KPMG hires Rob Clayton, Group Tax Director at Friends Life, as a tax partner in the UK insurance team

KPMG has appointed Rob Clayton as a new partner to its 25-strong UK insurance tax team with effect from 1 October 2015.

Rob Clayton has been leading tax teams in the insurance sector since 2006.  Most recently he was Group Tax Director at Friends Life and, prior to that, Group Tax Director at RSA.  Until April this year, Rob was also the Chair of the ABI’s tax committee, taking a key role in leading the industry’s response to relevant tax policy issues.  His appointment as partner at KPMG in the UK is a return to the firm as he was with KPMG from October 1998 to September 2001 after training with the Inland Revenue.

In his role as insurance tax partner, Rob Clayton will be responsible for leading KPMG’s tax relationship with groups in the sector, with a particular focus in the short term on the general insurance market.  Rob’s profile in and knowledge of the sector means he will be an important addition to the team as insurers embark on a new round of consolidation and continue to address the challenges presented by regulatory reform.

Commenting on Rob Clayton’s appointment, Phil Smart, Partner and Head of Insurance and Investment Management at KPMG in the UK, said:

“Rob brings to us a vast knowledge of tax in the insurance sector, is a highly respected and well known member of the insurance community and has excellent experience of the broader role tax has to play in our clients’ businesses.  We are really looking forward to him joining the team as we look to build on the growth of the last two years.”

Rob Clayton added: “After 14 years in industry, I am delighted to be returning to KPMG.  I have very fond memories of my previous time there when I joined as an assistant manager back in 1998 before leaving as a manager in 2001.  The people in my team were enormously supportive to me and helped me build the foundations of my career in tax.  Now that I am rejoining the firm as a partner I am looking forward to supporting the next generation of KPMG tax professionals and building on the great opportunity KPMG has to extend its reach into the insurance sector.”

, Head of Tax at KPMG in the UK, concluded:  “I am delighted to welcome Rob back to KPMG.  His industry expertise and experience significantly enhances our ‘bench strength’ in insurance tax.”