Accountant London | Tax & Business Advice

Michael Davidson

Group Managing Partner

Michael is the driving force behind the success of Haines Watts expansion in and around the M25 region. Michael joined Haines Watts in 1991 as a trainee and became a Partner in 1999. He specialises in, and is passionate about, advising owner managers with turnovers from £1 million to £20 million.

He challenges clients on their business and delivers advice in a very pragmatic way. Being an owner manager himself, his advice extends beyond financial input and he supports owners in managing the business through it‘s various cycles. This advice is underpinned by a ‘practical’ MBA completed at Cranfield School of Management.

Michael was voted on to the national Haines Watts Group Board in April 2008 and was made Group Managing Partner in 2018.

"I’ve always thought it’s important to work with people you like - be it business owners, my team, suppliers or business acquaintances - so that you can laugh together and share the drama of experiences on the OMB rollercoaster.

I also think it’s very important to stay humble and be able to laugh at yourself.

I fear the day I don’t, to all of the above."

If I wasn't doing this I'd be: a sports journalist.

Favourite sports team: Chelsea.

Dream location: Naples, Florida.

Matt Perry

Managing Partner

Matt's focus is on helping owners and their management teams on all aspects of structure, strategy, growth and the potential realisation of value from their businesses. He has particular expertise in supporting owners who are running businesses that are rapidly increasing in complexity. He works closely with these owners to scale their operations, address management and leadership issues and obtain funding for investment and growth. Matt brings a keen understanding of the broader commercial issues that impact growing business, including governance, risk, succession and protecting personal wealth.

"I enjoy becoming an integral part of a business’s journey and draw on my own experience in managing a fast growing company. There are so many angles to consider when a business starts to scale up. There’s nothing better for me than setting some long term goals with a business owner, supporting them through that growth and ultimately seeing them achieve their ambitions."

If I wasn't doing this I'd be: selling

Favourite Sports Team: Arsenal

Dream Location: Sicily

Paul Simmons

Senior Partner

Paul joined Haines Watts in April 1998. During his career he has acted for large private and public companies and multinational groups across all industries. He has a strong understanding of the issues and pressures that UK subsidiary companies face. Paul's objective with the business owners he works with is to establish key financial goals, develop a plan to reach them and provide support along the way. The key areas he advises on include re-organisations, corporate restructures, MBOs and operational reviews.

"The relationships I've built working with such a wide variety of business owners are probably the best thing about what I do. The personal satisfaction I get from seeing those people achieve their aspirations encourages me on to help the next client."

If I wasn't doing this I'd be: a sommelier

Favourite sports team: Chelsea

Dream location: on a boat in the Whitsundays

Daley Tyndale

Partner

With over 15 years' of General Practice experience, Daley works with businesses across a wide range of industries including financial services, technology, property, retail and charities.

Specialist areas include audit, assurance, tax, accounting, FCA compliance, charities / not-for-profit, general business compliance, and strategy.

Daley is extremely driven in terms of delivering the best possible solutions for his clients in order to help achieve their goals, building strong, long-term relationships along the journey.

"The most enjoyable part of my job is the variety of challenges and people I encounter each day. No day is ever the same, or goes exactly to plan! The latter stems working with like-minded, ambitious, driven people who want the best, and are continuously exploring new opportunities and ideas."

If I wasn't doing this I'd be: working within football by hook or by crook!

Favourite sports team: Tottenham Hotspur

Dream location: London

Gary Staunton

Partner

Gary provides a full range of management, commercial and accounting advice to his clients. He has specific experience and a keen interest in advising fast growth start-ups, and enterprises in the publishing, travel and commercial property sectors. He also has particular expertise in dealing with the complexities of international groups. Gary delivers commercial and strategic advice over and above routine accounting services.

"I enjoy working with business owners who are driven to succeed. Working with this type of entrepreneur is never boring. They break down barriers, constantly have new ideas and every meeting is a voyage of discovery."

