KPMG tax team takes on new signings

Mar 3 2010 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

ACCOUNTANTS and business advisors KPMG in Newcastle have boosted their tax team with three new senior signings.

Associate partner Dean Harris has relocated to Newcastle from KPMG’s Leeds office, while senior managers Matt Sharpe and Chris Barnes both now cover the North East region, in addition to Yorkshire, spending a significant proportion of their time working out of KPMG’s Quayside office.

David Elliott, head of tax at KPMG in Newcastle, said: “After an excellent 2009 we are pleased to be investing in talent to strengthen our position as a leading tax advisory team in this region. Dean, Matt and Chris each bring to our clients enviable technical and sector-specific market knowledge and experience, which will certainly enhance the ability of many businesses’ finance functions to structure and manage their operations and transactions in the most effective way.”

Dean Harris has worked with businesses in the region throughout his 20-year tax career, having opted to stay in the North East after graduating from Newcastle University, rather then return to the South where he grew up.

He said: “Minimising tax leakage is of great importance to businesses as they continue to focus on cost management, so our experience in advising clients to factor in the tax impacts of decisions and to ensure they take maximum advantage of the complex variety of claims and incentives available that can aid cash flow and boost the bottom line is very relevant.”

The majority of Matt Sharpe’s 12 years in the tax field has been biased towards property and construction businesses. He is a founding member of KPMG’s Northern Property & Construction Group.

Chris Barnes has worked with companies of all sizes, across all sectors, for more than a decade, helping them to develop incentive plans which are appropriate for their particular business.