Our People

Director
Audit and Accounting / Internal Audit

Brian Clerkin

Brian graduated from The Queen’s University of Belfast in 1997 with an Honours Degree in Finance. Brian joined Sumer NI (formerly ASM Belfast) in July 1997 and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2001, having been placed in the top ten in Ireland in each of his professional examinations. Brian is also a qualified Internal Auditor (MIIA) and IT Auditor (CISA).  Brian is the firm’s Managing Director, leading a team of over 100 professionals, and oversees the delivery of the firm’s services to a number of our largest Corporate, Not-for-profit and Public Sector clients. 

Director
Forensic Accounting

Nicola Niblock

Nicola graduated from The Queen’s University of Belfast in 1986 with an Honours Degree in Accountancy and Economics and then completed the Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting.  In 1987, Nicola commenced her training contract with Price Waterhouse, Belfast and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1990. Nicola joined Sumer NI (formerly ASM Belfast) in 1998 and became a partner in 2001.  Since joining the firm, Nicola has been instrumental in developing the Forensic Accounting department.

Director
Tax

Caroline Keenan

Caroline graduated from The Queen’s University of Belfast in 1988 with an Honours Degree in Economics. Prior to joining Coopers & Lybrand, Birmingham in 1989 she graduated from the Midland Bank Plc Group’s Accelerated Management Trainee Graduate Scheme, being placed in the top 5. She qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1992 and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Caroline joined Sumer NI (formerly ASM Belfast) in November 2010 as Head of Tax, after a 21 year career at Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP, involving working across Audit, Corporate Finance and Tax, in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. She has considerable experience in delivering a range of taxation services to clients across many sectors and has particular expertise in dealing with Shareholder and Owner–Managed Business Taxation Matters, Corporate Reconstructions, Inward Investment Companies, and Research & Development Tax Relief.

Director
Forensic Accounting

Stephen Burns

Stephen graduated from The Queen’s University of Belfast in 2001 with an Honours Degree in Accountancy and subsequently completed a Masters in Accountancy at the University of Ulster in 2002. Stephen commenced his training contract with PWC and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2006.  Following this, Stephen worked in the Corporate Finance and Forensic Accounting departments of BDO Belfast, where he built up significant experience in the areas corporate litigation and corporate finance across a wide variety of business sectors in Northern Ireland.

Stephen joined Sumer NI (formerly ASM Belfast) Forensic Services team in 2014 and specialises in commercial and contractual disputes and the quantification of financial losses.  Stephen has also undertaken fraud and accounting irregularity investigations.

Director
Internal Audit

Christine Hagan

Christine graduated from The Queen’s University of Belfast in 2002 with an Honours Degree in Accountancy. Christine then completed the Post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Accounting at The University of Ulster in 2003. Christine commenced her training contract with Moore Stephens in Belfast and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2006.

Christine joined Sumer NI (formerly ASM Belfast) in 2013. Christine is a Director in the firm and primarily delivers internal and external audit services in the public sector across Ireland.

Director
Audit and Accounting/ Corporate Finance

Adrian Patton

Adrian is a Director with Sumer NI (formerly ASM Belfast) having commenced his training contract with the firm in 2003. A Biochemistry graduate from The Queens University Belfast, Adrian has also completed a Masters in Business Studies at University of Ulster and qualified as a Chartered accountant in 2007. Adrian is also a certified Business Consultant and has completed a Diploma in Corporate Finance with Chartered Accountants Ireland passing with distinction.

Adrian is primarily involved in providing accountancy, audit and advisory services to a wide portfolio of clients across numerous industry sectors. These include manufacturing, technology, engineering, hotels and hospitality, retail and professional practices.  Adrian believes that really understanding a client’s business is key to delivering services that address their needs and adds value, while helping them through the challenges of change and business growth.

Adrian has extensive experience in providing services to family and owner managed businesses. In addition to undertaking consultancy assignments such as preparing business plans, presenting financing and refinancing plans, succession planning, strategic acquisitions and assisting with business and resource development.

Director
Tax

Richard Blakeman

Richard graduated from The Queen’s College, Oxford in 2004 with an Honours Degree in Modern Languages.  He trained with Miscampbell & Co Chartered Accountants in Belfast and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2010 and Chartered Tax Adviser in 2012, before joining Sumer NI (formerly ASM Belfast) in 2014.

Richard has considerable experience in delivering taxation services to clients across a wide range of business sectors, with particular focus on Corporation Tax and VAT advisory work.