If I wasn't doing this I'd be: a Physics teacher

Favourite sports team: West Ham

Dream location: Seychelles

Genti Krasniqi

Director - HW Company Centre

Genti specialises in company secretarial and corporate governance. He advises organisations of all sizes across all sectors of the economy, with a particular emphasis on helping business owners comply with ever increasing company law requirements. He can help with share transfers, corporate re-organisations and group restructuring, company share schemes, capital reduction, dissolution, restoration and re-registration of companies.

"Most owner managers want to focus on growing their business and don’t have time to tackle the details of their statutory obligations. My goal is to provide sound company secretarial services and advice to lift this burden and ensure that our clients are compliant with the company law requirements and any corporate governance matters."

If I wasn't doing this I'd be: a football scout

Favourite book: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy

Dream location: the Maldives

Jane Wills

Partner

Jane has been with the firm since 2008, prior to which, she ran a large family practice in the west country specialising in providing a full range of accounting and advisory services to local owner-managed businesses and the small corporate sector in Cornwall and west Devon. She relishes the challenge of bringing her very personal 'hands on' style to a widely diverse client base.

"I really enjoy the interaction with clients, at all stages of the business life cycle. I am hands-on in nature, and like to be thought of as part of the team, and instrumental in their journey. Being both a business owner, and involved as a Charity Trustee myself, I can empathise with the issues and concerns which all owners experience, and hopefully can help them to achieve their goals. I really love the collaborative nature of this work."

If I wasn't doing this I'd be: nothing! At the age of 10 I told my father (who ran his own practice) that I would become an accountant if he made me partner straightaway

Favourite sports team: I’m a great tennis fan – with Federer probably my favourite player

Dream location: Cornwall - but then I am Cornish born & bred!

Jonathan Moughton

Partner

Jonathan runs the Audit & Business Services Department across our London and Slough offices. He is also a member of the National Audit & Quality Control Committee of the Haines Watts Group. Since becoming a Partner in 1998 he has acted for a wide variety of owner-managed businesses and not-for-profit organisations, as well as having a range of internal responsibilities. Highly experienced, with a focus on providing high quality advice to privately owned businesses, he has served clients across diverse business sectors in the region for over 15 years.

"I enjoy working directly with business owners, with their ability to make quick decisions, I get to see clients acting on our advice and the subsequent outcomes in practice. I also enjoy the variety of clients I work with and the challenge of meeting their diverse requirements."

If I wasn't doing this I'd be: an engineer

Favourite sports team: Wasps

Dream location: Umbria

Keith Graham

Consultant

Keith combines his management responsibilities with servicing a large and varied portfolio of clients. His areas of specialism include the property sector, charities, professional services firms and the art world. His interest in contemporary art provides a useful background for his regular speaking engagements at seminars for artists and art galleries.

Keith is also involved with a number of charities and not for profit organisations, both as an advisor and board member.

"Over the years, my personal contact with clients is what gives me most pleasure and satisfaction. The opportunity to become the go to person on issues affecting their business or personal financial life - and the pleasure from seeing them take action and reap the benefits of pro-active advice."

If I wasn’t doing this I would be: immersing myself in the Contemporary Art world and spending as much time as they’ll have me with my grandchildren

Favourite book: Animal Farm

Dream location: Tel Aviv

Nicola Pearson

Partner

Nicki joined the profession in 1998 fresh from university and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2001. During her time in practice she has built up a reputation for delivering clear and practical advice that helps her clients to meet their commercial objectives. Nicki recognises that every business is different and consequently provides her clients with a bespoke service that best meets their individual requirements. Restaurants and the hospitality sector is an area of particular interest and Nicki has worked extensively with clients in these sectors.

"I get a great feeling when I can help someone reclaim some tax or reduce a liability in a way that they didn’t realise they could. I also enjoy the fact that a business owner can hand over responsibility of all things financial to me so that they know it’s in safe hands whilst they focus on business growth."

