When Derry Crowley launched his small accounting practice in County Cork back in 1993, he couldn’t have predicted that, three decades later, he would be steering one of the UK and Ireland’s fastest‑growing professional‑services practices. Yet his career trajectory—and Xeinadin’s meteoric rise—share a common thread: a relentless focus on people, relationships, and forward‑thinking solutions for small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs).
“I’m quite literally a living embodiment of what Xeinadin stands for,” Crowley says. “Everything that we do, I’ve lived through myself.”
That statement is more than rhetoric. Crowley spent 25 years building a respected regional practice before he helped establish Xeinadin in 2019. Having experienced the day‑to‑day realities of practice ownership, he brings first‑hand empathy to every strategic decision he makes as CEO.
For Crowley, three values guide the organisation, “we are collaborative, relationship-driven and we are very future-focused.” Those principles shape everything from internal culture to external partnerships—and explain why Xeinadin has become a magnet for both entrepreneurial talent and ambitious clients.
Today the Practice employs nearly 3,000 professionals, serving over 100,000 clients. The numbers are impressive, but the story behind them is rooted in local longevity.
“Our average client has been with us for more than ten years—some since the 1940s,” notes Chief Operating Officer Peter Anderson. “They stay with us because of the strength of the relationships we build.”
That loyalty is no accident. Each Xeinadin office retains the personality and community ties of an independent practice while enjoying the resources of an international team of experts: specialist tax advisors, corporate‑finance teams, and sector‑focused advisors who can be called on whenever a client’s needs evolve.
For Crowley, this is key to the company’s future potential, “we grow with our clients, and by offering our clients more services, they grow.”
Xeinadin’s organic growth is complemented by a steady pipeline of acquisitions. Since the start of 2024, over 40 high‑quality practices have joined the group. For Chief Commercial Officer, Tim Halford, the model is a win-win, “it provides us with an opportunity to grow and, if you look at every business that’s joined Xeinadin, they’ve grown quicker, they’ve won more clients, they’ve increased their revenue and they’ve increased the footprint.”
For those reasons, he says, there are “a significant number of businesses that want to join us.”
Xeinadin’s expanding footprint under one brand, has massive advantages. Employees feel part of a larger mission; clients experience the same level of service, regardless of their location; and, as Crowley states, it helps fuel future growth. “We want the Xeinadin brand to be known everywhere in the UK and Ireland as the leading provider of accountancy and business‑advisory services.”
In an era of rapid change, SMEs need advisers who understand both the nuances of local business and the complexities of a globalised economy. Derry Crowley’s vision for Xeinadin, using its key values of collaboration, relationship-driven and future-focused bridges that gap, proving that when values and strategy align, remarkable growth is possible—without losing the human touch that started it all on a small street in County Cork.
Learn more about us, who we are and what we do.
You can also meet our Leadership Team and find out more about our strategy.
