Meet the team

Before joining ForrestBrown, I was working in my first marketing role for a small tech company in Bristol. I enjoyed what I did, but due to the company’s size there was limited opportunity for progression. I wanted to move somewhere where I would have more opportunity to develop my career. A rapidly growing company like ForrestBrown seemed the perfect fit.

At ForrestBrown, I love the sheer variety of my role and the responsibility I was given from pretty much day one. I manage a diverse range of projects which drive lead generation and business development. In particular, events, PR and supporting the industry associations we work with. This ensures that their members have all the information they need to understand what a fantastic opportunity R&D tax credits are.

Ultimately, I see what I do as helping amazing businesses access vital government support to spark their growth. It’s not only good for them, but also for the whole economy. It is great to be at a company which gives me a platform to do that.

My background is in business development and account management. I’ve always liked working with clients and building strong relationships, which is part of what attracted me to this role.

I wanted to join ForrestBrown because they’re the market leader. They’re known for their credibility and client care which, now I’ve been a part of it, really is second to none. 

Everyone is passionate about being the best and making sure we’re giving the best possible advice. I think every person on the team buys into that – it flows through the business.

In my role, I get a huge amount of satisfaction seeing the impact we have. It’s a tangible impact, whether you’re supporting growth, securing jobs or allowing people to develop their business. 

There’s also lots of collaboration between business development, partnerships and client delivery. You can get silos in some businesses, but that’s not the case at ForrestBrown. Everyone’s pulling in the same direction and you can go to anyone for help. It’s very positive.

It’s nice to work somewhere that recognises there’s a life outside of work. I’ve got two young kids, so I spend my spare time ferrying them to classes and gymnastics and so on. ForrestBrown is very supportive of people’s goals and family commitments. 

I was brand new to tax. Before joining ForrestBrown I was actually a primary school teacher, but decided I wanted to make the move into accounting. I heard ForrestBrown was a place I could develop my accounting skills and get qualifications in a fun, supportive environment, so it seemed like a great move.

I am now a tax manager, having graduated from the Learning Lab and the tax associate programme and built my portfolio of clients. In my role, I advise our clients, who undertake research and development in a whole range of different industries, helping them to claim strategically to fund their growth. My part in the process can involve anything from writing reports detailing clients’ innovation, to analysing a company’s accounts and calculating the tax benefit due, to going out meeting clients to see their work firsthand – every day is different. Having never worked in tax before, I’ve had to learn a lot quickly, but thanks to the Learning Lab that hasn’t been a problem. I’ve felt supported the whole way and I was really proud when I completed my first R&D tax credit claim.

I had been practising law for nine years and was working as an international tax and trusts solicitor at a large commercial law firm. It was a lovely place to work, but I came to realise that I wanted something different: a role which had more day-to-day natural interactions with people, and one that offered a bit more flexibility. The opportunity I found at ForrestBrown gave me this. And better still it was a new role which I could really make my own.

As part of the partnerships team, I am responsible for building relationships with accountants and partners to help them deliver value for their clients. This is a role with real purpose – I’m working to educate accountants on the benefits of the R&D incentive, challenging misconceptions and helping them bring tangible value to their clients. One thing I love about my job is the personable contact I get with so many different people: colleagues, clients and staff at partner firms.

ForrestBrown continues to grow so quickly that every day there is an exciting feeling of newness. There’s so much possibility to make a contribution and have an impact.

When I came for my interview here, I immediately knew this was not your normal professional services firm. When I saw the bright, open-plan office and felt the energy in the business, I was drawn to ForrestBrown immediately.

But my choice to come here is so much more than aesthetic. ForrestBrown has supported me all the way through my accountancy qualifications. The company empowers me to balance my work with my studies: we can dedicate 20% of our week to our studies and get the day off work before exams.

I’m in control of my studies, too. Unlike the Big Four, for example, ForrestBrown doesn’t force me down a route or plan things out for me. Instead, the company helps me to flourish in an area suited to my skills.

Day-to-day, the work is challenging and fun. As a tax consultant, I’m involved in the entire claim process from start to finish and support the tax managers. You can focus on your clients and get to know them. It’s not just an anonymous numbers only process.

That’s ForrestBrown in a nutshell: We work hard, we get things done – but it’s the best atmosphere I’ve worked in. It’s never dull and there are no suits. Along with Christmas parties, team lunches, and away days: it’s an exciting place to learn and work.

I joined ForrestBrown as an executive assistant, making the move from another accountancy firm. I was initially attracted to ForrestBrown’s vibrant culture, as well as the opportunity for professional development. Since then, I’ve joined a new department, progressed to operations manager and am managing my own team.

The nature of my role means I get exposure to a lot of different things. I am responsible for helping to manage the workflow of the teams. It means that every day is totally different and that I have a great overview of all the different elements of the business. I love the pace and problem-solving aspects of my role, and am currently working towards a project management qualification with ForrestBrown’s support.

I wasn’t from a tax background, so I found the intensive onboarding process to be really helpful. I took part in the Learning Lab, which covered all sorts of different modules, and I’ve also been able to learn from the people around me. Everyone is friendly and helpful, and there’s always something new happening.

After almost nine years on the Global Mobility Team at PwC, I was ready for a new challenge. ForrestBrown’s fast-growing, ambitious culture really appealed to me. It was somewhere I could see myself making an impact.

