A leading East Midlands accountancy group is marking 20 years at its Pride Park offices by setting out ambitious growth plans.
DJH Derby, which was formerly known as Ashgates, has seen turnover rise from £2m to £7m since it moved to the location near the football stadium in 2006, with the team doubling in size to over 90 people – the potential is now there to take this towards 100 if it maximises new opportunities with SMEs and owner managed businesses.
Two of the senior management team – David Newborough and Steve Martin – have overseen the expansion during the last two decades, with fellow Directors Arron Anderson, Ian Johnson, Jonathan Williamson and Gavin Booth all approaching nearly 20 years of service.
This significant experience and commitment to following the firm’s ‘personal approach and going above and beyond’ has helped it build a reputation for delivering accountancy, tax and business advisory support, as well as managed IT services through DJH Tech Partners, an independent business operation led by Managing Director Jon Woliter.
To mark the major milestone, DJH Derby held a celebration event last Thursday night at its Prospect Place offices for more than 60 members of the regional professional services community.
“The move to Pride Park in Derby was a massive moment for us and provided the platform we needed to accelerate our expansion – both in taking on new clients and attracting the very best talent,” explained David Newborough, Director.
“And we haven’t looked back, growing the team and ensuring that we continue to support businesses in East Midlands and across the UK with accountancy and auditing requirements, not to mention a dedicated IT offer that was launched in 2017 and now generates £1.4m in annual revenue.”
He continued: “A lot of our current client base has been with us since the move…many are second generation of ownership and others are moving into the third. Our ability to work closely with owner managers to understand their businesses and personal circumstances is one of our greatest strengths. And the biggest compliment is they keep turning to us for advice.”
Ashgates became part of DJH in July 2024, becoming DJH Derby a year later as part of a seamless transition for both the team and its clients.
This was a major moment for the business and gave it the collective resources and backing of a group that boasts 16 offices across the UK and Ireland and a 750-strong workforce. It also added R&D, capital allowances and commercial funding to its existing specialist services offer.
Despite the national presence, there is still very much a focus on delivering a local service that reflects the nuances and sectors strengths of the region.
Director Steve Martin went on to add: “The marketplace was crying out for additional services and more resource, which made the decision to embrace the benefits of being part of a larger organisation a lot easier.
“This includes access to specialist in-house service lines, including corporate finance and HR, the development of best-in-class IT platforms and adoption of AI in a responsible and managed way.
“Now we have this platform for growth, we are setting our sights on delivering our personal approach to many more businesses across the East Midlands.”
He continued: “The larger group is also much better for our team, with more varied career options, the opportunity to work across offices and lots of employee-centred benefits, such as a company car scheme and a charitable volunteering scheme.”
DJH Group, which is backed by private equity specialists Tenzing, is committed to expanding in the East Midlands, both through organic growth and the potential acquisition of firms in Leicester and Nottingham.
Steve concluded: “It was fantastic to have lots of people at Pride Park to look back at the memories and celebrate where we’ve come from. Here’s to the next 20 years and the further growth this will bring our team and our clients!”
For further information, please visit www.djh.co.uk or follow the company across its social media channels.
