Budget 2010: Expert panel biographies

Rebecca Benneyworth, tax editor, AccountingWEB.co.uk
Rebecca trained in London with Kidsons and was chief accountant of a manufacturing company. She has her own small practice and lectures extensively for a range of professional bodies, accountancy firms, commercial organisations and HMRC. Rebecca Benneyworth is also tax editor of AccountingWEB.co.uk, the UK's leading online community for accountants and financial professionals.

Paul Webb, tax partner, Robert James Partnership
Paul Webb is a tax partner at Robert James Partnership. Since joining Robert James in 1998 he has specialised in identifying and developing tax planning strategies for individuals and companies alike. In particular, Paul works with clients looking to implement tax efficient employee share scheme structures. Paul is a qualified chartered tax advisor and a member of the Association of Taxation Technicians.

Charlie Mullins, managing director, Pimlico Plumbers
Charlie is an archetypal entrepreneur having started his business from scratch and then building it into a multi-million pound enterprise. Launched in 1979 in Pimlico with just a bag of tools and a very old van bought at auction, Pimlico Plumbers now has over 133 professional plumbers and a support team of around 35 staff, with a turnover in excess of £15 million.

Nigel Harris, associate, Burton Sweet Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers
Nigel Harris is an associate at chartered accountants and business advice firm Burton Sweet. He is a VAT expert and regular contributor to our sister site, AccountingWEB.co.uk.

Simon Featherstone, managing director, Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance
Simon was appointed managing director of Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance in August 2008. Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance has over 10,000 clients from small and medium sized businesses to large and major corporations. It is a leading provider of asset based lending solutions including factoring, invoice discounting and hire purchase and leasing.

Since joining Lloyds TSB in November 2004 as the network director for commercial banking, previously business banking, Simon has been a part of the commercial leadership team responsible for doubling PBT in three years. Simon also had a six month stint as acting managing director, commercial.

Simon is currently the chairman of the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation plc – a wholly owned subsidiary of the Group, a Board member of the Asset Based Finance Association (ABFA) and a passionate champion for sustainability across Commercial. Prior to joining Lloyds TSB, Simon spent eight years in various leadership roles at Barclay’s Bank including sales & service director and deputy managing director for sales financing.

Simon lives in Birmingham with his wife Kerry and two young children, Ellie & Olivia. His interests include skiing, football (being an armchair Middlesborough fan), tennis and scuba diving. He has a keen interest in the psychology of coaching.