William Fry Appoints Donal O’Byrne as Partner in Investment Funds
William Fry has appointed Donal O'Byrne as a Partner in its Investment Funds team, based in the firm's Cork office
Donal is a Partner in William Fry’s Asset Management & Investment Funds department and advises on the establishment, authorisation and ongoing operation of all types of Irish investment funds, including UCITS, non-UCITS and hedge funds, as well as on regulatory and compliance matters for fund service providers.
With nearly two decades of experience in the asset management sector, Donal has particular expertise in advising ETF platforms, fund re-domiciliations, sustainable finance and ESG-focused investment structures, and the establishment of management companies in Ireland. Donal regularly provides training to directors and firms on their regulatory obligations and engagement with supervisory authorities.
Recent Significant Work
- Advised on the establishment of the first Irish UCITS (ETF) with 100% exposure to Saudi government bonds, including securing Central Bank of Ireland approval to add Saudi Arabia to the list of permitted issuers.*
- Advised a US value manager on launching an innovative Article 8 fund under SFDR focused on global water-related investments. *
- Advised on one of the first actively managed European CLO UCITS ETFs. *
- Advised a global private equity and infrastructure manager on establishing operations in Ireland and on launching a sustainability-focused infrastructure fund classified as Article 8 under SFDR. *
- Advised a global asset manager on consolidating its EU legal entities into a single Irish entity to create a more streamlined and efficient operating model. *
*Work undertaken prior to joining William Fry
2025 Legal 500 EMEA
“Donal O’Byrne – unbelievably hard working and caring about his clients.”
2023 IFLR1000 2023
“Deep knowledge and understanding of ETF requirements and always provides solid, reliable advice, a true partner to our business.”
