Team

David Webb

David has gained a breadth of knowledge in many areas of business and has been a partner since the age of 28.

He provides specialist business and strategic advice to a wide range of owner managed commercial, manufacturing and professional services businesses and recognises the implications of decisions made across the whole of a business rather than just one aspect.

David’s client portfolio includes all business structures, sole traders, partnerships, Limited Liability Partnerships and Limited Companies and he likes to work closely with the businesses to listen, understand and make a valuable contribution to his clients.

Related services: Small Business Support | Business Systems | Business Turnaround | Corporate Restructuring | Payroll | Pension Schemes Audit | Solicitors | Taxation | Private Client Taxation | Corporate Taxation | Entrepreneurs Relief | Trusts, Trustees & Estate Planning | Cloud & Outsourced Accounting Services | Cloud Accounting | Invoice Processing Software | Management Reporting | Desktop Software | Cashflow Forecasting |

Neil Taylor

Neil is an experienced business compliance and advisory director with over 20 years experience in general practice.  Neil’s clients encompass a wide range of industry sectors and, in addition to technology start-ups which is his specialism, he has particular expertise in the leisure, advertising/media, manufacturing and IT sectors and extensive experience of businesses trading internationally. At all times Neil seeks to understand the dynamics of businesses and to direct his experience and commerciality to actively supporting and focusing client growth and development.

Neil heads up Edwards Technology, our research and development team which looks after the needs of the firm’s numerous technology clients. He and his team have helped deliver over £10m in research and development tax credit refunds for clients over the past 5 years and in recognition of his wealth of experience and expertise in the area, Neil was in 2014 invited to sit on HMRC’s R&D consultative committee which meets on a regular basis to discuss proposed changes, policy and guidance in relation to R&D tax credits

Related services: Business Turnaround | Taxation | Corporate Taxation | Business Asset Disposal Relief | Share Option Schemes | EIS | Technology | Research & Development | SEIS | Grant Assurance & Grant Claims | Patent Box | Cloud & Outsourced Accounting Services | Cloud Accounting | Invoice Processing Software | Payroll | Management Reporting | Desktop Software | Cashflow Forecasting | Business Plans |

Steven Holden

Steven is an experienced Tax Director with over two decades of expertise in personal and corporate tax planning, bringing a wealth of knowledge to Edwards Chartered Accountants.

Having worked at national accountancy practices and legal firms, Steven offers comprehensive advice on a wide range of issues affecting both businesses and individuals. His areas of specialisation include trusts and estates, inheritance tax, corporate reorganisations, employee incentive schemes, and more. Additionally, Steven is skilled in specialist company valuations for probate, employee share schemes, and general valuation purposes.

Beyond tax advice, Steven provides holistic business and family office services to companies and high net worth families, offering integrated solutions that address both financial and personal objectives. He advises on the establishment and management of family investment companies, ensuring that they are structured in a tax-efficient manner.

He also advises international clients on UK tax matters, assisting those coming to and leaving the UK. Furthermore, Steven offers guidance on managing offshore trusts and corporate structures to ensure compliance with UK tax law.

Steven’s passion for taxation drives him to help businesses and individuals arrange their affairs in the most tax-efficient manner possible. His commitment to achieving outstanding results consistently exceeds client expectations.

A Fellow and member of the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) since 2002, Steven has also served as a council representative. He is a proud member of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), underscoring his dedication to his field and his clients.

Related services: Taxation | Corporate Finance | Corporate Restructuring | Private Client Taxation | Corporate Taxation  | Share Option Schemes | Business Asset Disposal Relief | Enterprise Investment Schemes | Trusts, Trustees & Estate Planning | Business Plans | Company Valuations |

Paul Tonks

Paul is a Chartered Accountant and Registered Auditor. He joined Edwards in 2007 and headed up the audit department for a number of years before being appointed director in 2012.

Paul trained and qualified with a top 10 firm in the East Midlands and his background is principally compliance based, providing audit and tax services for all sizes of corporate clients ranging from owner-managed SMEs to large AIM listed plcs and international groups.

During his 15 years in the profession, Paul has developed a number of specialist advisory services including corporate finance transactions, due diligence and business valuation and has more recently played an active role in the development of the Edwards Technology team who provide specialist advice to new start-ups on R&D tax credits and patent box.

Related services: Audit | Business Turnaround | Corporate Finance | Business Plans | Patent Box |

Rob Kempson

Rob is a qualified chartered accountant with 10 years of varied experience in general practice within audit, accounts and corporate taxation. Since joining Edwards in 2010, Rob has become a key member of our audit team and in 2020 he was promoted to senior audit manager.

He manages a large portfolio of corporate clients in a variety of industries including sports and leisure, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, construction and aerospace.

Related services: Audit | Corporate Taxation | Business Advisory

Priya Chadha

Priya is a qualified chartered accountant with 10 years’ experience in general practice within audit, accounts and corporate taxation with significant experience in pension scheme audits as well as industries including manufacturing, aerospace, recruitment and financial services.

Since 2013 she has been a key part of the Edwards audit department as a senior manager, managing clients ranging from owner managed SME’s to PLC audits as well as carrying out a corporate taxation function.  Priya prides herself in being open and approachable whilst providing a comprehensive and professional service.

Related services   Audit | Pension schemes | Solicitors

Anne Ward

Anne is a qualified accountant with extensive experience in general practice areas such as audit, statutory and management accounts preparation, personal and corporate tax, and not-for-profit organisations including pension schemes, charities and academies.

Since joining Edwards in early 2021, Anne has focused on auditing companies and groups across various sectors, as well as not-for-profit organisations. She also handles statutory accounts and tax preparation for larger corporate clients, ensuring high-quality service and compliance.

