2,000 colleagues, 100% co-ownership

The union of ABAB and Alfa creates a strong and distinctive new player in the market. The organisational structure of aaff is built on employee participation, aligning entrepreneurship with employment. This approach includes an employee equity plan. Ronald Meijers, Vice-Chairman of the aaff Board of Directors, explains: ‘At aaff, it’s all about ownership - 2,000 co-owners charting the course together. No closed doors, no unreachable partners, just shared entrepreneurship. We care for one another and the people around us. That’s what makes aaff such an attractive employer. Here, you can truly make an impact. We give our colleagues the freedom to develop, take initiative, and enjoy autonomy. How empowering is it to steer the ship together as co-owners?’

180 years of experience

aaff also stands out for its strong local presence. With over 50 offices across the Netherlands, the company offers nationwide coverage. Fouk Tsang, Chairman of the aaff Board of Directors, says: ‘With aaff, we aim to be there for our clients at decisive moments, starting with personal contact. The merger enriched us with even more expertise, both technical and in various industries. Our roots are in agriculture, but we also serve sectors like Trade & E-commerce, Construction & Infrastructure, Logistics, and High-tech. We understand entrepreneurs, speak their language, and recognize their challenges and opportunities. aaff is a fresh face in the market, yet it carries 180 years of accounting and consulting experience.’

Towards a better future

aaff is a certified B Corp organisation, a deliberate choice to contribute to society. Fouk Tsang: ‘Sustainability is in our DNA and central to everything we do. Our growth will never come at the expense of the environment or our communities. We also support our clients in advancing their sustainability efforts, helping them seize opportunities presented by the transition to a greener economy. With aaff, we aim for a better future - for everyone. We operate with both our head and our heart.’

Click here to find out more about aaff and the services they offer.

During John’s tenure, the business has seen revenue growth from £10 million to over £55 million and he has been instrumental in building the finance team to manage reporting during the rapid growth of the business.

Campbell joins at a pivotal time as the business prepares for the next stage of its growth. His appointment ensures that the company has a robust long-term management team. John Williams will remain an executive director within the business for the coming months until the next stage of the strategic plan is implemented.

Campbell qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG in Birmingham before spending 14 years in Vodafone Group undertaking a number of leadership and commercial finance roles. Most recently, Campbell has been a senior leader of the finance team at Kynetec, a £80m turnover market leading private equity backed data and analytics business in the agriculture and animal health industry. Campbell has extensive experience of the full private equity life cycle including exits and working with new private equity owners and has also worked on several M&A transactions and integrations.

Peter O’Connell, Chief Executive Officer, states,

“Campbell joining the team will help accelerate the business's growth over the next five years. However, for the past two years since the original investment, John has been an instrumental part of the management team, assisting not only with mergers and acquisitions activity but also in managing the finance team as well as working closely with me on his long-term succession plan.”

Kevan Leggett, Chairman, adds,

“John has been the consummate professional – he has helped execute our M&A strategy as well as building out a strong central finance team.  He has been clear about his own long-term plans and has worked well with Peter to bring on board his successor.”

Campbell Smith comments,

“I am delighted to join Shaw Gibbs at this important stage of its growth. The business is on an exciting journey, building a people-centric, high-quality accountancy and advisory practice and I am looking forward to being a key part of the management team as we continue to build on the existing platform.”

About Shaw Gibbs

Shaw Gibbs is a top 40 accountancy practice who provide expert solutions for entrepreneurial businesses and private individuals in Central and Southern England. Investing in their teams of high-quality specialists, they work with the best-in-breed technology to create value for clients which exceeds expectation.

For several years, N&CA Studio Nicolini Commercialisti Associati, Milan, Italy, has been assisting a leading Italian Group, active in the large-scale retail and discount supermarkets sector, with a turnover of more than 11 billion euros and around 1,200 stores in the Italian territory. The Group, already a leader in several European markets, has chosen DFK International as a strategic partner to support its international expansion. 

A path of growth and collaboration 

The journey of collaboration began in Croatia, where the client opened a series of new stores. Thanks to the expertise and qualified assistance of member firm iAudit, Rijeka, who supported the client in the opening phase, the process of entering the market was a real success. 

This positive experience encouraged the client to continue their expansion, selecting our association once again to support the launch of new stores in Malta - a strategic market for its business and turning to Network firm, DFK Malta. The combined strength of local expertise and the global perspective of our association ensured another exceptional outcome.

The next stage: Serbia   

Looking to expand into Serbia, the Group has continued to rely on DFK’s services to navigate new challenges and opportunities.  Through collaboration with another of our Network firms, DFK Konsultant (Pozitiviti), Belgrade, the project is progressing efficiently with the client expressing great satisfaction with our integrated approach and the ability of our association to operate as a unified entity while maintaining the strength of local expertise.  

The value of DFK International

This story is a clear demonstration of the value that DFK delivers to its members and their clients. The collaborative and global approach of our alliance enables our members to support clients wherever their business takes them, providing not only technical expertise, but also a seamless experience in every country. 

We would like to thank each of our member firms who contributed to the success of this project, proving once again that together, we can deliver collaborative solutions, anywhere in the world.

We look forward to sharing further updates on this remarkable journey of international growth and partnership!

This is DFK. United Globally.