RBCA

What RBCA does

RBCA Limited is a privately held, independent chartered accountancy firm headquartered at Linenhall Exchange, 26 Linenhall Street in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Founded in 2010 by Ross Boyd as a 100% advice-based practice, the firm expanded into compliance services in 2013 and added audit services shortly thereafter, completing a full-service offering that today spans accounting, audit, tax, and strategy/advisory work. It serves owner-managed and family-owned businesses as its primary segment, with additional specialisations in legal firms, pension schemes (DB, DC, and hybrid), and public sector/not-for-profit organisations across the UK and Irish markets. RBCA is fully regulated by Chartered Accountants Ireland and registered to carry out audit work in both the UK and Ireland.

The firm operates a cloud-first, paperless technology stack built around third-party platforms (Xero, QuickBooks, BrightPay, DEXT, Hubdoc) integrated via API, supplemented by an internal paperless audit portal that has been in use for over five years. Services are delivered through direct client engagement from the Belfast office via face-to-face consultation, phone, email, and online collaboration, with revenue generated through time-and-skill-based professional services fees billed at agreed intervals on 14-day payment terms. RBCA extends its offering through partnerships with Swoop (funding access to 500+ lenders) and Continuum (independent financial planning), and runs the RBCA Academy Programme (launched 2019) to train graduates toward Chartered Accountancy status.

In August 2024, RBCA merged with Johnston Graham Limited, absorbing its team, including founders David Knox and Elaine Mulholland, and its client portfolio. The combined firm has grown headcount by approximately 25% in recent months and now operates with a workforce in the 11-50 band, marketing itself as one of Northern Ireland's fastest-growing and forward-thinking accountancy firms. RBCA Limited remains under founder ownership with no disclosed external institutional investment.

Name

RBCA

Legal name

RBCA Limited

Website

https://rbca.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RBCA is an independent Belfast-based chartered accountancy firm providing accounting, audit, tax, and advisory services to owner-managed businesses, legal firms, pension schemes, and public sector clients across the UK and Ireland. Founded in 2010 by Ross Boyd, it merged with Johnston Graham in August 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Chartered Accountancy Services

NAICS

Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211)

akta.pro primary industry

Outsourced Finance & CFO Services (BPAHABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Financial Planning & Analysis Support (Budgeting, Forecasting, Management Reporting) (BPAAAGAJ)

Keywords

• Accounting services
• Audit assurance
• Tax advisory
• Business strategy
• Financial planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Professional Services Fees: RBCA generates revenue through professional services fees for accounting, audit, tax, strategy, and advisory services. Fees are based on time spent, skill levels involved, and level of risk identified. The firm offers fee budgets agreed in advance and bills at appropriate intervals during the year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RBCA is a chartered accountancy firm providing accounting, audit, tax, and business strategy services to owner-managed businesses, public sector organisations, legal firms, and pension schemes across the UK and Ireland. The firm delivers compliance and advisory services through cloud-based systems, offering paperless audits, real-time financial dashboards, and personalised advisory relationships backed by Chartered Accountants Ireland regulation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accounting Services Annual accounts preparation, management accounts, and bookkeeping services covering data entry, reconciliation, financial transaction recording, and statutory compliance for businesses.
• Audit Services Statutory audits, voluntary audits, and assurance services conducted in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (ISAs), using a risk-based approach, fieldwork, and reporting through a paperless audit portal.
• Tax Services Corporation tax, self-assessment, VAT services, and tax planning covering compliance, advisory, and strategic tax advice for businesses and individuals.
• Strategy Services Business advisory including acquisition support, due diligence, vendor due diligence, sales support, business planning, financial forecasting, and cloud accounting advisory.
• Pension Services Pension scheme audit, accounting, and administration services for defined benefit, defined contribution, and hybrid schemes, including SORP-compliant accounts, pensioner payroll, covenant reviews, and dispute analysis.
• Public Sector and Not For Profit Services Specialised services for public sector and NFP organisations including accounts preparation, financial forecasts, business plans, grant claims, governance, internal audit, risk management, and statutory audit.
• Legal Sector Services Accounting and practice management services specifically for lawyers, including accounts preparation, SRA Accounts Rules reports, and tax returns.
• Owner Managed Business Services Specialised services for owner-managed and family businesses including tax planning, corporate finance, cloud accounts, bookkeeping, payroll, and business advisory.
• Financial Planning Financial planning services delivered through partnership with Continuum, offering tailored financial solutions for individuals including retirement planning and wealth management.
• Funding Services Business funding facilitation through partnership with Swoop, offering access to over 500 institutional and fintech lenders for business loans, equity finance, grants, and startup loans.

