People: Crowe; Irwin Mitchell; FBC Manby Bowdler

Audit, tax, advisory and risk firm Crowe has promoted Paul Cox, a director within the corporate tax team, and Kieran Smith, VAT and customs duty director, to the partnership.

Cox is promoted to partner within the corporate tax team with almost 20 years of experience in the accountancy profession. He advances to partner from his previous role as a director at Crowe, having worked at the firm for six years.

With 23 years of experience, including three years spent working as a VAT inspector at HMRC, Smith steps up to partner within the VAT and customs duty team, with a particular focus on consulting in the not-for-profit sector.

He works with several non-profit organisations, including educational charities involving schools and academies, and in the care sector, helping clients to improve VAT efficiency and chart economic uncertainty. His work ranges from VAT inspections to advising clients on matters such as partial tax exemption methods and the purchase of new buildings and other assets.

Cox said: “Almost 20 years after beginning my career in tax and accounting, I’m delighted to be promoted to partner at Crowe.

Kieran Smith

“Given the economic challenges over the last few years and increasing tax complexity and burden, there’s no shortage of opportunities and risks to discuss – especially given the latest increase in corporation tax.

“Now more than ever, companies need to have an appropriate tax strategy to ensure they are equipped to navigate the changes ahead, and I look forward to assisting clients in this space.”

Smith said: “While VAT celebrates its 50th anniversary this April, it continues to pose new challenges for a range of sectors that my colleagues and I are equipped to help with. We pride ourselves on being able to simplify the complexity of tax in order to assist our clients in making smart decisions and I am proud to have been part of the growth of the VAT team since joining the firm in 2006.”

Johnathan Dudley, Midlands & South West managing partner and head of manufacturing business, said: “‘I’m delighted to welcome Paul and Kieran to the partner group. Their promotions underline our commitment to providing excellent high quality client service in the Midlands and South West.”

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Legal and financial services business Irwin Mitchell has made a trio of partner promotions in Birmingham.

Gurminder Kaur Nijjar (General Counsel team), and two experts in complex personal injury law and medical negligence are promoted to partner – Jatinder Paul and Tom Fletcher.

Andrew Tucker, group CEO at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Promotion to partner is a great achievement which not only recognises the role they play currently, but also their ability to drive and shape our future growth and success. These promotions follow on from our announcement about our new associates and senior associates and are another clear sign of the emphasis we place on investing and developing our people.”

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Six legal experts are celebrating big promotions this month.

Four new partners and two new associates have been created at FBC Manby Bowdler, which has branches across the West Midlands and Shropshire.

Suzanne Tucker, Alison Price, Christina Polychronakis and Elizabeth Harris-Clark have all been made partners, while Laurie Carruthers and Jaspreet Kler are now associates.

Neil Lloyd, managing director of FBC Manby Bowdler, said: “Congratulations to all of our new partners and associates! FBC Manby Bowdler has a wealth of real talent amongst its staff and it’s great to be able to reward them in this way.

“Our reputation both with clients and within the legal industry is second to none, and that is all down to our highly skilled and dedicated teams. They offer an amazing service, and we are rightly proud of them.

“Having a skilled and well-trained workforce is vital to the success of the business, and promoting from within our own staff shows our confidence in their abilities. Along with our commitment to apprenticeships and trainee solicitorships, these promotions confirm our faith in our homegrown talent.
“I look forward to all six thriving in their new roles.”