Bob is head of tax training in MAS. He splits his time between consultancy within the professional firm of MacIntyre Hudson LLP (as a Tax principal) to keep his hand in and his role in meeting the training demands in the area of tax for both solicitors and accountants who seem to have very different needs. His job is made even more challenging by the Government's determination to keep moving the goalposts! As he knows nothing about IT, it seemed logical that he should be responsible for this area in MAS as well!

Bob says "Life is a constant learning experience but, for the professional, the speed at which we have to learn seems to be accelerating. I like the challenge of assisting the management of this learning process by concentrating on what is relevant."

After service in the Royal Navy, Bob undertook a one year MBA (an MSc in Management Science at Imperial College). He then qualified as a chartered accountant with Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC) before joining MacIntyre Hudson LLP in a previous century. Here, despite the demands of two then young children, he passed his ATII (now CTA) exams and eventually managed to con his way into STEP membership.

Initially specialising in corporate taxes, he broadened his scope to deal with all types of taxation when he moved to MacIntyre Hudson LLP. He has a wide range of tax knowledge and lectures on a range of subjects including the tax implications of buying and selling companies, capital tax planning, trusts and share valuation work. He is also a specialist in a number of industries or niches such as solicitors, farmers and the medical profession.

Bob was a major technical contributor for Legal Network Television (LNTV) for their Trusts and Estates & Tax series and has appeared on national radio and television talking about IHT and related matters. He has co authored a Tax Procedures Manual and has written a Farm Business Brief. He continues to be involved with clients on both a consultancy and portfolio basis. He has assisted in putting together the tax content of an LPC and has designed an accredited series of PSC in various areas of tax.

With two musical children (one a med student, the other a vet student – he hopes that one of them would be able to look after him medically in his old age (but he is not sure which one!), Bob's hobbies are restricted to working (to pay for them) and going to concerts in an increasingly disparate set of venues! He has been known to sail (sometimes in the right direction) and has a handicap - golf!