“It is important to show up consistently as your best self”
Mark Hamilton, Head of New Business Generation at Matheson LLP, tells Accountancy Ireland about his belief in the power of a strong personal brand and solid career plan
Mark Hamilton is Head of New Business Generation at Irish law firm Matheson LLP. Originally from Rathfarnham in south Dublin, Hamilton studied business, management and accounting at third level before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with BDO Ireland in 2012.
He remained with the firm for five years and was appointed Head of Business Development in 2017. Hamilton then joined Korn Ferry as Head of Financial Services and has been in his current role with Matheson LLP since 2023.
In addition to his day job, Hamilton lectures part-time in professional communications and employment preparation at both Technological University Dublin and PAT Business School. He is also the Irish Club International Team Manager with the Irish Rugby Football Union and and holds several independent board and advisory positions.
Q When did you decide to become a Chartered Accountant and what were your expectations of the profession?
As a very proud Chartered Accountant, I remember vividly the sheer joy of receiving my FAE results, jumping on my parents’ new couch (breaking it!) after reading them.
Leaving college, I knew I wanted to secure a professional qualification as the next step in my career, and becoming a Chartered Accountant was the only route that truly resonated with me.
Even though I wasn’t certain about the exact direction my career might take, I knew the qualification and associated training would put me on solid footing in the business world. Thankfully, that instinct proved right.
My career has taken me across various roles, companies and sectors, but the one constant has been my qualification and membership of Chartered Accountants Ireland.
It has opened doors, connected me with an incredible network of professionals, and provided a globally recognised credential that automatically signals the ability to engage in meaningful business conversations.
Q Did you have a career plan at the outset? What were your early ambitions?
The honest answer is, not really. I wish I had more of a plan in place. It is something I now lecture on and speak to students and trainees about regularly:
- Where do you see yourself in three years?
- Are you using your key skills?
- Are you genuinely learning in your role and proud to work for your company?
I more or less fell into my career at BDO. I originally signed a contract in audit, moved into corporate finance, shifted into corporate recovery, and eventually found myself in clients and markets as head of business development.
A career is a journey, full of ups, downs, learnings and pivots, but thankfully, mine has worked out well so far.
However, if I were to do it all again, I would challenge myself much earlier to maintain and update a proper career plan. The reality is that no one cares about your career as much as you do.
You may have great mentors, supporters and colleagues but, ultimately, you are the only person who can get yourself to where you want to go and for that, you need a clear, strategic plan in place.
Q Why did you decide to pursue a commercial career?
A career is a constant journey of change and learning. What a “commercial role” looks like today will be quite different five or ten years from now.
I knew early in my career that following a commercial path would play to my strengths, blending technical expertise with softer skills and relationship-building.
In my view, building a successful business or commercial career requires not just your “trade,” but also strong interpersonal skills and active network management.
Your personal brand and network will truly stay with you throughout your career, so it’s important to show up consistently as your best self.
It truly matters, because whether we like it or not, we are being judged all the time. How do you want to be perceived?
Q Among the people you have worked with over the years, who has inspired you most?
Two people immediately come to mind. The first is a former BDO colleague, Ciarán Medlar. Ciarán wears many hats, but I know him best in his role as Head of Private Clients and Head of Sports Advisory at BDO.
Beyond being an expert and an exceptional professional, he genuinely values relationships and treats everyone with respect and integrity. He goes above and beyond for others, and those values resonate deeply with me.
From Ciarán, I learned the importance of valuing every relationship and doing right by people whenever you can. He is an amazing person and now a close friend and mentor.
The second is Michael Jackson, whom I have known for years but have had the privilege of working closely with over the past two years at Matheson LLP.
Michael is the firm’s Managing Partner and the reason I joined. Although he will be stepping away at the end of the year, I look forward to staying in touch. His leadership has been truly inspiring, guiding the firm through a decade of remarkable success.
On a personal level, I have learned an enormous amount from him in a short period. His ability to combine a firm-first mindset with a genuine commitment to people and culture is amazing.
Q Tell us about some of the challenges you have faced as your career has progressed.
It’s a tough question. In my personal life, losing a close friend to cancer in 2013, at just 29, was a turning point.
