Biography

Summary
Mark is the Accountants' Business Coach and founder of the Tax Advice Network.

He is a people person and adopts an enthusiastic and energetic approach to whatever he is doing. 

Mark has a reputation as being an 'agent for change'.  He is an innovative and lateral thinker with good business, commercial, lecturing and marketing skills built up over a twenty-five year career during which he has provided commercial, business and tax advice to many businesses, large and small.

Business background
Mark's main focus in recent years has been in areas such as tax related business development, marketing, training and tax innovations. He has acted as a consultant to numerous professional firms and has lectured extensively around the country on a variety of tax, ma nagement, marketing and related issues.

In 2007 Mark conceived, researched and created the Tax Advice Network - the UK's first independent network of tax advisers. As MD he is responsible for building the brand and attracting both business and new members to the network.  The main target audience for the network is accountants in general practice.  As such this is the perfect role for Mark as it complements his other services and activities in that marketplace.

Immediately before establishing himself as an independent consultant Mark was asked to setup and act as MD of the new London office of a Midlands based tax consultancy. Prior to that he had been the Director of Tax Support for Professionals at a much larger tax consultancy, Chiltern plc.  

Mark has also been a tax partner in the London offices of BDO Stoy Hayward and of Horwath Clark Whitehill. He originally trained in a small firm of accountants and, after moving into tax at what was then Touche Ross (now Deloitte), Mark was subsequently head of tax for the London office of a small National practice.

Related experience
Mark has successfully facilitated hundreds of meetings and coached partners and colleagues of all ages in the people, marketing and management aspects of their tax advisory roles.

From 2001-2004 he chaired the UK Tax working party for Moores Rowland International and doubled the typical attendance level to over 20 tax partners from around the UK.

In 1995 Mark developed, marketed and sold hundreds of copies of 'Cybertax', the first tax planning software produced to help accountants provide cost-effective tax advice.

Professional connections
Mark was elected Chairman of the Tax Faculty of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) for two years from April 2003.  During this time he was also an ex-officio member of the Council of the Institute.

He is a Fellow of both the ICAEW and of the Chartered Institute of Taxation.

Mark is Chairman of the Personal tax and finance committee of the ICAEW's tax faculty and is vice-chairman of the LSCA's tax committee.

Outside interests
Mark is deputy treasurer of 'Norwood' the children and family services charity. He is also an active member of the BlackStar club on Ecademy, The Magic Circle, the Zodiac magical society and Harrovians (his local speakers' club).

Mark's profile appears on various online networking sites including Ecademy, Facebook and LinkedIn.

He has been happily married since 1983 and has two teenage children.