Louise Crosbie is Ireland Regional Leader and Head of Ireland Finance & Global Accounting at Fidelity Investments. She joined the company in 2012 as Director of International Accounting. In 2015, she established the Global Accounts Payable team in Ireland. In 2024, Crosbie was honoured as one of the Women Mean Business Ambassadors for Gender Diversity and was nominated for CFO of the Year in the Business Post Leadership Excellence Awards.
What was your first job? My first job was in the laundry room of a local hotel in Monaghan when I was about 15 or 16. I also spent one summer working in a small accountancy practice in my hometown. They were very different jobs, but both gave me an early appreciation for hard work, responsibility and the importance of adapting to different environments. What are your main priorities and goals in your current role? As an Ireland Regional Leader and Head of Ireland Finance & Global Accounting, my main priority is creating an environment where our 2,200+ people can thrive while delivering strong outcomes and expertise for our business partners in Ireland and around the world. Over our 30 years in Ireland, and through considerable progressive evolution, we have built a strong reputation with our stakeholders. Continuing to uphold that reputation remains a key focus every day. What pushed you to pursue a career in this field? A fantastic accounting teacher in secondary school first sparked my interest in the field. I was drawn to accounting and to business more broadly because it felt like a strong grounding for whatever opportunities might come next. It opens doors across many paths and builds skills valuable in almost any role or industry. How do you motivate yourself and your team? I am very proud to work with a team of professionals who are empowered to make decisions on behalf of the entities we support. operate as one team, and that shared ownership is a real source of motivation. Knowing there is strong support around you gives everyone the confidence to keep moving forward, take initiative and continue progressing together. In one sentence, how would you define success? Success for me is creating an environment of mutual respect, where my team and our business partners can collaborate openly, solve complex challenges, resolve issues quickly and stay focused on what creates the greatest long-term value. How do you relax? Most of my downtime goes to taking my six-year-old daughter to her activities and playdates, which keeps life busy but enjoyable! When I do get a quiet moment, I enjoy going for walks, spending time with family and friends and unwinding in the evening with a true crime documentary. What is your favourite (non-business) book? These days, my favourite books are cookery books, as my daughter and I enjoy spending time in the kitchen together. Jamie Oliver is a particular favourite in our house. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? The best advice I have received is to communicate a difficult matter as early as you can. Even when something feels like the end of the world in the moment, it rarely is, and sharing the problem early almost always makes the problem more manageable and helps move things forward faster. How do you handle adversity? I try to stay calm in stressful situations and draw on past experiences to remind myself that difficult periods do pass. Most of the time, there is a straightforward way through a problem. Staying level-headed helps me focus on finding it. What are the aspirations for the future of the business? As the business continues to grow, our focus is on continuing to develop the skills, knowledge and partnerships needed to support that growth. Fidelity Investments has built a strong reputation in Ireland for talent, collaboration and expertise, and I want to see us continue to strengthen our position as a centre of excellence, supporting both the enterprise and our customers, while fostering an environment where our people can build rewarding careers, make a meaningful impact across the organisation, and contribute positively to the communities where we live and work.
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