Sanger and Oratore appointed to HM Treasury’s Tax Professionals Forum
Ernst & Young’s head of tax policy, Chris Sanger, and financial services tax partner Vincent Oratore, have been appointed to HM Treasury’s newly created Tax Professionals Forum, which will oversee reforms to the framework for developing tax policy and the making of tax law.
The forum will draw on the expertise of eight leading figures from across the tax profession, to look at how tax policy is developed, legislated and implemented, to ensure that the UK’s Tax system fosters a competitive environment for business. Chaired by the Exchequer Secretary David Gauke MP, the forum will meet bi annually.
Chris Sanger joined Ernst & Young as a Partner in 2005. He was formerly an adviser to HM Treasury, advising the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Junior Ministers and Special Advisers on the reform of the business taxation system. He is now Global Head of Tax Policy at Ernst & Young, Chairman of the Tax Faculty of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and Vice-Chairman of the Management of Taxes committee of the Chartered Institute of Taxation.
Vincent Oratore is a financial services partner at Ernst & Young, and works with a multinational portfolio of clients. Vincent specialises in advising the financial services sector on the tax implications of transactions in the capital markets. In addition to his role at Ernst & Young, Vincent is also President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Tax Advisors.
Commenting on his appointment, Chris Sanger said: “In an environment where multinational companies can often work as easily from Switzerland as they can from the UK, maintaining the UK’s competitiveness is a major challenge for the Coalition government. Competitiveness is about a lot more than just the headline rates of tax. In order to remain an attractive destination for business, UK tax policy needs to address the tax base and tax administration.”
Vincent Oratore added: “It is really encouraging that, through this group, reforms to tax policy making will be informed by those in the profession. Through consultation and the combined experience of the forum’s members, we can help provide a framework for tax policy that provides both certainty and clarity in the short term and beyond.”