Our Speakers

John Selwood

John Selwood is a Chartered Accountant and independent training consultant. He lectures on auditing, financial reporting, money laundering and company law for all the major training groups and many top accountancy practices.

He also edits Auditing & Reporting and writes technical material for publishers. John is a volunteer member on the ICAEW’s Audit & Assurance Faculty Professional Services Committee and has written and presented the highly successful faculty roadshows for several years. Previously, he has been head of CharterGroup the accountancy network and the technical partner for a top thirty firm of accountants.

Robert Jamieson

Robert Jamieson MA FCA CTA (Fellow) was educated at Fettes and Pembroke College, Cambridge where he studied Moral Sciences, Robert joined Cooper Brothers & Co and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1972. He then moved to Financial Training where he ran their specialist tax course and tax consultancy divisions. He passed the ATII examination in 1979 and received his FTII in 1984 for a thesis on family companies.

After 20 years with Financial Training, Robert decided to return to full-time practice and became a partner in Adam Broke & Co in 1992. Adam Broke & Co merged with Mercer & Hole on 1 October 2001.

Outside his work, Robert joined the Council of The Chartered Institute of Taxation in 1993 and became their President in May 1999. In addition, he is on the Editorial Board of the weekly magazine "Taxation".

He contributed to Sweet & Maxwell's "Transactions: Group Company Structures" and Tolley's "Tax on Transactions" and he has written a Tax Digest for Accountancy Books on "Close Company Problems". He was also one of the original Series Editors for Croner's Tax Handbooks.

Robert is an occasional commentator on private client tax matters for Legal Network Television.

Dean Wootten

Dean has been involved in tax training since 1994 and lectures on a wide variety of tax matters.

Dean started his career as a Chartered Accountant, qualifying in 1988 and then as an Associate of the Institute of Taxation in 1991.

After qualifying Dean spent a number of years in practice, including over five years at partner level. Dean continues to provide consultancy advice to practitioners on an ad hoc basis and his experiences enable him to focus his lecturing on the practical aspects of the issues presented.

Together with Chris Jones, Dean was a founder director of Online Tutors Limited, a company specialising in providing CPD training via the internet. The company is responsible for the tax and accounting CPD update service at www.tolleyseminars.com, the tax learning product Tolley’s Tax Tutor and the quarterly Tolley’s VAT Update. Dean also writes numeorus practical articles in the professional press and is an author on the ICAEW Tax Faculty Taxline Tax Planning publication.

Mike Thexton

Mike Thexton MA FCA CTA qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1983 and as a Chartered Tax Adviser in 1984, and has been training accountants since that time.

He presents general tax updates for practitioners and accountants in industry throughout the UK, as well as more detailed courses on CGT for stockbrokers and VAT for general practitioners/VAT specialists.

He runs the ATII programme for VAT specialists for a large firm. Mike also writes on a variety of tax topics in the professional press.

Chris Jones (1967-2017)

Chris was Head of Tolley Tax Training and had lectured to ATT and CTA students since 1995.

During this time he gained an excellent reputation for his clear and concise teaching style and was especially known for his focussed revision teaching on the CTA corporate specialist route.

Chris was also the co-founder (along with Dean Wootten) of Online Tutors Limited, the company behind the highly successful tax learning product known as “Tolley’s Tax Tutor.” Chris was instrumental in building this product and introducing versions specifically for ATT and CTA students.

Chris had a tremendous passion for teaching and teaching methods and was responsible for the introduction of Accelerated Learning into Tolley’s study material.

Chris was also a household name on the CPE training circuit and lectured for many organisations. He also presented a number of specialist in-house courses for top 20 firms of accountants.

Before moving into the training world Chris was a member of the taxation department at PKF. He was also a graduate of Industrial Economics from Nottingham University.

Chris was very involved with the work of The Chartered Institute of Taxation and was acting president.

Neil Warren

Neil started working in VAT in 1983 – he spent 14 years as an inspector in HM Customs and Excise before setting up his own tax and accounting practice in 1997.

During the last fourteen years, he has been the main VAT consultant for a number of small and medium sized accountancy practices in the south east of England. He has developed a reputation for being able to simplify complex VAT problems, giving straightforward advice in plain English.

As well as VAT consultancy work, Neil also writes on VAT for most of the leading tax publications in the UK – including Taxation, TaxLine, Tax Adviser, Tolley’s Practical VAT Newsletter and CCH VAT News. His articles focus on practical topics of interest to the general practitioner – with clear solutions and advice on everyday problems. He was the winner of the prestigious 2008 Taxation Awards Tax Writer of the Year competition, having been a finalist in 2007.

