International intern joins Mazars

BULGARIAN student Emilia Miteva has joined the Birmingham office of Mazars as an intern. Taking a four year degree in Accounting, Business Finance and Management at the University of York, she will be spending a placement year learning how the international accountancy firm operates.
 
Her particular interest is international tax and she will be working closely with Vesko Petkov, international tax director for Mazars in the Midlands.
 
She said: “It is really interesting work and I am working on many varied clients. Mazars have given me responsibility from day one which was very important for me. It is good to see how theory works in practice.
 
“I chose Mazars because of its reach across 73 countries and its great reputation for international tax.”
 
Aged 21, from Varna, on the Black Sea, she will eventually return to York to complete her final year and obtain her degree.
 
Mr Petkov said: “We aim to appeal to bright young talent looking for global business opportunities. We are constantly growing our international tax operations and it is very encouraging that we can attract quality interns like Emilia.”
 

Research & Development team established by Deloitte

DELOITTE has established a new five-strong dedicated research and development (R&D) tax team within its Midlands practice.

Assembled over the last eight months from the firm’s global practice and direct from industry, the team will service the growing number of companies in the region – from start-ups to global corporates – that could financially benefit from utilising R&D incentives.
 
The team brings together a unique mix of expertise from the technology and engineering sectors that ideally match both the established and emerging sectors in the Midlands.

Besant Bhakta, previously an aerospace engineer and now manager at Deloitte in Birmingham, said: “As many are aware the Midlands is a hub for the aerospace industry, with specialist parts built here and supplied globally. As well as manufacturers, the region also has a number of centres of excellence, providing leadership and support, and training the next generation of talent, helping the industry to thrive.”
 
In addition to its manufacturing knowledge the team is looking to support the growing number of TMT companies relocating to the region out of London and ‘Silicon Canal’, part of what is now second only to the capital in terms of the number of software companies operating within a given area.
 
The team consists of: Brian White, partner; Jayasheela Pillai, senior manager; Mark Frost and Besant Bhakta, managers; and assistant manager Indhuja Paramanathan, with another appointment joining in September. Many of the team have relocated to the Midlands, including three from the South of England and Indhuja from Sydney, Australia. They join the increasing number of people moving to the region, as the local economy continues to grow, developing opportunities for businesses and individuals.   
 
“One of the benefits of working for a firm like Deloitte is the opportunity to expand and utilise your experience in a variety of ways and locations,” commented manager Mark Frost. “I’m very excited to be part of such an exciting City and region, which has so much to offer, and to have the chance to work with a diverse range of clients.”
 
Brian White, partner, explains the relevance of having a team in the Midlands. He said: “Put simply, it’s a perfect match. This region provides a great environment for start-ups and entrepreneurs whilst also hosting some of the biggest and most influential companies in the world. We have created a team that can support both; behind which sits one of the largest R&D tax teams in the country. I’m very excited at the potential for our clients and for us.”
 

New West Midlands area director for Santander

SANTANDER Corporate & Commercial has appointed Tom Addyman as the new Area Director for South & West Midlands Region.
 
Based at the Corporate Business Centre in Wolverhampton, Addyman will specialise in working with local businesses with an annual turnover up to £50m and will be responsible for leading the bank’s expansion into the region.  He will join a 26-strong team in South & West Midlands including sector and product specialists in Real Estate, Healthcare, Education, Asset, Invoice and Trade Finance.
 
He previously worked for Santander as Business Development Director in the region following 15 years of banking experience both in the UK and the Middle East.
 
Susan Davies, Regional Director for Santander Corporate & Commercial, said: “I am delighted to welcome Tom to our team. He brings a wealth of experience and will play a major role leading the team across Wolverhampton & the Black Country.  Santander Corporate & Commercial has established itself as a major supporter of UK businesses and is committed to building long-lasting relationships with our customers so that we are able to provide tailored support at every stage of their business.
 
“We are committed to growing our relationship teams to provide this dedicated support for more local businesses, as our own business continues to expand and grow. Tom Addyman is an experienced local banker committed to supporting businesses in South & West Midlands region, and I wish him every success in his new role.”