After he steps down at the end of June, Bostock, who has been at Crowe for over three decades, having started as a graduate trainee at the firm in the early 1990s, will remain as a partner, working alongside and supporting Patelia to ‘ensure a smooth transition’.

Patelia will take up the new role as chief executive on 1 July 2026 after 18 years at Crowe, most recently as head of advisory and chair of the firm’s supervisory board. The ICAEW chartered accountant became a corporate finance partner in 2017, and has advised on numerous initial public offerings (IPOs) and acquisitions. He is also a member of ICAEW’s corporate finance faculty.  

The decision to appoint a new chief executive was taken in consultation with the 100-plus partners at Crowe.

In a statement, Crowe told Business & Accountancy Daily: ‘There was not a partnership vote. When Nigel decided the time was right to step down after nine years serving as Crowe UK’s chief executive and 13 years serving on the executive, a process then followed, as set out in the firm’s LLP agreement, whereby the firm’s supervisory board is responsible for appointing the new chief executive in consultation with the partners.’

Bostock steps down after nine years at the helm of Crowe, after becoming chief executive in 2017, and brought an audit background, as audit partner corporate business. During his tenure, he oversaw the rebrand from Crowe Clarke Whitehill in 2018, faced various challenging audit investigations over the years, and navigated the business through the difficult years of the pandemic.

During Bostock’s tenure, revenue increased from £67.2m in 2017 to £183.7m for year end 31 March 2025, with pre-tax profit up 9% in the last financial year to £45.4m. The independently owned firm is ranked 16th in the Top 75 Firms Survey 2026, down slightly on the 2017 position of 14th. The business has resisted private equity investment, and remains a limited liability partnership (LLP) with 107 equity partners and nearly 1,500 staff across nine UK offices today.

Reflecting on his time as chief executive, Bostock said: ‘I have been very fortunate and appreciative to have had the opportunity to lead this firm. The talent at Crowe has always been and will continue to be exceptional. I thank all our partners and people, present and past for their hard work, contribution, support and dedication; it is something I will always cherish and value.’

When Patelia takes over a chief executive in July, he will set out details on his long-term vision for the firm, after the orderly transition.

Commenting on his appointment, Patelia said: ‘I am honoured to have been appointed to lead the firm. I have seen Crowe grow and evolve immeasurably over the years. That progress is a direct result of the talent, dedication and commitment of our people and the exceptional teams we have. I look forward to working with each of them as we continue to build on our firm’s success.

‘I would like to thank Nigel for his steadfast leadership during a period of considerable change in the profession. Throughout his tenure, Nigel has balanced sustainable growth with a strong focus on clients, people and quality.

‘We thank Nigel for his leadership and commitment, which have helped position the firm well for the future.’

Pictured: Mitesh Patelia