Rebecca Benneyworth

Trained in London with Kidsons and, on qualifying, spent some time as Chief Accountant of a manufacturing company. She now has her own small practice in Gloucestershire that comprises of owner managed businesses and small companies.

She lectures extensively for a range of professional bodies, accountancy firms, and commercial organisations, and has presented at sessions for HM Revenue & Customs and HM Treasury policy teams. Rebecca is well known on the lecture circuit for her refreshing, enthusiastic and entertaining presentation style as well as having a practical and down-to-earth approach to tax, and was named Best Tax Lecturer at the Taxation awards in 2007.

She has recently taken on a special role for LexisNexis in advising on the design and delivery of CPD training for accountants. Rebecca writes regularly on tax for a range of publications, and is General Editor of the Tolleys Taxwise books, and Tax Editor of AccountingWEB.co.uk. and presents webinars and online training sessions exclusively for LexisNexis.

Malcolm Greenbaum

Malcolm is a UK Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor.

He was previously Director of Finance and Taxation Programmes at BPP Professional Education and has delivered IFRS, US GAAP, UK Tax and VAT training to a multitude of organisations world-wide since 1992.

Malcolm has particular experience in delivering bespoke training programmes to multi-nationals in the financial services, transport and energy sectors as well as delivering UK tax and VAT update programmes to accounting and law firms.

He is passionate about training and his enthusiasm ensures that the participants enjoy the learning experience whilst gaining knowledge through their engagement in the sessions and through encouraging them to ask questions and discuss practical issues they may have.

Mark McLaughlin

Mark McLaughlin is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, a Fellow of the Association of Taxation Technicians, and a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. He is on the Chartered Institute of Taxation’s Private Client (UK) and Private Client (International) Sub-Committees.

Mark is consultant with The TACS Partnership LLP (www.tacs.co.uk), an independent tax advisory firm that provides high quality, independent advice on all UK taxation matters. From January 1998 until December 2018, Mark was a consultant in his own tax practice, Mark McLaughlin Associates, which provided tax consultancy and support services to professional firms throughout the UK.

Mark is the Editor of the Core Tax Annuals, and a co-author of the ‘Inheritance Tax’ Annuals. He is Editor and a co-author of 'Tax Planning' and a co-author of ‘Ray & McLaughlin’s Practical IHT Planning’. Mark is also co-author of 'Incorporating and Disincorporating a Business', Editor and co-author of 'HMRC Investigations Handbook' and a co-author and General Editor of 'Buy-To-Let Property Tax Handbook' (all Bloomsbury Professional).

Mark is a Co-Founder and Director of TaxationWeb, a Director of Tax Insider and Editor and a contributor to Tax Insider Professional, Tax Insider, Property Tax Insider and Business Tax Insider.

Francesca Lagerberg

Francesca Lagerberg is Head of the National Tax Office at Grant Thornton UK LLP, where she is a partner and runs the technical tax department which services the UK firm. She is a past-Chairman of the Tax Faculty of the ICAEW and now chairs its Technical Committee.

Francesca writes about tax matters regularly for the professional and national press. She is also an experienced tax lecturer and won the 2008 Taxation Tax Lecturer of the Year Award. She is a qualified Barrister, Chartered Accountant (Fellow) and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT). She is on the editorial board of Taxation magazine and the Council of the CIOT.

Phil Berwick

Phil is a recognised expert in tax investigations matters. He is a former inspector of taxes. In addition, he has extensive experience gained in several accountancy and law firms. In total, he has more than 30 years’ experience dealing with a wide range of HMRC investigations, including Codes of Practice 8 and 9 (Contractual Disclosure Facility). Phil has extensive experience of assisting clients with making voluntary disclosures to HMRC.

He has acted for a wide range of clients, including individuals and businesses, across a broad spectrum of business sectors. Phil also provides support to other professional advisers. Phil’s detailed knowledge of HMRC procedures, and information powers, combined with his practical approach, means that he is able to secure excellent settlements for his clients.

Phil is an active member of the ICAEW’s Tax Investigations Practitioners’ Group. He is an author and lecturer on tax investigations issues. Phil has been quoted in the national press, and has featured on TV and radio, as well as in a wide range of publications.

Kevin Read

Kevin is a Chartered Accountant who qualified with PwC, spending his last 18 months in its Corporate Tax department. In 1989 he moved into full-time professional training with BPP and has operated as a freelance tutor and training consultant since 1992. Kevin covers a broad range of tax areas, from corporate groups to trusts and offshore matters. He is a regular speaker on CPD courses for a cross-section of professional advisors, including accountants, lawyers, stockbrokers and financial advisors. As well as teaching and writing course material, he contributes towards text books and is a co-author of an annual Budget publication.

