Someone asks you at a party what you do for a living. What do you say?
The truth! I’m a partner at Grant Thornton, leading the tax team in Scotland. My particular focus is on international tax, which means I work with colleagues in Grant Thornton member firms across the world to support our largest and most complex clients.
The projects I work on are incredibly varied and range from helping clients meet compliance obligations in the UK and overseas, to supporting with expansion into new territories, acquisitions and disposals, restructuring projects and everything in between.
One of my colleagues recently described tax as the “golden thread” that runs through a business – it’s definitely fair to say that there will be a tax impact related to every business decision.
My role is to make sure that my clients are making those business decisions with full knowledge of what that means from a tax perspective, both in terms of managing risk but also identifying opportunity.
Talk us through a typical working day.
There’s no such thing as a typical working day for me, and that’s the way I like it! This morning, for example, I met with a client to discuss international tax reporting and interviewed a candidate for a senior role within the Grant Thornton team in Scotland.
In the afternoon I had calls with a client and Grant Thornton colleagues in the US to discuss a European acquisition.
Other days, I’ll be more focused on delivering advice, hosting events for our tax clients, or mentoring the team. I also spend a fair amount of time travelling to meet overseas clients and colleagues, predominantly in the US.
What are you working on at the moment?
I’ve got a variety of interesting projects on the go.
From an international tax point of view, there’s pillar two. It sounds simple in theory, but the rules are incredibly complex, so I’m working with several clients to understand their impact.
I’m also working with a client and their legal advisers on a group restructure, and with my consulting colleagues to review a financial model for an energy client.
Finally, ESG is top of the agenda for many of my clients, and how tax interacts with ESG is becoming a key discussion area.
What is the most exciting aspect of your role and what is the most stressful?
The most exciting part of the role is the variety and the constant change. The tax landscape now is almost unrecognisable from what I learned as a graduate 25 years ago, and the continued intellectual challenge of keeping pace with that change keeps the role exciting for me. Every client and project is different, and that definitely keeps things interesting.
Ironically though, the most exciting part of the job can also be the most stressful, as it’s often necessary to digest a huge amount of information in a very short space of time – it’s all about balance!
Tell us the key characteristics that make a successful tax professional.
Obviously, technical expertise is essential, but it’s also important to have a curious nature.
To deliver truly valuable tax advice it’s important to understand a client’s wider business strategy. Tax doesn’t sit out of commercial planning, it’s integral to it, so it’s vital to spend time with clients to learn about their business.
Communication skills are also key, as a huge part of the job is taking very complex tax rules and distilling those into a form understandable and useful to clients and colleagues, who are not always UK tax experts.
What is the most common misconception about your work?
There can be a perception that tax is only about compliance and filing tax returns for clients. That is an important part of it, but it’s only a very small part of what we do to bring value to clients.
What or who inspires you?
I’ve been very lucky throughout my career to have worked with and learned from many truly inspirational people, all of whom have shaped the tax adviser I am today.
On a day-to-day basis though, I’m most inspired by my clients. I feel very lucky to work with some businesses that are working on truly groundbreaking projects.
If you weren't a tax professional, what would you be doing?
Out of work, my main passion is travel, and I love planning trips for my family and friends for fun (they would say I mostly do a good job I think!).
So in another life I would perhaps have been an adventure travel planner.
Any advice you would give your younger self?
Be yourself.
Many young people coming into professional services feel pressure to fit a certain mould, but I’ve learned through my career that people perform to their full potential when they can learn, communicate and work in an authentic way.
Tell us what makes tax cool!
I’ve worked in tax for 25 years and in that time, I’ve been lucky enough to work with some amazing people, build some long-lasting relationships, understand some fascinating businesses and to add value to my clients across the globe.
There’s constant intellectual challenge as rules evolve and, as I said, no two days are the same.
It might not be for everyone, but I think my job is pretty cool!