Director
Internal Audit/ Audit and Accounting

Amanda McMaw

Amanda graduated from The Queen’s University Belfast in 2008 with an Honours Degree in Law and Accounting.  Amanda joined Sumer NI (formerly ASM Belfast) in September 2008 and is a qualified Chartered Accountant and Chartered Internal Auditor.  Amanda is a Director within our Audit Department specialising in the delivery of external and internal audit services to housing associations, public sector bodies and charities.

Director
Corporate Finance, Restructuring & Insolvency

Gareth McGonigle

Gareth graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2009 with an Honours Degree and subsequently completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Accountancy at Ulster University in 2010.

Gareth qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2014 and spent seven years with one of the big four firms, working on a range of high-profile advisory, restructuring and insolvency engagements in NI, ROI and Great Britain, also spending time on secondment at two of Ireland’s pillar banks.

Gareth is a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner and leads the Restructuring and Insolvency department, dealing with both corporate and personal matters. In addition, Gareth provides corporate finance services including buy-side advisory, sell-side advisory, fundraising and debt advisory.

Associate Director
Audit and Accounting

Judith Shortall 

Judith is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants having been admitted to membership in 1995.  Having gained experience in a wide range of practises both in NI and London, she joined Sumer NI in November 2019.  Judith is an Associate Director within our Audit Department specialising in the delivery of group audits within the private sector and public sector audit services.

Associate Director
Tax

Cathy Kennedy

Cathy studied law at Queen’s followed by a Post-grad in Accounting at Ulster University. Cathy is dual qualified, Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor. 

Cathy joined Sumer NI (formerly ASM Belfast) in 2013, initially working within the Forensics team before transferring to tax where she is now Associate Director and leads the Innovations Team focusing on R&D Tax Relief and Patent Box claims.  

Associate Director
Audit and Accounting

Sarah Andrews

Sarah graduated from The Queen’s University Belfast in 2009 with First Class Honours in Accountancy. She qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2013 with an independent practice where she specialised in the firm’s audit and advisory services, eventually becoming Audit Director and a practice RI in March 2017. 

A move to another independent practice, provided additional advisory experience for four years until a move to Sumer NI (formerly ASM Belfast) in August 2023. Sarah is Associate Director in the AAA department, specialising in audit and advisory services to local SME clients.

Associate Director
Audit and Accounting

Jason McCallion

Jason graduated from Ulster University in 2013 with a degree in Business Economics. He qualified as a CIPFA chartered accountant in 2017 whilst working in public sector audit. Jason then moved to a firm within the big four specialising in public sector external audit whilst also expanding his corporate audit experience.

Jason joined the AAA department at Sumer NI (formerly ASM Belfast) in May 2020. Jason is an Associate Director within the firm, specialising in audit services to NI, ROI and UK mainland public sector bodies, as well as a range of local and national private sector companies.

Director

Michael Nixon

Michael, graduated from The Queen’s University Belfast with a First-Class Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1984. Michael trained with Price Waterhouse and qualified as a chartered accountant in 1987 achieving second place in Ireland in his Final Admitting Examination.

Post qualification, Michael spent 3 years in the Melbourne office of Price Waterhouse as a manager in the Corporate Services department where he was responsible for providing advice to a wide range of private and public bodies. Michael joined Sumer NI (formerly ASM Belfast) in July 2000 having spent 7 years as group Finance Director in a manufacturing environment where he was responsible for the finance function of a group of 5 companies with a turnover of £18m.

Michael specialises in providing corporate finance and consulting advice to a range of public and private sector clients.

Consultant

Michael Williamson

Michael Williamson is a Consultant for Sumer NI (having previously spent many years as a Director of the firm) he specialises in Hotels, Tourism and Leisure consulting.  

A qualified management accountant, Michael worked for some of Northern Ireland’s leading companies including more than 30 years in the tourism and hospitality industry, with periods as a Financial Controller for Emerald Hotels, and as General Manager for both Emerald Hotels and the Hastings Hotel Group at the Europa and Slieve Donard hotels respectively. Michael is a Consultant with Sumer NI in the provision of specialist advice to the wider industry. 

Over the years Michael has advised on more than £1 billion of planned capital investment in the tourism industry in Northern Ireland.

Associate Director
Tax

Nicola Averell

Nicola Averell has been appointed as an Associate Director in the Tax team at Sumer Northern Ireland.

Nicola has had 14 years prior experience working in a ‘Big Four’ firm where she was an integral part of the private client tax team. Nicola is now responsible for heading up the Private Client Tax department within Sumer Northern Ireland and is a member of the UK’s Chartered Institute of Tax and Association of Tax Technicians, with expertise in capital gains tax planning, inheritance tax planning, tax residency issues and employment taxes.