It reminded me how short life is and reinforced the importance of treating people with honesty, empathy, respect and integrity.
I try to live by those values both personally and professionally, and I genuinely believe they have contributed to any success I have had.
Another challenge has been moving on from roles I knew well and was successful in. Staying would have been easy, but taking considered risks is part of growth.
As long as you do your due diligence, you will not go far wrong. Resilience is crucial in business; setbacks are inevitable, but with strong values and the willingness to ask for help, you can navigate them.
Finally, it is important to say that failure is simply part of life. It can be hard to swallow, but it should not be viewed purely as negative.
The advantage of failure is that it teaches you something. Review it, learn from it and move on. Even the toughest moments come with lessons worth holding onto.
Q In your experience, what are the most important traits of effective leadership in business?
For me, true leadership means leading from the front, setting the example and living your values consistently. Passion is infectious, and I have seen this proven across business, sport, charitable work and academia.
Leadership must be about more than authority or external recognition. At its core, it is about developing people, helping them reach their potential and equipping them with the tools and strategies to succeed, not only for the benefit of the organisation, but for their own personal growth as well.
Q Whom do you admire most in business or public life today?
I admire so many people, constantly. In business, I am inspired by those who lead from the front, show real resilience and give their best, especially in today’s challenging global environment.
However, the individual who has had the greatest impact on me as a leader is my father, John Hamilton.
He spent most of his career with Allianz (formerly Church & General) before founding and successfully exiting his own business, CUsafe, which provides insurance for Credit Union members.
I deeply admire his ability to simply get on with things, both personally and professionally, regardless of the challenges facing him.
His adaptability, resilience, strong work ethic and the value he places on relationships, while always keeping family and friends at the centre of his life, are qualities I have tried to bring into my own career (and life).
“YOUR PERSONAL BRAND AND NETWORK WILL TRULY STAY WITH YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER, SO IT’S IMPORTANT TO SHOW UP CONSISTENTLY AS YOUR BEST SELF”
Q How do you expect the role of the Chartered Accountant to evolve in the years ahead?
Firstly, we all need to embrace the change artificial intelligence (AI) is bringing and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. It is natural to feel a sense of insecurity or threat right now as things are moving extremely fast.
My view is that we should simply get started and take action. Do not leave it up to the IT teams!
We will make mistakes but, if we learn quickly, share experiences openly and stay curious, we can ensure AI becomes an enabler rather than a barrier, and that our voices continue to be heard.
More broadly, the role of the Chartered Accountant has already expanded well beyond traditional accounting and compliance. In the years ahead, it will become even more strategic, technology-driven and value-focused.
In essence, the profession is shifting from financial expertise alone to true business partnership. It is undeniably disruptive, but I am optimistic. We must collaborate as we cannot navigate this transformation in isolation as a profession.
Q What advice can you offer ACAs starting out in their career?
First and foremost, work hard and give yourself the best possible chance of passing your exams on the first attempt.
Second, switch into career-planning mode now, your future self will thank you! When you join Chartered Accountants Ireland, the initial focus is naturally on exams, the qualification and gaining solid experience.
But very quickly, the focus needs to shift to your long-term career plan. Where do you want to be in five years? In what sector? In industry or practice? In Ireland or abroad?
Start having conversations with your personal stakeholders. Reach out to colleagues, friends and even directly to employers to explore potential opportunities.
These discussions will help you understand which career path suits you best, while also building your professional network—and it’s crucial to start building this network early.
Get active on LinkedIn, meet people for coffee and create as many positive touchpoints as possible.
The soft skills, communication and networking ability you develop now will support the entirety of your career.
Q What are your own plans and ambitions at this stage in your career?
My plan for the next stage of my career is to continue establishing myself in my role at Matheson LLP. I really enjoy it. I am working for an exceptional firm with fantastic people, and innovation sits at the centre of everything we do.
That said, I am ambitious—I do not like standing still and I want to keep learning. I’ve completed a Diploma in Corporate Governance, which I loved, and I hope to pursue additional qualifications, further strengthen my personal brand, continue to network and see where the journey leads.