Related services: Audit | Corporate Taxation | Business Advisory

Sam Whitehouse

Sam joined Edwards in March 2017 as an accounts and audit junior and has since worked his way up to his current position as Audit Manager. He has a first-class degree in Mathematics and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2021.

He manages a large portfolio of audit clients, from small owner-managed businesses to international groups, having industry expertise in entertainment, IT, recruitment, manufacturing and construction with a focus on contract accounting. He also completes corporate tax engagements regularly, including capital allowance claims.

His role includes liaising with internal and external stakeholders and maintaining firm standards. As part of a leadership team overseeing 15 staff, he is dedicated to ensuring continuous professional development and delivering a high-quality service at Edwards.

Related services: Audit | Corporate Taxation | Business Advisory

Mark Rowley

Mark is an experienced Senior Accounts Manager with over 25 years’ experience in general practice, advising clients in a wide range of industries including professional practices, information technology and sole trader/partnership businesses.

Mark deals with the personal tax matters of all his clients as well as the accounts and is therefore well placed to identify tax planning opportunities, he sees helping clients grow their business and manage their tax affairs as paramount.  He also has significant experience in solicitor’s accounts rules.

Related services   Business Advisory | Taxation | Solicitors

Kirsty Grimes

Kirsty joined Edwards in 2005 and specialises in advising owner-managed and growing businesses across a broad range of industry sectors.  She manages the compliance needs of her clients and provides day to day support for the financial function.

Kirsty is a keen advocate of cloud based accounting solutions for both start-up businesses and established enterprises.  She sees cloud based accounting software as the ideal tool to help her support her clients by providing timely and accurate advice to make effective investment decisions.

Related services   Business Advisory | Taxation | Cloud | Management Reporting | Desktop Software | Cashflow Forecasting | Business Systems

Jill Gowers

Jill has many years’ experience in the world of personal tax, with 12 years of HM Revenue & Customs experience and over 30 years in private practice.

Her client portfolio covers most areas of personal taxation and includes high net worth individuals, company directors, let property owners (UK & Non-UK Domiciled), sole traders, Estates and Trusts.

The tax areas she covers include income & capital gains tax, non-UK resident issues and property, and of course completion of self-assessment income tax returns. She has many contacts within the accounting, legal and financial communities from many years in the industry.

Jill is personable and always happy to discuss all aspects of any personal tax issues you may have.

Holly Hughes

Related services: Taxation | Corporate Finance | Corporate Restructuring | Private Client Taxation | Corporate Taxation  | Share Option Schemes | Business Asset Disposal Relief | Enterprise Investment Schemes | Trusts, Trustees & Estate Planning | Business Plans | Company Valuations |

Andrew Palmer

Andy joined Edwards in 2014 and specialises in assisting science and technology companies which are involved in R&D. He manages the year-end compliance needs for his clients including statutory accounts and R&D tax credit claims.

Andy is also involved with completion of grant audit assignments and SEIS/EIS compliance which are a regular requirement for new companies raising finance.

Andy is keen to provide the business support services to enable new innovative companies to grow and fulfil their potential.

Related services     Research and Development  |  Share Option Schemes |  Enterprise Investment Schemes | Technology | SEIS | Grant Assurance

Alex Smith

Alex is in charge of our managed services department and has over 5 years’ experience in business advisory services. She provides client support with the production of tailored management information, assistance with financial forecasting and oversees the day to day operations of the managed services department. She is a keen advocate of cloud based accounting and is involved in the set up and training of cloud accounting systems.

Related Services   Business Advisory | Cloud | Business Systems | Technology |  Invoice Processing | Management reporting | Desktop software | Cashflow forecasting

Helen Tolley

Helen is a qualified certified chartered accountant with 14 years experience in general practice within audit, accounts and corporate taxation. She joined Edwards in 2016 as part of the audit team, before being promoted to one of the managers within the R&D department.

Within this department, Helen manages the accounting needs of high technology companies. This includes the preparation of statutory accounts, R&D tax credit claims, and grant audit assignments.

As innovative companies start to grow and raise finance, there are also filing requirements for SEIS/EIS compliance, of which Helen is also involved in.

Related Services  Technology | Research & Development | Grant Assurance

Elaine Field

Our Compliance Officer Elaine joined us in September 2023, with a decade of experience in Commercial Banking. Currently overseeing onboarding at Edwards, she manages this process and sets up new clients, conducts KYC checks, and ensures client information is current. She also keeps the team updated on AML training and communicates procedural changes.

Prior to Edwards, she spent nearly 5 years as a Customer Due Diligence Manager, completing safeguard reviews for KYC compliance among commercial and corporate customers. Her diverse background includes roles in KYC, Remediation, Invoice Finance, Credit Control, Customer Relationship Management, Commercial Credit Cards, Technical Support, and Customer Services within the banking sector.

Debbie Hutton

Debbie has worked at Edwards for over 20 years and has significant administrative and secretarial experience.

Debbie focuses her time on ensuring that clients comply with their annual filings and that all ad hoc filings in relation to changes in the management, shareholding or operation of the company are done according to best practice and procedure.

Related services   Company Secretarial

Karen Batts

Our Payroll Manager Karen joined the Edwards team at the end of 2023 and is involved in overseeing the operations of our payroll department. Her day-to-day role involves taking exceptional care of our client payrolls and team queries, as well as advising on payroll legislation.

She is a CIPP member and brings with her a wealth of experience, having worked within payroll over the past 30 years, mainly in a bureau setting but she did work within industry in her earlier years.

In her spare time, Karen enjoys gardening and has been an allotment holder for the past 5 years. She also enjoys spending time with her friends and family, whether that be going for a nice meal or enjoying a lovely day out in Wales visiting her son who is studying at University in Aberystwyth.