Kathie Haunton joins A&M Tax in Manchester to lead R&D tax relief practice
Alvarez & Marsal Tax LLP (A&M Tax), an affiliate of leading global professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), has appointed Kathie Haunton as a Managing Director, effective immediately.
With more than 20 years’ experience supporting companies with R&D tax relief claims, Dr Haunton advises a variety of corporates, from large multinationals to SMEs. She collaborates with client teams to deliver an efficient repeatable claim process, which fully reflects the requirements of the R&D regimes, and is designed to withstand HMRC enquiries.
Prior to joining A&M, Dr Haunton worked as a material scientist and then spent 30 years at Deloitte, most recently as a partner in Manchester. Having trained with the audit practice, before moving into corporate tax, she became one of the founding members of the firm’s R&D team, responsible for leading responses to R&D consultations and handling HMRC enquiries. With expertise across a range of industries – including life sciences, engineering consultancies, technology, and manufacturing – she has helped clients claim millions in tax benefits.
Marvin Rust, Managing Director of A&M Tax UK and Head of A&M Tax Europe, commented: “We are honoured to welcome such an experienced adviser to the team. Kathie is a true industry specialist – committed to building out our Manchester practice, and helping clients ensure their claims are robust in the face of the most complex, or protracted, HMRC enquiries.”
Ernie Perez, Managing Director and Global Practice Leader of A&M Tax, noted: “Our global services portfolio is consistently gaining momentum; Kathie’s appointment represents the latest success story for A&M Tax as it continues to expand in the UK and capitalizes on double-digit growth worldwide.”
Dr Haunton added: “Manchester continues to be a city that innovates, and the business-minded, entrepreneurial team at A&M’s tax advisory base has the opportunity to support companies in a range of sectors – from advanced manufacturing, life sciences and net zero, to creative and media, digital and technology. With the R&D tax relief landscape changing rapidly, clients need closer support than ever to navigate this evolving market and successfully defend claims.”
A chartered accountant and member of the ICAEW, a Chartered Institute of Taxation adviser, and a member of the R&D Consultative Forum since its inception, Dr Haunton earned a bachelor’s degree and a PhD in material science from Brunel University.