Chartered accountant Simpkins Edwards promotes two new Partners

Leading Devon-based chartered accountancy firm, Simpkins Edwards, has promoted Exeter-based Tax Director, Mark Simic, and Barnstaple-based Director of Business Services, James Welton, both Chartered Tax Advisors (CTAs), to the positions of Partner within the firm.

As Partner, Mark will be responsible for further expanding the firm’s delivery of high-level tax advice throughout the South West.  Mark will continue to expand his growing range of clients spanning start-up businesses, corporates and healthcare professionals.  He will also develop his growing client base in the dental sector, where he acts for a number of practices delivering integrated business and tax advice to help clients manage and grow their businesses.

In his new role, James Welton, who is also a chartered accountant, will be responsible for further expanding the firm’s delivery of high-level tax advice, accounting and audit services, corporate finance, business advice and support, litigation support, financial management and payroll services to businesses in the north of the county.

James has a broad portfolio of clients across many sectors and industries ranging from smaller sole traders and SMEs to larger corporate entities.  As well as providing personal tax advice to individuals, James advises on all aspects of accounts, audit, corporation tax and compliance for limited companies, sole traders and partnerships.

Commenting on his promotion, Mark Simic said: “It’s a very exciting time for us as a business. We have one of the highest proportions of CTAs of any accountancy firm in Devon and the wider region, and we have an established reputation for high-level tax work with individuals, SMEs, as well as corporate businesses.  I’ve enjoyed playing a part in helping Simpkins Edwards go from strength to strength in recent years, and I look forward to building on this success as a Partner within the firm.”

James Welton commented: “As a firm, we embrace the latest in accounting technology to help our clients run their businesses more efficiently.  Our commitment to providing cloud-based solutions enables businesses to maintain paperless records, access real-time management information and plan ahead.  As Partner in the firm, I will be working closely with our clients to put them in a strong position to be ready for new obligations under HMRC’s Making Tax Digital regime, and to be as tax efficient as possible.”

Lynn Woodward, Senior Partner and head of Simpkins Edwards’ Business Group Department, commented: “We are delighted to welcome both Mark and James as new Partners to the firm.  Mark’s expertise and experience within the dental sector and other owner managed businesses will help us to expand further in these growth areas for the firm, while James’ expertise in developing business will enable the firm to further grow our offering and high-level tax advice to businesses and individuals in the north of the county.”

Mark joined Simpkins Edwards in 2008 from Ernst & Young and qualified as a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) in 2010.  He became Tax Director in 2013.  Based in Exeter, he has played a key role in providing technical, commercial and complex tax advice to the firm’s corporate and private clients across its five full-time offices in Holsworthy, Barnstaple, Exeter, Okehampton and Bovey Tracey, and its part-time office in Honiton.

James trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with a national top ten firm before joining Simpkins Edwards in 2013 as a Senior Manager.  He became Director of Business Services in the Barnstaple office in 2016.  More recently, James qualified as a CTA in May 2017, which is widely recognised as the premier UK qualification in tax advice.