Johnston Carmichael appoints specialist financial services tax adviser
Top UK accountancy and business advisory firm Johnston Carmichael has appointed a new financial services tax partner as part of a strategic expansion of its client services.
Jordan Brown, who was previously an adviser at a US-headquartered global consultancy firm, specialises in supporting private funds across venture capital, mid-market private equity (PE), infrastructure and real estate, as well as listed funds in the form of investment trust companies and venture capital trusts (VCTs).
Together with tax manager Lewis Whitehill, who also joined the firm in recent weeks, Jordan will work with colleagues in Johnston Carmichael’s financial services consulting and audit teams to grow and develop the firm’s financial services offering.
Jordan, who is based in Glasgow but will work across the UK, qualified as a chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser 11 years ago.
He has since gained deep knowledge and expertise in financial services tax, advising on the establishment of new investment funds both domestically and internationally; the most efficient ways for investment funds to acquire and dispose of investments; and the remuneration of individual fund executives. Jordan is also involved in the annual fund tax compliance and investor reporting process.
His role is unique at Johnston Carmichael and Jordan is among a handful of practitioners specialising in private and listed fund tax in the UK. He and his team will focus on clients managing funds of up to £5bn.
Jordan said: “Johnston Carmichael is a well-run firm which has grown rapidly but sustainably. It has recognised the opportunity to work with emerging and mid-market funds that are increasingly not a key area of focus for larger, global practices.
“The specialist advice we can provide is sector agnostic as it applies to any fund manager, no matter what their fund invests in. The firm’s existing financial services clients will also benefit from the help that we can offer.
“My top three recommendations to fund managers are: consult with experts, get a good lawyer, and secure a strong back-office function. Those who don’t invest in high quality advice could find themselves paying tax at a much higher rate that will cost them more over the long run.”
He added that he had been attracted to Johnston Carmichael by the firm’s collaborative approach and strong culture. Established in the North East of Scotland almost 90 years ago, Johnston Carmichael has grown to a business of more than 900 people spread across Scotland, the North East of England, and London. It has adopted fully hybrid working, enabling its people to advise a diverse range of clients no matter where they are based across the UK or overseas.
Jordan continued: “As the father of a young baby, I don’t want to be away from home all the time and missing out on milestones such as my son’s first steps. At Johnston Carmichael I can combine the best of both worlds by being based in Glasgow and working in London, where our financial services team have an office in the City.
“Everything at Johnston Carmichael is considered through the lens of what’s good for the firm rather than individuals, and as a result there is an honest, open, and progressive culture which remains ambitious and serious about growth. I look forward to playing my part in helping the firm go from strength to strength in the months and years to come.”
Susie Walker, partner and head of tax, Johnston Carmichael, said: “We welcome Jordan to Johnston Carmichael. It is a real coup for us to have secured his specialist, sought-after expertise, which will complement and add value to our existing tax advisory services. Our financial services practice has grown substantially over the past few years, and we look forward to building a specialist tax team around our established platform.”
