People: Grant Thornton expands Yorkshire team; Two lawyers appointed at clarion; Dacres Commercial expands team; and more

Grant Thornton UK LLP, has welcomed five new hires to its Yorkshire tax practice, taking the team’s head count to 35.

Ben Vaux (Corporate Tax Manager), Stephanie Holmes (Indirect Taxes Manager), Isfan Hanif (Indirect Taxes Executive), Stacie Nicholls (Corporate Tax Associate) and Daniel Andreca (Private Client Tax Associate) have joined Grant Thornton across its Leeds and Sheffield offices.

This is in addition to two new tax graduates who joined at the Autumn intake. They will support the delivery of tax services for the firm’s client portfolio of mid-market businesses.

Rachel Engwell, tax partner, said: “I’m delighted to be able to continue to bring exceptional talent to Grant Thornton as our team goes from strength-to-strength.

“Three of our latest hires have come from Big 4 firms, a testament to Grant Thornton’s attractiveness as an employer that is doing something different in the market.”

In her first year as Head of Tax for Yorkshire and the North East, Rachel – who joined the firm from EY in 2016 – has significantly strengthened Grant Thornton’s tax client base in the region and this year has delivered profits with an 18.8% increase on the prior year.

Rachel added: “We’ve had an exceptional year and there are no signs of us slowing down. It’s an exciting time for Grant Thornton as we establish ourselves as the go-to firm for growth in the UK.

“By investing in new talent and specialists at all levels, we will be able to drive even more success for ourselves and for the dynamic businesses we work with across the region.”

Ben Vaux, who joins Grant Thornton after 12 years at PwC, also said: “I’m excited to be part of a growing Yorkshire team which continues to thrive. I was attracted to the role because of the fantastic team spirit, variety of work and growth mindedness which brings with it really good prospects for progression.

“I’m looking forward to utilising my own experience with large and medium sized UK, and international clients, to deliver tax advice to my new client base.”

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Clarion has welcomed another two new lawyers, Parminder Matharu and Olivia Storey, to its banking and finance practice.

Matharu, who has five years of commercial property experience, joins from Optima Legal where she spent three years, having previously worked at Capstick Solicitors as a real estate paralegal. Prior to that, she worked at Gordons LLP.

Matharu has dealt with large property transactions from start to finish, securing lending and managing refinancing.

Storey joins Clarion from Horwich Farrelly in Manchester where she has spent the last year working as a paralegal. She has a (2:1) Law degree from Manchester Metropolitan University.

The appointment of two new lawyers boosts Clarions banking and finance team to 11.

Partner Marie Pugh, Head of Clarion’s banking and finance practice, said: “The addition of another two lawyers further builds the specialist legal knowledge we can offer to clients.

“It’s always good to have young talent coming on board and, with her strong property skillset, Pam will further boost the team,.”

Matharu commented: “Joining Clarion gives me the opportunity to broaden my legal knowledge in all aspects of banking transactions by working with in an incredibly enthusiastic and talented team.

“My experience of working in property puts me a great position to help clients needing expert advice across both areas.”

Storey added: “I am looking forward to joining Clarion’s expanding banking team, it’s a great opportunity to work alongside a knowledgeable group of individuals and build on my skills as a paralegal.”

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Dacres Commercial has expanded its team with the appointment of Martin Foster as head of valuation and lease advisory services.

Foster brings 30 years’ worth of experience to the role and has previously worked at several national and independent firms including BNP Paribas Real Estate and Fawley Watson Booth. 

Based at Dacres Commercial’s Leeds city centre office, he is an RICS registered Valuer and will specialise in property valuations across all commercial sectors including office, industrial, retail, leisure, student accommodation and mixed-use schemes, for a whole range of purposes and variety of customers.  He will also provide lease advisory services, including strategy and restructuring advice, general lease negotiations and expert witness representation in court and arbitration proceedings.

Foster has also spent 15 years developing a specialist dilapidations diminution valuations service.  He said: “Diminution valuations are increasingly considered to be an integral part of the dilapidations claim process, with both landlords and tenants devoting attention to this aspect earlier in the claim process.  Such a valuation will often form part of the strategic management of a dilapidations claim or be part of a claim defence or prosecution. 

“I’m also looking to bring my wider valuation and lease advisory expertise and experience to bear on extracting value for both landlords and tenants from property assets through the likes of lease restructuring and re-gearing. 

“Dacres Commercial is fully embracing both these areas and this career move is an opportunity to join a longstanding, highly reputable and leading property firm with a strong foothold in the regional property market, whilst enabling me to continue to develop the diminution valuation service with national market coverage.” 

David Ogilvie, who heads up Dacres Commercial, said: “Martin is a hugely experienced property professional who has spent several decades working for well-known firms and securing many successful and notable results for clients, so he’s a great addition to our expanding team.  His appointment will also enable us to continue building on the range and quality of services that we offer across all commercial property types.”

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RSM, the audit, tax and consulting firm, has expanded its team in Yorkshire with the appointment of 20 new school leaver and graduate trainees.

The new recruits will be based in the firm’s Leeds and Hull offices, across service lines including audit, tax, ABA, mergers and acquisitions and risk; and will start their RSM careers on an intensive training course.

They will also commence study towards their professional accountancy qualifications.

These appointments are part of another record intake of 320 trainees across RSM’s UK office network, continuing to expand the firm’s total headcount.

RSM offers trainees a range of career opportunities from technical development and overseas secondments to participation in key corporate and social responsibility activity, including taking on the Duke of Edinburgh Gold award.

Kevin O’Connor, RSM’s regional managing partner for Yorkshire and the North East, said: “It’s fantastic that we’ve been able to take on so many new starters in Yorkshire, which reflects the recent growth in our business.

“We are committed to attracting, developing and retaining talent across all areas of our business and we will be supporting each of our new trainees to develop their careers within the firm. I am sure they will all make a significant contribution to further strengthening our service offering to clients right across the Yorkshire region.”