PHB appoints two new tax directors

Payne Hicks Beach LLP has recently named its two new tax directors, Benedict Jennings and Melissa Solly. Jennings will be trust and tax director, as well as joint-head of the Payne Hicks Beach trust and tax team, while Solly will work at the firm as tax director.   

Jennings has worked as an accountant since 2012 and trained in audit and financial services, qualifying as a chartered accountant in 2015 and joining the PHB team in 2019. He has experience in trust accounting, specialising in onshore and offshore trusts and landed estates, as well as taxes, where he handles HMRC enquiries for individuals and trusts. 

He reportedly also has many years of experience in running and managing charities, both as a professional advisor and as a trustee in a personal capacity, and is a member of the Honorary Treasurers Forum. Jennings recently achieved an overall distinction in the STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates and is a qualified TEP.

Solly qualified as a chartered accountant in 2010 and a chartered tax advisor in 2017. Prior to PHB, she was a manager at Dixon Wilson where she trained and worked for 11 years, followed by working as a senior manager at a UK top 20 accountancy firm. 

She specialises in tax advice to UK and non-UK domiciled individuals, trustees, entrepreneurs, and their owner-managed businesses. Solly also “regularly leads complex HMRC enquiries and tax disclosures for individuals”. She also has experience in the preparation and review of trust, estate tax and accounts, as well as corporate and partnership tax compliance. 

Solly was also awarded the bronze medal in the ‘Accountant of the Year – Manager’ category at the Citywealth Future Leaders Awards 2019, an award that “champions young professionals in the wealth sector and highlights the leaders under forty of today and tomorrow”.