Corporate finance and tax specialists who play key roles in helping companies successfully complete transactions and navigate post-Brexit trading challenges are the latest staff members to gain promotion at independent accounting and business advisory firm HURST.
Jennifer Escott has been promoted in the tax team and Matthew Taylor has been promoted at HURST Corporate Finance.
Matthew joined the firm as an intern in 2021 after gaining a master’s degree in mathematics at the University of Leeds, and then earned a full-time job as a corporate finance analyst.
He also spent time with HURST’s business services team during his training. He has now passed exams to become a chartered accountant and has been promoted to corporate finance executive. His role sees him providing strategic support to owner-managed businesses involved in a range of transactions.
Matthew said: “I’m thrilled to be promoted and am grateful for the support I’ve received from my colleagues. It’s a significant step in my career and I look forward to contributing even more to the success of the practice. The opportunity to continue learning and growing alongside such a talented team is something I deeply value.
“HURST Corporate Finance is a special place to work because of the people. The culture here is incredibly supportive and everyone genuinely cares about helping one another to succeed. Every day offers new challenges and learning experiences, and I take pride in being part of a dedicated team, ensuring that we deliver excellent results for our clients.”
Jennifer has been promoted to associate tax manager. Since joining HURST from EY early last year, she has been involved in projects ranging from corporation tax and personal tax compliance to advising shareholders on the tax implications of selling and exiting businesses, as well as mergers and acquisitions.
Her role also involves due diligence work on businesses which clients of HURST are looking to buy. She also specialises in VAT matters, and works with HURST’s fellow members of the PrimeGlobal network of independent accounting and business advisory firms to help clients navigate the post-Brexit international trading environment.
Jennifer said: “It’s a testament to the culture at HURST that I have been able to achieve this promotion in less than 18 months since joining the firm, and I would not have been able to do this without the unwavering support of the team around me.
“I’m extremely grateful to have had plenty of opportunities and challenges to develop my technical and managerial skills to enable me to step up, and I’ve been honoured to work on some great transactions alongside our corporate finance team, and due diligence projects such as the investment by BGF and DSW Ventures into The Insights Family.”
She added: “Post-Brexit, a lot of our clients face struggles undertaking trade across Europe, as the easements that were in place when we were part of the EU are now no longer available. I’ve been able to support them in how they trade across Europe and what VAT regulations they are facing, and to assist them with streamlined VAT reporting processes in the relevant destinations.”
HURST managing partner Tim Potter said: “Both Matthew and Jennifer fully deserve their promotions. They provide valuable support to our clients on a wide variety of sell-side and buy-side transactions and have made a significant and positive contribution since joining us.
“Jennifer has broadened her knowledge in the short time she has been with us, and uses her expertise to help businesses navigate the taxation landscape as well as Brexit-related international trade issues.
“Matthew recently achieved first-time passes in all of his professional examinations and is currently taking a lead role in our corporate finance team on a number of exciting live assignments that are expected to close in the coming months.
“These promotions once again demonstrate our unwavering commitment to develop the careers of talented individuals at HURST.”
HURST focuses on advising entrepreneurial owner-managed businesses across all sectors. Clients include Kinaxia Logistics, M&I Materials, Beechfield Brands, Duerr’s, Oliver Valves, Lancashire County Cricket Club, Krones UK, Creamline Dairies, Scapa Group and Hyde Group.
The firm recently moved its head office to accommodate its growing team, taking 11,000sq ft at 3 Stockport Exchange.
Pictured (left to right): Jennifer Escott, Tim Potter and Matthew Taylor