If I wasn't doing this I'd be: a pathologist

Favourite book: The Grapes of Wrath

Dream location: The Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand

Nicola Padden

Partner

Nicky qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2002. As part of her training she undertook a 6-month secondment to the tax department, and now works increasingly in both Corporate and Personal Taxation. She manages a number of the firms’ Trust clients and qualified as a Chartered Tax Advisor in 2006. Nicky's work remains varied, including audit, accounts, taxation and general practice development. One of her key roles is to deal with the substantial number of enquiries the firm receives from new and young businesses.

"I really enjoy working with owner-managers. It’s so important to know how each business works and the specific challenges it faces. With that in mind it’s always interesting to understand different owner’s individual goals and working out how to achieve them."

If I wasn't doing this I'd be: a teacher

Favourite book: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

Dream location: Malta

Steve Brown

Partner - HW Corporate Finance

With a 30 year track record in corporate finance, Steve has amassed substantial experience in giving his clients strategic advice to help them realise their objective whether this be the sale of their business, a management buy out, an acquisition, raising capital or refinancing. Steve has a deep understanding of owner-managed businesses and the unique requirements when undertaking transactions. Experienced in both lead advisory and transaction support, Steve has a particular specialism advising parties considering MBO opportunities together with Private Equity transactions in general. Steve has specialist experience in IT services, media, advertising and marketing, specialist manufacturing, staffing and recruitment, outsourcing and consulting businesses.

"The nature of what I do exposes me to a huge variety of businesses and people. I've always found it interesting to deal with different personalities and get to know different businesses. No two situations are ever the same which keeps me on my toes!"

If I wasn't doing this I'd be: travelling around Asia

Favourite book: anything by Michael Connolly

Dream location: Hong Kong

Steve McCrindle

VAT Partner

Steve leads our VAT practice in the Greater London region. He started his career with HM Revenue & Customs, then moved to practice and developed a huge amount of specialist VAT knowledge. As the system has become more complex, he has become an expert in the legislation surrounding this area of tax. Steve is very active within Geneva Group International (GGi), the firm’s global alliance of accounting, consulting and law firms. He is the Global Chair of the GGi VAT and Indirect Taxes practice group. He advises on global VAT matters and is a regular speaker at GGi conferences globally. Steve provides advice that gives comfort where there are doubts, remedies where there are issues and VAT savings where there are opportunities, to the whole spectrum of owner managed businesses and charities.

"What I enjoy most about my role is resolving business's VAT issues and in doing so, adding value. Unlike some services, VAT consulting is not a mandatory requirement, so when a client works with me it’s because they have an issue, usually with a big financial impact, that they trust me to resolve."

If I wasn't doing this I'd be: researching and writing novels based on historical events

Favourite sports team: Newcastle United

Dream location: Dhara Dhevi Hotel in Chaing Mai, Thailand

Thomas Dalby

Head of Employer Solutions

Thomas is a leading share scheme expert and CTA who works with ambitious startup and high growth businesses and their directors. He provides comprehensive tax advice on remuneration, including tax relief available on shareholdings, employee share option plans and bespoke share incentive solutions, along with optimisation of company structures.

"What I value most are the relationships I've built with business owners, as we've worked together throughout their companies’ lifecycles, helping them to build up their businesses and celebrating their success on reaching an exit."

If I wasn't doing this I'd be: tending my vegetable garden

Favourite book: anything by PG Wodehouse

Dream location: watching the sun set over the ocean in La Palma

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Michael Davidson

Matt Perry

Paul Simmons

Andy Jepson

Anoop Rehal

Chris Evans

Daley Tyndale

Gary Staunton

Genti Krasniqi

James Maxwell

Jane Wills

Jonathan Moughton

Keith Graham

Martin Mann

Nathan Ross-Sercombe

Nicola Pearson

Nicola Padden

Nici Goldsmith

Paul Addison

Rob Blundell

Sam Berry

Sam Clarke

Steve Brown

Steve McCrindle

Thomas Dalby

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