Focused Consulting & Administration Teams
Our dedicated client focused Consulting and Administration Teams endeavour to understand our client's needs, with a unique focus on unrivalled service delivery. Our Private Client Team approach the management of our clients affairs in a committed, proactive and personal manner ensuring that the outcome is designed to suit their specific needs and circumstances.
Our Corporate Team strive to support and guide our clients to grow their business, by designing and managing Employee Benefit Plans that are both creative and competitive for the enrichment of their employees.
Meet the Team
Mark O'Sullivan, QFA, FIIPM, QPT, MComm – Managing Director
Mark established Provest Private Clients Limited in late 2017 having begun his career in the area of Investment and Pensions, with roles in McDonagh & Boland Group which has since become Aon, and Pension & Investment Consultants, which is now Mercer. These roles focused on advising the Corporate Market in the areas of Investment strategy and Pensions. This experience led Mark to become a founding Director of Becketts Limited, which was established in 1989. A year later he became Chairman of the Life Insurance Association (LIA) Southern Region.
After 14 successful years, Becketts was acquired by Hewitt Inc., in 2003. Whilst with Hewitt Inc., Mark held the roles of Company Secretary and Compliance Officer. In 2010, Hewitt Inc., was acquired by Aon. As part of this acquisition, Mark took his place as a member of the Senior Leadership Team with Aon. In that role as Director of Becketts Limited t/a Aon Employee Benefits, he utilised his breadth of knowledge and expertise to advise Senior Executives on Pension and Investment related matters.
Mark has over 40 years of extensive strategic management and financial experience in the Pension and Investment industry. A Masters graduate from UCC, he is a fellow of the Irish Institute of Pension Managers in Ireland (FIIPM), a Qualified Pension Trustee, (QPT(IIPM)) and a Qualified Financial Adviser, (QFA).
Kieran McAuliffe CFP ®, QFA, TMITI - Director
Kieran McAuliffe joined Provest Private Clients Limited in January 2019 having previously headed up the Private Client Division in AON's Cork office.
Kieran has over 18 years of Industry experience, having spent most of this time working with and guiding clients through the intricacies associated with financial / retirement planning, investment advice and wealth management. He also has a wealth of experience in supporting Corporate entities with Employee Benefit Planning.
Kieran is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP ®) which is considered to be the world's most prestigious financial planning qualification.
As well as being a Certified Financial Planner (CFP ®), Kieran is a Qualified Financial Advisor (QFA), Tax Technician (TMITI) and a Retirement Planning Advisor (RPA).
Una Jennings QFA, SIA - Operations Manager
Una joined Provest Private Clients Ltd in January 2019. Una has worked in the Financial Industry since 2001 where she began her financial career with City Life. Una joined Aon in 2003 and remained there until December 2018.
Una is a Qualified Financial Adviser (QFA) and has a wealth of experience in all aspects of financial planning including Pensions, Investments, Savings, Protection and Group Pensions. Una has worked in various roles within Aon and progressed to a Paraplanner providing Financial Planning Cashflow presentations and reports to clients.
Una has also previously worked alongside Mark O'Sullivan and Kieran McAuliffe in their previous roles. Una also holds a Diploma in Business Management and a Certificate in Legal & Insurance.
John Kearney BSc, MIIPM, QFA- Director
John has 25 years’ experience in the pensions and employee benefits industry having previously held senior roles with Aon and Willis Towers Watson. John advises multi-national and indigenous Irish companies on all aspects of the Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution Pension Plans which they sponsor. Following the transposition of the IORP II Directive into Irish Law on 22 April 2021, which represents the most significant change in pensions legislation in the last 30 years, John also supports trustees and sponsoring employers with a view to attaining and maintaining compliance with the Directive.
John has a Bachelor of Science (Finance) degree and a Higher Diploma in Computer Science from UCC. He is a member of the Irish Institute of Pension Management and is a Qualified Financial Advisor (QFA).
Sinead Cuffe QFA
Sinead has vast experience within the financial services sector having worked in the industry since 2001 when she joined Hibernian Life and Pensions (now Aviva) in the setting up of the Pensions Department in Cork. Sinead later joined Irish Life as Sales Support Specialist before joining Becketts in 2007 as a Pensions Administrator and later worked in Aon Retirement & Investments before joining Provest Private Clients Ltd in September 2018.
Sinead has a Diploma in Business Studies majoring in Accountancy and is a Qualified Financial Adviser (QFA).
Olive Walsh QFA, RPA
Olive joined Provest Private Clients in March 2020. She has worked in the Financial Services Industry since 1996 both as a Financial Adviser and Life & Pensions Administrator.Olive has considerable experience in all areas of financial planning. In her previous roles she has advised clients on all areas of their finances, and has a wealth of experience in the administration of Pensions, both Group and Individual , along with Investments, Life Products and Retirement Claims.
Olive holds a B.A. Degree and a Higher Diploma in Accounting and I.T. from UCC. She is a qualified Financial Adviser (QFA) and is also a Retirement Planning Adviser (RPA).
Ursula Carroll QFA
Ursula Carroll joined Provest in January 2023. Ursula has 25 years’ experience in the pensions and employee benefits industry having previously held Senior Pensions Administrator roles with Aon, Aviva and Irish Pensions Trust Limited. Ursula is responsible for the provision of administration services in respect of those clients who sponsor Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution Occupational Pension Plans. Ursula has a LIA Pensions Diploma and is a Qualified Financial Adviser (QFA).
Martina Dolan FIATI, MIPA
Martina joined Provest Private Clients Limited in May 2019. having worked for nearly 20 years in Financial Services. She began her career with EY Cork, providing support to businesses in the SME sector. She then joined Hyland Johnson Murray where she performed bookkeeping and payroll services before moving to Hewitt Associates Limited as an accounts assistant where she focused on payroll, treasury and corporate reporting.
She is a fellow of the Institute of Accounting Technicians in Ireland as well as having diplomas in Payroll Management from The Irish Payroll Association and in Financial Services from the Institute of Commercial Management.
Jack Kelleher
Jack joined Provest Private Clients in May 2024 as a Trainee Paraplanner. Jack brings a strong academic foundation to his role as a recent graduate of University College Cork, earning a Second Class Honours Degree (2:1) in the MSc. Corporate Finance programme.
Jack works closely with the team to apply his academic knowledge to financial planning and investment management, analysing data, preparing reports, and working alongside senior team members to manage client portfolios. Jack is currently preparing to sit his Qualified Financial Advisor (QFA) exams in 2025, with the goal of further enhancing his knowledge in the financial services industry.
Get in touch
At Provest we know that finding the right consultant to advise you is a choice not to be taken lightly. If you would like an initial consultation to walk through your needs, the scope of your goals, and your budget please get in touch.