New associate director for Grant Thornton

GRANT Thornton has appointed David Francis as associate director to lead its Tax Investigations team in the Midlands.
 
Mr Francis joins Grant Thornton with 13 years’ experience in tax investigations, including five years at PwC and nearly eight years at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), where he became a senior fully trained Inspector of Taxes.

His new role will include advising businesses and individuals on issues including historical tax arrangements, voluntary disclosures and negotiating settlements with HMRC. He will also advise clients wishing to test their controls and procedures to ensure best practice and reduce tax risk.
 
David Hillan, head of Grant Thornton’s corporate tax team and practice leader in Birmingham, said: “David’s extensive experience on both sides of the tax investigations equation is a valuable boost to the team, enabling him to advise clients on HMRC procedures and practices. With HMRC’s dedication to reducing the tax gap more businesses and individuals may find themselves inadvertently under scrutiny.”

Edgbaston move sees Atradius embark on new growth phase

Trade credit insurer Atradius has welcomed a new face to its Midlands operation, which has recently relocated to new premises in Edgbaston.

Richard Reynolds joins the Birmingham-based team as the firm prepares for a new phase of its growth.

Mr Reynolds has been appointed head of regional broker sales and head of commercial for the Midlands, with Mary Ravenscroft taking up the role of head of distribution.

Mr Reynolds has 25 years’ experience within trade credit insurance having joined Atradius in 1991, working within both the risk services and the commercial teams before spending three years working for a broker in a business development role.

He then returned to Atradius spending almost eight years as a strategic account manager, and then went on to become operational manager for the national sales team.
 
Atradius, which has a long history in the Midlands region, has moved into a new 2,560 sq ft Grade A offices on the first floor of 10 Harborne Road.

Mazars appoints to ease tax burden

A 50% increase in tax work undertaken in 2015 has led to further recruitment at Mazars in Birmingham.
 
Ritchie Tout, tax director, and Steve Dennett, corporate and international tax senior manager, will be working across the Birmingham and Milton Keynes offices.
 
Mr Tout trained with KPMG, moved to Grant Thornton and for the last 15 years has been with PricewaterhouseCoopers dealing with all aspects of the taxation of private businesses.
 
He has a particular focus on the tax treatment of anything share-related, including fiscal share valuation.
 
Also a KPMG trainee, Mr Dennett has worked in tax for over 15 years, dealing with a broad range of clients from small owner-managed businesses up to FTSE 350 listed companies. He is a specialist in advising the UK operations of large overseas groups, having extensive experience of the tax aspects of group reporting.
 
He has had a number of roles as a tax manager in industry including Avon Cosmetics, Office Depot and Goodyear Dunlop, taking in VAT, payroll taxation and R&D tax credits.
 
Mazars tax partner Phil Waller said: “Both are experienced operators and will be a significant asset to the tax team.”
 
In line with the increase in business, Mazars has taken out extra space at its Birmingham offices. Staff numbers grew from 113 to 135 staff in 2015, and the firm has now taken on the eighth floor of 45 Church Street. The firm already exclusively occupies the tenth floor.