Speakers
Rebecca Benneyworth MBE BSc FCA 
Rebecca is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant, a past Chair of the Tax Faculty of the ICAEW and serves on the Tax Faculty Board and on ICAEW Council representing the Tax Faculty. She is a lecturer, writer and consultant on a variety of taxes, lecturing extensively throughout the UK, to accountants, business people and also to HMRC and HM Treasury. She has also delivered courses on tax for business people with no knowledge of tax.
She has her own accountancy practice based in Gloucestershire, with a variety of small business and personal tax clients.
Rebecca sits on the HMRC Making Tax Digital Programme Board as an external adviser, and is also a member of the Administrative Burdens Advisory Board. Rebecca has also provided advice to the Government of Jersey regarding scrutiny of proposals to modernise the tax system there.
Rebecca has also appeared on the Martin Lewis Money Show as a tax expert, as well as providing commentary on current tax issues to a variety of media outlets. She was awarded an MBE for services to the tax profession in 2012.
Myrtle Lloyd, Chief Customer Officer, and Director General for Customer Services, HMRC
During her 19-year Civil Service career, Myrtle has held a variety of leadership roles spanning strategy, programme/project delivery, operations and IT at both the Department for Work and Pensions and the Home Office. Before joining HM Revenue and Customs in 2021, she was Chief Operating Officer at Her Majesty’s Passport Office, as well as Registrar General for England and Wales.
Myrtle was appointed as HMRC Director General for Customer Services in January 2021, taking up her role in February 2021.
The Customer Services Group manages most of HMRC’s interaction with individual taxpayers, tax credit recipients, and small and mid-sized businesses.
Henry Vaile, Principal Policy Advisor for Accounts & Reporting, Companies House
Henry Vaile is Principal Policy Advisor for Accounts & Reporting at Companies House, responsible for delivery of all Companies Act related policy changes relating to the filing of accounts.
The policy team works closely with colleagues in the Department of Business and Trade and other cross-Government partners to support the implementation of the new Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 and to ensure Companies House systems and processes are compliant with the law.
Andrew Conway, CEO, Institute of Public Accountants
Andrew is Chief Executive Officer and a Fellow of the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) and has held senior executive positions within the accounting profession for more than 15 years.Prior to working with the IPA, Andrew was an Australian Government Treasury Ministry Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor.
He also serves as Adjunct Professor at Deakin University Business School and co-founded the SME (Small-Medium Size Enterprises) Research Centre at Deakin University. Andrew is also a Professor of Accounting (honoris causa) at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.
Additionally, he serves on the Department of Foreign Affairs Ministerial Advisory Council on Free Trade Agreement Negotiations amongst other representative groups.
Simon Baker, Cyber Crime Unit, Metropolitan Police
Simon is a Metropolitan Police Constable working within the Cyber Crime Unit, specialising in cyber awareness and online safety. He regularly delivers sessions to businesses, charities, and organisations, helping them understand current cyber threats and how these can impact their operations and people.
His sessions focus on practical, real-world advice, providing clear, actionable steps to reduce risk, strengthen resilience, and stay safe in an increasingly digital environment.
Chris Downing, Sage
Chris is the Director for Accountants and Bookkeepers at Sage, with nearly 20 years of experience as a partner at a top 100 accountancy firm. A respected voice in the profession, Chris is passionate about technology adoption, AI, and automation to drive efficiency and growth for accountants and SMEs.
He regularly speaks at industry events, sharing insights on advisory services, compliance, cash flow, and finance systems. With a deep understanding of the evolving role of accountants, Chris helps firms navigate change and embrace digital transformation to deliver better client outcomes.