About the speakers

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.

Martin Jackson, Croner-i 

Martin is a Lead Technical Writer at Croner-i Tax. He specialises in employment taxes and has overall responsibility for our Quick Overview and Tax Essentials services.

Martin has over 30 years’ experience in employment taxes, having started as a National Insurance Inspector before moving to the Institute of Payroll and Pensions Management (now the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals) where he represented employers on a variety of government consultation committees.

Martin joined Croner-i in 2019, having spent the previous 15 years as an adviser and team leader with the Tax & Payroll Advice Lines at Croner Taxwise.

Craig Hughes

I am a Tax Director and lead the tax team at Leeds-based firm, Brown Butler Chartered Accountants.

I have developed extensive experience working with small owner-managed businesses to multinational groups.

Much of my work involves advising companies and their shareholders on a wide range of tax issues, including profit extraction, Management Buy Outs, acquisitions and disposals, demergers, groups reorganisations, the Enterprise Investment Scheme, Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme, share schemes, and R&D Tax Credits.

Paul Malin, PMC Tax 

For over 30 years Paul has helped UK taxpayers resolve their tax investigations and disputes. Paul is a now a self employed consultant, but his career has included working for top accountancy firms including EY, Grant Thornton and Haines Watts.

Paul helps taxpayers under any form of tax investigation. To date he has helped many taxpayers resolve their UK tax problems. This can be a taxpayer who is an individual, partner, company, settlor or beneficiary of trusts. The taxes involved can be either direct taxes (such as income tax, corporation tax etc.) and/or indirect taxes (VAT, import duties etc.).

Kishan Kavi, KK Tax 

Kishan is both legally and tax trained, with extensive experience in litigation and handling HMRC investigations. He is a member of the Tax Committee of the Scottish Property Federation.

Beatrice Cooper, K Tax 

Beatrice is a Chartered Tax Advisor specialising in Inheritance Tax (IHT) and general tax advisory services.