Crowe announces two partner promotions

Crowe has announced the promotions of Crow Paul Cox and Kieran Smith as partners of its corporate tax team and VAT and customs duty team respectively.

Cox has almost 20 years of experience in the accountancy profession, including more than a decade of “Big Four experience”.

He advances to partner from his previous role as a director at Crowe, having worked at the firm for six years.

Cox is known to have a wide corporate tax background and specialises in helping clients to meet their tax compliance requirements, maximising tax reliefs, and carrying out bespoke tax efficient planning such as structuring for acquisitions and disposals.

Cox enters the role with a history of “advising inbound, owner managed and private equity backed businesses, as well as large corporates, providing tax advice and wider professional support on a full range of business issues”.

Meanwhile, with 23 years of experience, including three years spent working as a VAT inspector at HMRC, Smith steps up to partner within the VAT and customs duty team, with a particular focus on consulting in the not-for-profit sector.

Smith works closely with several non-profit organisations, including educational charities involving schools and academies, and in the care sector, helping clients to improve VAT efficiency and chart economic uncertainty.

His work ranges from VAT inspections to advising clients on matters such as partial tax exemption methods and the purchase of new buildings and other assets.

Cox said: “Almost 20 years after beginning my career in tax and accounting, I’m delighted to be promoted to partner at Crowe. Given the economic challenges over the last few years and increasing tax complexity and burden, there’s no shortage of opportunities and risks to discuss – especially given the latest increase in corporation tax.

“Now more than ever, companies need to have an appropriate tax strategy to ensure they are equipped to navigate the changes ahead, and I look forward to assisting clients in this space.”

Smith added: “While VAT celebrates its 50th anniversary this April, it continues to pose new challenges for a range of sectors that my colleagues and I are equipped to help with.

“We pride ourselves on being able to simplify the complexity of tax in order to assist our clients in making smart decisions and I am proud to have been part of the growth of the VAT team since joining the firm in 2006.”