UNDER THE RADAR:WHEN PADRAIC O'Kane quit working with Masterchefs to set up his own event-management business, he had little idea that within six years, he would be heading up a clutch of companies, employing 85 people and turning over more than €14 million.

"It just grew legs, going in a lot of different directions over the past six years to get to what we are now," he says.

Today his business, the Sancian Group, comprises an event- management company, a firm specialising in design and fit-out of commercial premises, a joinery business and it also manages the Fire restaurant in Dublin's Mansion House.

Having worked for the Forte hotel group in the UK and Masterchefs as commercial director, O'Kane decided to go it alone in 2002. Aged just 29, he set up Corporate Solutions Event Management.

Soon after its inception, the company landed a contract to look after event management at Slane Castle. Even today, O'Kane is very appreciative of the Slane Castle owner Lord Henry Mountcharles's decision to go with his fledgling operation.

"He had only brought the castle back from the fire in 1991 to its previous level. At that stage, to take on a new company or new individual, although one with street creditability with previous employers, was a risk but he tells me it paid off."

The Slane Castle job was followed two years later by an even bigger gig which put the company fairly and squarely on the map. Corporate Solutions Event Management was chosen as the hospitality partner for Ireland's hosting of the EU presidency in 2004.

"I had done a lot of State events during my Masterchef days and I was an ideal guy because I knew Dublin Castle, Kilmainham and Farmleigh," says O'Kane.

Even though Ireland did not assume the presidency until January 2004, O'Kane's company was working on plans for the event from the previous September.

"We moved into Dublin Castle in September and we moved out again next August. Even though the event ended in June, there was so much paperwork and tidying up to be done. I'd say it took over my life for a good period of time. It taught us a lot and put our name out there in the forefront of the industry."

At this stage, the obvious course may appear to have been to delve even further into the event-management business. Instead O'Kane decided to diversify a little. In 2004 he founded a new company, Fitout.ie. Based in Dundalk, the company specialises in the design and fit-out of interiors for the commercial sector, particularly the hospitality industry.

"So rather than just standing at the bars and handing out pints, we're making the bars and walking away. It's a good way of summarising it," he says.

However, the pints and catering still form a very important part of the business.

In 2005, along with strategic partner Withtaste Banqueting, O'Kane added the Mansion House Events and Business Centre to his impressive string of projects.

"Now we are more a venue- management company and the reason we went that path is we see a far more consistent future," says O'Kane.

"If you take event management of the likes of the EU presidency, you could have one fabulous year but the next year might be slow. If it isn't consistent, how do you build a business around that?"

The firm hasn't exited the event-management business but is concentrating on servicing existing clients, such as Glen Dimplex, instead of touting for new business.

The group is currently seeking opportunities to add more high- profile venues to the portfolio, while Fitout.ie has dipped a toe into the British and Northern Irish markets.

From humble beginnings with just two staff when he started off in Slane Castle six years ago, turnover is now over €14 million, and the business has a margin of about 5 per cent. Over the past 18 months, O'Kane consolidated and restructured the various companies under a new brand, the Sancian Group, following six years of heady growth.

"We moved from €370,000 in the first year of business to €4.5 million in the second year, which was massive growth for a start-up. If anyone asked me what would I do again, I would certainly look at how we structured our financial team from day one and take on a financial director whereas we just took on accounting services.

"Every Monday morning I know exactly where our businesses are now, and how we did the previous week and what our forecasts are."