My role is varied, but my mission is always the same: to help innovative businesses grow by harnessing the benefits of R&D tax credits. Day-to-day, I do whatever it takes to deliver great service; whether that’s meeting with clients, spending time in their organisations, or crunching numbers. I really enjoy the difference my work can make to an emerging business’s growth. I actually helped one client adjust their original claim and they were able to benefit from 10x the amount of credit they’d originally identified.

We work hard here, but the culture is still fun and relaxed. It’s a very social workplace, helped by our Bristol location. I’m Bristol born and bred, so a little biased, but I’m always amazed by the number of things there are to do here – from sports teams and events, to restaurants, pubs, clubs and outdoor pursuits. It’s buzzing.

I’m a chemistry specialist and, before ForrestBrown, had been working in aerospace and defence. I wanted to apply my skills and experience to a different sector but without starting at the bottom of the ladder. I heard of R&D tax credits through a friend and they resonated with the kind of practical work I was experienced in. After a Google search, ForrestBrown came onto my radar. What stood out was the prestige of their chartered tax adviser (CTA)-led approach. I was looking for an ethical, reputable company and ForrestBrown ticked those boxes. It looked fun too!

At ForrestBrown, I’m responsible for adding my industry expertise where required to any claim. For example, projects involving innovation in food, materials and manufacturing. I get out and meet clients, am a technical lead on telephone calls and am on-hand to support our tax team as they prepare our clients’ claims.

My favourite part of the job is meeting clients and getting on their wavelength. Seeing their eyes light up when they realise they can talk at a highly technical level with their R&D tax credit advisers is a real highlight.

I moved to ForrestBrown from Grant Thornton where I had looked after a portfolio of corporate tax clients. I was not actively looking for a new job, but it did feel like time for a change. So, when the opportunity to join ForrestBrown came up, it was very appealing to be able to use my existing skills in a genuinely different role.

I was attracted by the chance to connect directly with business owners passionate about what they do. And to be in a growing company which was small enough that I could make a difference. My current role demonstrates this perfectly. I’m in the quality assurance team where our goal is to drive and deliver technical excellence. But how we do this is constantly evolving and something that all the team members are very much involved in defining.

From reviewing reports to meeting clients, we are always looking to make positive impacts on claims as early in the process as possible. I’m proud of the high standards we set at ForrestBrown. It’s a good feeling at the end of each day to know that everything we send out of the door is technically excellent.

After moving to this country from the US, I applied for quite a few roles but, frustratingly, I always got the feeling that my lack of UK experience was an impediment. That was until I applied to ForrestBrown.

Immediately, I felt that instead of being a hindrance, the company valued my background and what made me stand out. I didn’t have a background in any tax, let alone UK taxation, but ForrestBrown was willing to invest in me and helped me learn.

My role is as an operations associate. Simply put, we give the business and our leadership teams the information they need to make good decisions. We’re responsible for any internal monitoring and reporting.

I love the freedom I have at ForrestBrown. There’s so much to learn and it’s not just the same thing day-in, day-out. You can take on a project you think best serves the company. If there’s anything we can do to enhance the business and its work, we’re free to pursue it and drive it forward.

We do, of course, have set structures – but we have the freedom to use our own initiative, too. That’s applicable not only in our work but also our wellbeing. The company is open ears for any suggestions and there’s an interest in us personally, not just our work or output.

When I joined in November 2018, my role was a brand new one. And instead of dictating the terms, ForrestBrown allowed to contribute to building and defining my role. It made me feel a part of the company from day one.

As a finance assistant, my responsibilities range from paying our suppliers or chasing outstanding payments. It’s numbers oriented but also outward-facing. It’s a mix I enjoy and I’ve been supported all the way throughout.

Since joining, I’ve consistently been given more and more responsibility. Soon, we’ll be adding another person to the finance team and I’ll get more involved in month-end accounting. It’s an exciting development route for me professionally.

Often in finance, you feel like you’re working on an island. You don’t really mix with the rest of the business. That can’t be further from what ForrestBrown has been like: everyone is so friendly and collegial and I work with lots of people across the business.

I’ve been interested in tax since university. I really enjoyed the tax modules of my degree and I did an internship in Cisco Systems’ finance department in my third year. 

ForrestBrown looked great because you get to work with innovative companies; I’m particularly interested in software and those working with the Internet of Things (IoT). But I also liked that you had the chance to work with clients from day one.

That’s what motivates me most in my role. I’m right in front of clients all the time and there’s such a mix. We have some companies that are really small, so a claim can be crucial to them continuing with their R&D. It’s a very good feeling when they’re happy about a claim. On the other side, you get to work with huge companies that are doing very important work and it’s exciting to get that experience. 

ForrestBrown is also putting me through my studies. I worked closely with one of my colleagues to study for the exams together and we’ve been able to pass everything first time. 

The company has been incredibly supportive – I think the amount of time we get for study leave is better than any firm I know of. And, getting those qualifications is an important part of building a career in tax. It’s like a badge of honour.

I joined ForrestBrown in July 2019. I applied after looking at the website. It just drew me in from the start! When I interviewed for my role here, the company had just moved into its new, big, beautiful office.

For me, as a talent and development associate, it was a promising sign of a growing organisation. ForrestBrown has ambitious growth plans and finding the very best people is central to meeting and exceeding its goals.

Every day is different. One half of my role is focused on recruitment, so I’ll be getting out and meeting people at colleges and universities, or doing candidate interviews. The other half of my role is development. That means facilitating all of the many ways ForrestBrown supports and develops its existing staff.

I’m surrounded by highly experienced people in my job; people I can learn from and emulate. And yet, I’m empowered to bring in my own ideas and you can own your work.