Quantifiable outcome

• Workforce headcount grew by 25% in recent months due to rapidly increasing client demands
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• XerocoreTechnology or IntegrationXero is a cloud accounting software platform fully integrated with RBCA's services. The firm utilises Xero for client accounting, bookkeeping, and financial management. The Open source nature of Xero and its multiple API integration capabilities allow businesses to develop more complex financial systems.
• QuickBookscoreTechnology or IntegrationQuickBooks is an integrated accounting software platform used by RBCA for client bookkeeping and accounting services.
• BrightPaycoreTechnology or IntegrationBrightPay payroll software is integrated into RBCA's service offerings for efficient payroll processing and management.
• DEXTcoreTechnology or IntegrationDEXT (formerly Receipt Bank) provides automated bookkeeping software integrated with RBCA's services for receipt processing and expense management.
• HMRCcoreOthersHMRC is the UK tax authority with which RBCA interacts on behalf of clients for tax compliance, self-assessment filings, corporation tax, and VAT matters.
• Companies HousecoreOthersCompanies House is the UK company registration bureau with which RBCA works for statutory filings and company compliance.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PKF-FPM Accountants: Mid-tier chartered accountancy firm with offices in Belfast, Dundalk and Dublin delivering audit, tax, corporate finance and outsourcing services to SMEs and owner-managed businesses — a like-for-like Northern Ireland/Republic of Ireland competitor to RBCA in size and offering.
• Moore (Ireland): Irish mid-tier accountancy network providing audit, tax and advisory services to owner-managed and mid-market businesses across Ireland and Northern Ireland — closely comparable to RBCA on positioning, scale and target segments.
• Crowe UK: UK mid-tier accountancy and advisory network with audit, tax and outsourcing services to owner-managed businesses and SMEs across multiple regions — comparable to RBCA on business model, service line breadth and customer type.
• Baker Tilly Mooney Moore: Belfast- and Dublin-headquartered chartered accountancy firm of comparable mid-tier scale, providing audit, tax and advisory services to owner-managed businesses, legal firms and public sector clients across the island of Ireland — directly comparable to RBCA on geography, service mix and target customer.
• BDO (Northern Ireland): Belfast office of the BDO global mid-tier network offering audit, tax and advisory to SMEs and mid-market clients across Northern Ireland — comparable to RBCA on customer base and service mix, with a broader international footprint.
• Mazars (Ireland): Belfast and Dublin offices of the Mazars international mid-tier accountancy network delivering audit, tax, outsourcing and advisory services to owner-managed businesses and corporates — comparable to RBCA's target segments, with additional international resources.
• Grant Thornton (Northern Ireland): Belfast office of a global mid-tier accountancy network serving owner-managed businesses, corporates and public sector clients in NI with audit, tax and advisory services — directly comparable to RBCA on customer profile, although operating with the backing of a larger international brand.

Others

• Xero: Cloud accounting platform that RBCA uses and resells as its primary client-facing system — adjacent ecosystem participant whose pricing, product roadmap and partner programme directly shape RBCA's cost base, differentiation and go-to-market.

Broad incumbents

• Deloitte (Belfast): Big Four professional services firm with a substantial Belfast office serving NI corporates, public sector and large SMEs across audit, tax, consulting and financial advisory — competing with RBCA for higher-end mandates and providing the benchmark upper-tier alternative.
• PwC (Belfast): Big Four firm with a long-established Belfast office delivering audit, tax and advisory services to corporates, public sector and large private clients in NI — broad incumbent competitor for RBCA's larger mandates and a major employer of NI accounting talent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RBCharteredAccountants
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rbcharteredaccountants

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RBCA