Azets bolsters Midlands practice with senior appointments

Azets has announced it has strengthened its tax practice in the Midlands with three senior appointments in specialist tax roles.

Gurj Sandhu has been appointed as partner and national head of capital allowances, Stuart Bentley has been appointed as research and development (R&D) tax director, and Jay Mistry joins as R&D tax manager.

Sandhu is dual qualified as a chartered surveyor and accountant, specialising in capital allowances and land remediation relief. He qualified at a big four firm and later moved on to establish the central region capital allowances team at RSM. 

He advises across a range of clients and sectors, with experience including discussions with HMRC to agree capital allowances claims, as well as specialist consultancy reviews of internal capital allowances systems and processes.

Additionally, Bentley joins from Fortus Business Advisors and Accountants. He is an experienced advisor, specialising in the optimisation of government incentives, primarily R&D Tax Credits. 

He has a degree in Materials Science, a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, and a Masters in executive coaching.

Meanwhile, Mistry was most recently senior consultant with BDO, working with SME clients to deliver R&D benefits by preparing technical projects for R&D relief.

He has experience in the automotive and engineering industries before moving into financial services and working at a top 15 accounting and business advisory firm, consulting on R&D tax. 

Azets said the appointments come as the firm “continues to broaden and grow its expertise both in the region and nationally”.

Clare Clifford, head of tax in the Midlands, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Gurj, Stuart, and Jay into the Azets team. The rate of growth of our Midlands tax practice in the past year has reflected the urgent need for SMEs to take specialist advice and optimise their tax position against an extended period of economic uncertainty in the UK. 

“The addition of Gurj, Stuart, and Jay will help our clients to plan and structure appropriately, providing certainty and stability despite challenging economic circumstances.”