Johnston Carmichael appoints three tax managers in Newcastle

Johnston Carmichael has announced the appointments of Will Hamilton, Rebecca McColl and Zita Duggan, who have joined the firm’s Newcastle office to further strengthen its specialist tax services. 

Hamilton has joined as a senior manager, bringing 24 years of experience in corporate tax compliance and strategic planning. 

Also a senior manager, McColl brings strong expertise in R&D and innovation tax reliefs. 

Meanwhile, Duggan has taken up the role of manager, as she specialises in employee share schemes and tax-efficient remuneration structures. 

Since opening the Newcastle office in 2023, the firm has expanded its team of 18 people and relocated to larger office spaces in both August 2024 and April 2025 to support its future ambitions. 

Johnston Carmichael now advises a wide range of entrepreneurial businesses, scale-ups and established companies across the north-east.

Alex Nicholson, partner and head of VAT and indirect tax at Johnston Carmichael, said: “From day one, our ambition in Newcastle has been to combine technical expertise with a local, hands-on approach to client service. In under two years, we’ve built a fantastic team, and the arrival of Will, Rebecca and Zita marks another exciting step forward.

“Their experience will be vital as we continue to grow and support even more brilliant businesses across the region. It’s fantastic to be able to offer the local market the full suite of tax services from our Newcastle team, with specialists in personal taxation, corporate tax, VAT, innovation taxes, employee incentives, employment tax and global mobility.”

The new hires follow the earlier appointments of Tom Harrison, a highly experienced global mobility specialist, and Chris Hodgson, one of the north-east’s leading private client tax directors, advising clients across a range of complex tax matters.