Like Mark, I spent the first part of my career as a chartered accountant and a CTA, but the excitement of life in practice got too much for me and after 15 years as a tax partner, I ventured into the real world.

Having done my tax training in a, soon to be, big 4 firm, I moved to become a partner in a large regional firm that subsequently merged with a Group A firm, where I was the local head of tax for 4 years. Then came my light-bulb moment, and in 2003 I set up a niche tax recruitment business. Also, around that time I joined the committee of the Manchester branch of the CIOT and met Mark.

A couple of years later we formed Longmark. Our initial meeting was right across the road from the Midland Hotel where famously Henry Rolls first met Charles Royce – who says lighting doesn’t strike twice!

I cycle (not as far / fast as Mark), play golf (equally badly as Mark), and obsess over Manchester United (more fervently / irrationally than Mark). My favourite role at Longmark is choosing (and then sampling) the wine for the conference lunches.