Nicholas McClay
Business Leader · Advisor · CPA · Board Member · Community Advocate
Nashville, Tennessee
Global
perspective.
Nicholas McClay is a Nashville-based business leader and advisor with nearly two decades of experience across financial services, governance, risk, private capital, accounting, and strategic business matters. Throughout his career, he has worked alongside executives, boards, entrepreneurs, investors, and organizations navigating complexity, growth, and opportunity.
Beyond his professional work, Nicholas is deeply engaged in Nashville through board leadership, support of the arts, mentorship, and involvement with entrepreneurs and organizations contributing to the region's business, innovation, and cultural ecosystem.
Business & Financial Leadership
Advising executives, boards, and organizations on complex business and financial matters.
Financial Services
Commercial and community banking, mortgage banking, automotive and equipment finance, and non-bank lenders, Banking-as-a-Service and Fintech, wealth management, private equity, venture capital, and commercial real estate funds.
Governance & Risk
Governance and executive oversight, Audit & Risk Committees, external and internal audit, risk management and internal controls.
Private Capital & Middle Market
Supporting companies, investors, founders, and PE/VC-backed businesses through growth, transactions, complexity, and exit readiness.
Accounting & Financial Reporting
Technical accounting, financial reporting, audit readiness and issue management, business process and internal control design and implementation, and related advisory matters.
Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Connecting and collaborating with founders, investors, and Nashville's innovation ecosystem across tech, fintech, financial services, healthcare, and diverse industries.
Recognized as a Forbes Best-in-State CPA in both 2025 and 2026 — since the award's inception — among 54 Tennessee recipients.
President, Board of Directors
Board member since 2021 · Vice President 2022 · President 2023–present
Nicholas believes strong communities depend on leaders who invest their talent, time, and resources in the arts, culture, businesses, and civic organizations that make a city a great place to live and work. His Nashville Opera leadership reflects a commitment to cultivating new generations of patrons, supporting arts education, and preserving and expanding Nashville's cultural institutions.
Began his career at EY in New York City, serving large multinational investment-banking and private-equity clients. After his Paris expatriate assignment, he returned to New York as an established senior manager serving large multinational clients and PE-backed businesses — building a deep foundation in financial services, complex transactions, and global business.
Spent more than three years as an expatriate in Paris, serving multinational clients and developing a global professional perspective. Bilingual in English and French.
Helped grow EY's financial-services presence in Nashville, then joined Calvetti Ferguson as Nashville Office Managing Partner — launching the firm's first expansion outside Texas. Following Cherry Bekaert's acquisition of Calvetti Ferguson in June 2026, Nicholas serves as Nashville Market Leader and Advisory Partner.
Bilingual in English and French — reflecting a global perspective shaped by careers in New York and Paris, and client work across Europe (France, Belgium, UK, Spain, Portugal, Italy), North America (US, Mexico, Canada), and Japan.
* Nicholas McClay is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Tennessee and New York. CPA licenses are state-specific; licensure in one state does not constitute licensure in all states.
Connect with Nicholas
For professional inquiries, speaking engagements, or board and community matters.