditional markets is a powerful signal of where business resilience is heading.
What do you predict for the future of the sector, throughout 2025 and into 2026?
Looking ahead to 2025 and 2026, I see a sector that will be defined by agility and trust. Tax advisors will need to continually adapt as global trade relationships shift, regulatory frameworks evolve and governments, like Ireland’s, pivot towards investment-led fiscal strategies rather than consumption-driven growth. This creates a more complex operating environment for businesses, where having a trusted advisor who can bring clarity and confidence will be essential. We’re also entering an era where tax is increasingly linked to broader business strategy, whether it’s sustainability, digital transformation or supply chain redesign.
Have you any advice for other people looking to have a similar career path?
My advice would be to stay curious and never stop learning. Tax is a technical field, but it’s also deeply connected to the real world, via policy, economics, trade and people’s lives. I’d also say that relationship building is key. Your ability to listen, understand what matters to clients and to earn their trust is as important as your knowledge. And finally, be brave. Don’t be afraid to challenge ideas or bring forward new thinking and push yourself to grasp opportunities even if it is outside your comfort zone. The path isn’t always linear, but if you stay open, engaged and focused on impact, it can be an incredibly rewarding career.
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