Tax Lawyer Edward Troup appointed Tax Assurance Commissioner at HMRC
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has announced the appointment of a Tax Assurance Commissioner and a Lead Non-Executive Director, as part of its new governance arrangements.
Edward Troup, currently HM Treasury’s Director General for Tax and Welfare, has been appointed Tax Assurance Commissioner and second Permanent Secretary at HMRC. He will be responsible for shaping tax policy and strategy, tax professionalism, and will oversee and provide assurance of large tax settlements. Reporting directly to Chief Executive Lin Homer, Mr Troup will succeed Dave Hartnett, who is retiring on 31 July, and will sit on HMRC’s Executive Committee. Mr Troup will take up his post in August.
Ian Barlow, currently Chair of WSP Group plc, has also been appointed as the Lead Non-Executive Director, in succession to Mike Clasper, whose contract is coming to an end.
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke MP, said: “I am delighted to welcome Edward and Ian to these appointments. They both bring specialist tax knowledge and an understanding of how HMRC operates. Their wide experience will add depth and breadth to HMRC’s leadership at both Executive and Board level.”
Chief Executive Lin Homer said: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Edward Troup to this substantial and challenging role. HMRC will greatly benefit from his considerable tax knowledge and legal expertise, and he will play a critical role in providing rigour and challenge within HMRC, in order to ensure the transparency and integrity of the UK tax system.”
She added: “I am also very pleased that Ian Barlow has accepted the role of Lead Non-Executive Director at HMRC. This is an important governance role, chairing the Board and providing supportive challenge to the Executive Committee in developing and delivering HMRC’s vision and strategy, and ensuring HMRC delivers its performance and customer service objectives.”
Edward Troup said: “HMRC is an organisation with a great tradition. I look forward to joining Lin Homer’s senior management team and continuing with the department’s transformation into a modern and professional tax administration.
”I want to ensure that HMRC’s well-deserved pride in its achievements and its high standards are properly reflected in public confidence that all taxpayers, large or small, are being treated fairly.“
Ian Barlow said: “I am looking forward to building on the strategic vision developed by HMRC and Mike Clasper, and to supporting HMRC to meet its multiple objectives, including its obligations to its customers and stakeholders. The role of the Non-Executives is to be critical friends, both advising and encouraging HMRC’s Executive in its delivery and holding it to account for its actions.”
Background info:
1. Edward Troup began his career as a tax lawyer, working with law firm Simmons & Simmons, until joining HM Treasury as a special adviser on tax, between 1995 and 1997. Edward returned to Simmons & Simmons in 1997, before rejoining the Treasury in 2004 as Director of Business and Indirect Tax.
2. Ian Barlow has held a wide range of appointments in the public, not-for-profit and private sectors. He is currently Chair of WSP Group plc and Director at Smith and Nephew and at the Brunner Investment Trust. He was recently appointed a Non-Executive Director at HMRC.
3. The Lead Non-Executive Director replaces the role of the Chairman, in accordance with the Code of Good Practice introduced by the Government in 2011.
4. The Tax Assurance Commissioner was appointed using Civil Service Commissioner Recruitment Principles and the Lead Non-Executive was appointed following a full Public Appointments Process.