Corporate Tax & Transactions Partner

I have spent more than 25 years working with privately owned businesses and their shareholders, helping them navigate the tax issues that come with starting, growing, buying, selling and passing on a business.

My career has included 12 years with a Big Four firm in Manchester, senior roles with independent firms in Shropshire and, most recently, four years as a Tax Partner at Azets, where I worked across the Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury offices.

I advise on the full range of tax issues that arise during the life of a privately owned business, from structuring and growth through to transactions, M&A, succession and exit. I also have particular experience in R&D, capital allowances and employee reward.

I have always taken a practical and commercially focused approach to tax. The tax answer is only useful if it works for the business and the people behind it. I like to understand what a client is actually trying to achieve, then work out how tax can help them get there.

I was attracted to Ballards because it is a genuinely partner-led business with a strong reputation in the local marketplace and an ambitious approach to growth. It feels like a firm where relationships, commercial advice and knowing your clients really matter, and that is the sort of environment in which I do my best work.

Outside work, I am a keen parkrun tourist and have completed more than 350 different events across 20 countries. I also love travelling with my (non-parkrunning!) family and exploring new places. A recent highlight was spending three weeks travelling around Southeast Asia with my daughter.

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