A north east tax expert who works alongside Newcastle-based BW Medical Accountants has been appointed to the Head of Tax Technical Team at the Chartered Institute of Tax (CIOT).
The CIOT is the leading body in the UK for taxation professionals, supporting 17,000 members and 4,000 students through its association. Lead by Stephen Relf, the Tax Technical Team will put forward its view on tax legislation and administration to the Government and other bodies including the European Commission.
BW Medical, a specialist accountancy and taxation company dedicated to health professionals, brought Stephen on board as an independent tax consultant in July 2013, where he helps provide specialist consultancy services to a large portfolio of health clients.
Stephen, 38 from Durham, has worked in the industry for over 15 years, specialising in the taxation of businesses, large and small, for the UK and region's premier accountancy firms.
As a tax writer for a number of prominent tax journals and magazines, Stephen is a specialist in his field and a leading consultant in the region, and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Stephen said: "I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed to this prestigious role and to working alongside my fellow peers in the taxation profession. Since I began working alongside BW Medical Accountants last summer, it has been an incredibly exciting time for me.
"With my technical knowledge and wealth of experience in the taxation industry, I am looking forward to leading the Technical Tax Team, co-ordinating responses to Government consultations and regular meetings with Government and HMRC officials."
Stephen began his career with national accountancy firm PWC and following work in regional practices, where he further developed his expertise in taxation services by advising SMEs and high net individuals on a wide range of issues, he started his own business, Applause Accountancy Services Ltd.
As an independent tax consultant to BW Medical Accountants, he provides a wide range of support to the tax team, advising clients and assisting with the completion of tax returns. Stephen works with clients of BW Medical Accountants to meet needs and identify opportunities to reduce their tax liabilities, as well as helping healthcare professionals to grow their businesses and increase their personal wealth.
Peter Waller, Head of Tax, BW Medical Accountants, said: "It is fantastic that the leading CIOT role has been appointed to someone from the North East, which is an incredible achievement and proves Stephen is a nationally recognised expert in taxation. These positions are, more often than not, given to people in the south of the country and so it is a real coup for Stephen and for us as specialist medical accountants.
"We pride ourselves on the exceptionally talented team we have put together and the strength of our team provides our clients with the best advice and we can deliver a value for money service. The team at sister company Blackett Walker has known Stephen for many years and when he heard about our company he was delighted to work alongside us again. The depth and breadth of knowledge of our team gives us a real advantage over our competitors."