Alexandra Durrant

Alexandra Durrant is chartered accountant and runs a practice in East Grinstead.  The practice provides audit, tax and accounting services to clients including payroll services and payroll/NIC advice.  She has been involved in training since 1993 and regularly lectures to accounting practices and for training organisations. Her lectures cover payroll, national insurance and related employment issues as well as on benefits and expenses and forms P11D.

Jeremy Mindell

Jeremy Mindell is a director of Primondell Ltd, a consultancy company specialising in taxation, share scheme advice, and lecturing.
he lecturing covers most aspects of direct taxation, including areas as diverse as property taxation and transfer pricing.

Bob Trunchion

Bob Trunchion is a Tax Principal with MacIntyre Hudson LLP and is one of their tax lecturers. After service in the Royal Navy, Bob qualified as a chartered accountant with Coopers and Lybrand where he specialised in corporate taxes. On moving to MacIntyre Hudson, he broadened his scope to deal with all types of taxation.

He has a wide range of tax knowledge and lectures on a range of subjects including the tax implications of buying and selling companies, capital tax planning, trusts and share valuation work. He is also specialist in a number of industries or niches such as solicitors, farmers and the medical profession and on the professional indemnity insurance aspects of tax work.

Brian Ogilvie

Brian Ogilvie FCCA CTA is a Chartered Certified Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser, based in Brighton and Hove. He worked for a number of small and medium sized general practice firms in the Sussex area for over 15 years before establishing his own practice.

In addition to practice work, Brian is also a freelance tax lecturer for, among others, ACCA, ICAEW, CIOT and leading accounting firm Chantrey Vellacott DFK LLP. He has also presented e-CPD and webinar training courses, and acted as examiner for the CIOT.

Brian draws on extensive experience of providing tax advice in various areas affecting the SME sector, using illustrative case studies to outline changes in tax legislation and practice.

Peter Rayney

Peter Rayney practises as an independent tax consultant through his own practice, advising owner-managed companies, accountants, lawyers and tax practitioners on a wide range of tax issues. He specialises in company sales/acquisitions, reconstructions, succession planning and all aspects of owner managed business taxation.  

He is always in demand as a tax lecturer and regularly contributes tax articles to the professional press.  Peter is also an author of various books and journals including The Practical Corporate Tax Manual (CCH) and the very popular Tax Planning for Family and Owner Managed Companies (Bloomsbury Professional). 

Peter is chairman of the ICAEW Tax ‘s Technical Committee and a member of the CIOT’s council.

Steven Bone

Steven obtained a first class Quantity Surveying degree before studying tax & business administration. He is a RICS Fellow with more than 15 years capital allowances experience. Steven joined The Capital Allowances Partnership Limited after senior positions in 2 major firms of business advisers.

Steven is the author of RICS's national guidance note on capital allowances and land remediation relief, and co-writes Bloomsbury Professional's Capital Allowances, and Tolley's Tax Planning. He chairs RICS panels on the professional competence of prospective capital allowances surveyors.

Bill Telford

Having qualified with an international practice, Bill has spent more than 30 years in technical and training roles within the accountancy profession.

Since 2000 he has been with Baker Tilly, joining as National Training Director in July 2000 and becoming a partner in March 2007. He has continued to lecture regularly in auditing and financial reporting and been extensively involved in developing audit quality within Baker Tilly.

With effect from 1 October 2010, Bill will cease to be a partner with Baker Tilly, while remaining as a consultant. He will trade as freelance lecturer and training consultant as Telford Financial Training. He will also be available to assist practices with audit compliance and other technical issues.

He is well known as an entertaining and authoritative lecturer, able to make auditing and financial reporting both practical and interesting, and relevant, in particular to the small and medium sized firm.

His specialist subjects are auditing and financial reporting – both UK GAAP and IFRS – and he also lectures on company law, money laundering, ethics and related subjects.

Bill has been involved in ICAEW matters over many years and has served on Council, Learning & Professional Development Board and was South East District Society President in 2007-8.

Andrew Hubbard

Andrew is the editor-in-chief of Taxation Magazine, a consultant at RSM and a past president of the Chartered Institute of Taxation.

Victoria Cavell

Victoria joined Tolley Exam Training in 2007 from PwC where she was a Tax Manager concentrating mainly on multinational corporates before joining the firm's National Tax Training team where she guided students through their professional examinations including ATT, CTA and ICAEW.

Victoria also wrote and delivered in-house technical training programmes. These programmes were designed to fit the needs of both students and the business, complementing the professional examinations studies and providing real
on-the-job insights to equip students with the right skills to succeed back in the office.

Victoria qualified with PwC, previously having experience with KPMG and industry in both corporate compliance and advisory roles. Victoria likes to use this breadth of experience to bring practical illustration to the training room to help students not only understand the tax legislation, but to see how and why the rules are used in practice.