Thought-leaders from the UK’s biggest advisory firms have joined the independent judging panel for the Growth Investor Awards, bringing a wealth of insight to awards including Wealth Manager of the Year, Best EIS Investment Manager, Best BPR Investment Manager, Best VCT Investment Manager, and Growth Investor of the Year.
Liz Brion, Tax Partner, Head of Media Tax, at Grant Thornton represents Grant Thornton at the Enterprise Investment Scheme Association (EISA) and has recently been involved in discussions with HMRC Policy concerning EIS and media co-productions. Liz works with entrepreneurial, AIM listed and offshore media businesses advising them on a range of tax issues related to venture capital and creative tax reliefs.
Karl Von Bezing, Manager – Wealth and Asset Management, at Ernst & Young has worked with numerous Wealth Management firms to help them understand clients’ product and service needs, and his industry views have appeared in the Barclays Entrepreneurs Index, Family Office Global, Financial Times, Reuters, eFinancialcareers, Euromoney, and PWM (Professional Wealth Management).
Passionate about the growth company and SME market, Kate Cornelius advises privately owned companies and entrepreneurs on corporate and shareholder tax issues. Kate leads PwC’s specialist VCT, EIS, and SEIS team in London – advising VCTs, funds, investors and companies.
BDO’s Head of Tax, David-Brookes, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and has over 20 years’ experience in tax compliance and advisory work. Having acted for both the fund promoters and the high net worth investors, David leads BDO’s specialist team dealing with SEIS/ EIS / VCT, inheritance tax business property relief (BPR) and other tax efficient investments. David writes the ‘Venture Capital Taxes’ book which covers EIS, VCT and CVS and also chapters in ‘Revenue Law – Principles and Practice’ and ‘Tax Planning’, all published by Bloomsbury Professional.
Ben McDonald is Partner, Head of KPMG Enterprise for London Region – which works with privately-owned businesses throughout all stages of their journey, from stage start-ups to established middle-market businesses. For the last two years, Ben has led a multidisciplinary team of senior consultants; advising privately-owned companies on businesses issues from assurance and tax advice to financing, M&A, people issues and strategy. Ben is also a director of Funding London, which provides investment to early stage businesses across London, and a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries.
Winners of the inaugural Growth Investor Awards will be revealed at a black tie dinner at the Marriott Grosvenor Square on Thursday 22 October. If you would like to attend or host a table, call Michelle Powell on 020 3375 1705 or email michelle@intelligent-partnership.com.