New graduate for R&D Tax Claims

WOLVERHAMPTON-based tax specialist R&D Tax Claims Ltd has expanded with the addition of trainee university graduate Gareth Morkot. The company now employs five consultants.

R&D Tax Claims Ltd, based at Pendeford Business Park, assists companies who invest in research and development (R&D) by helping them claim back extra tax relief on money spent in developing new products or introducing new and improved processes.

Morkot will assist the team of consultants at the firm in helping clients identify whether the firm carries out R&D and then helping them reclaim corporation tax credits on the R&D element through the HMRC scheme.

He joins the firm from Leicestershire’s De Montfort University, where he graduated with a BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering. He is the first graduate trainee the company has taken on.

Morkot said: “I’m fascinated by current technologies and new developments in manufacturing and engineering and working with the team at R&D Tax Claims gives me the opportunity to visit companies operating at the leading edge of technology. My degree in mechanical engineering has helped me understand the principles of engineering and enables me to have an understanding of the technical advancements in research and development that our clients are trying to achieve and helps to assess how we can help them.”

Mark Evans, managing director of R&D Tax Claims said: “We’ve been looking for a graduate of exactly the right calibre for a long time. It’s imperative that our consultants understand complex processes in order to evaluate the R&D element and how to extrapolate it clearly and concisely so that HMRC are left in no doubt.

“We’re proud to offer a position to an engineering graduate and I believe that Gareth is a real asset to our existing team of experts.”

Paragon team leaders graduate training programme

EMPLOYEES at The Paragon Group are celebrating after graduating from the company’s Team Leader Academy programme.

The Solihull-based specialist provider of finance, which has offices in the town centre and in Shirley, ran a new management training programme over the past year. The programme was so successful that the CMI accredited scheme is now being run in different areas across the business.

The programme, which includes monthly workshops and assignments, helps employees develop their skills as Team Leaders.

Anne Barnett, Director of Human Resources at Paragon, said: “The first Team Leader Academy has been a great success. We piloted the programme in our Consumer Loan Servicing area and the feedback we have received from employees who completed the training has been very positive.

“We have grown considerably as a business in recent months and now employ more than 850 people in Solihull and London, so ensuring we invest in our employees and provide them with training and the opportunity to develop their skill set is something we are committed to doing as a business.”

Trainees complete exams at JW Hinks

THREE trainees at Birmingham chartered accountants JW Hinks have passed their final professional exams to become fully qualified.

Dylan McLoughlin, Mohammed Hafeez and Poonam Lall are now fully qualified with the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) respectively.

Poonam Lall, pictured, has also been promoted to manager of the Edgbaston firm’s Property Services Department.

Paul Jones, managing partner at JW Hinks, said: “Everyone at the firm is delighted for Dylan, Mohammed and Poonam who have worked extremely hard to pass their respective courses.”