Spending Review: Expert panel
Jonathan Russell, vice-president, UK200Group
Jonathan has been a practising accountant for over 30 years, advising both entrepreneurs and private clients. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and vice-president of the UK200Group of independent chartered accountancy and lawyer firms.
Jonathan is also interested in matters legal and the problems arising on divorce or on selling a business. He is a member of the Academy of Experts, an associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and an ADR Group accredited mediator. If you need a valuation or some mediation, then Jonathan is the one to contact.
Jonathan lives in Buckland with his wife Valerie and their daughter Victoria. He spends a lot of his spare time doing up and extending his family’s property, but has occasionally been seen on a golf course. Jonathan collects old Land Rovers, and his pride and joy is an original 1949 model which he has owned for over 30 years.
Heather Townsend, founder, The Efficiency CoachHeather Townsend is a writer, speaker and Business Coach and rapidly building a reputation for herself as the lady who you need to speak to if want to help your ambitious practice grow. She is the founder of The Efficiency Coach, a coaching and consultancy company which helps professional advisors achieve better results for less effort, and ‘the executive village’, which brings together business owners and senior decision makers to help them solve their problems. Her first book, The Financial Times Guide to Business Networking, is due out in summer 2011.
Stephen Archer, partner, Spring PartnershipsStephen Archer is a partner of UK business and leadership consultancy, Spring Partnerships and an economic and business analyst. He is a consultant to CEOs of FTSE 100 and multinational companies including Nestle, GE Healthcare, Disney, KPMG, Carlsberg and Oracle amongst other.
Stephen is a regular commentator in the press and broadcast media, providing analysis on breaking news affecting businesses and the latest economic issues and trends. He appeared BBC TV News 24 where he talked about the recession, and correctly predicted the pattern that it would follow – six months ahead of time and more accurately that the BoE or IMF.
Stephen speaks on many business issues including change, leadership and management, mergers and acquisitions, taxation and regulation implications on business and issues including industrial disputes. He is able to analyse and translate the latest economic figures in a very comprehensive and straightforward way for viewers/listeners. Also as a business owner, entrepreneur and someone who has established and sold businesses, Stephen provides an impartial, non political voice.
Previously Chairman of Cutty Sark Enterprises, Stephen led the communications task following the crisis caused by its fire. He blogs at www.stephenarcher.eu.
Gina Dyer, editor, CFO21.comGina was previously an editorial assistant at B2B publisher Palladian Publications, before becoming a staff writer for French Magazine and The Traveller in France. She joined Sift Media, publisher of BusinessZone.co.uk, in January 2009. Until September 2010, Gina was deputy editor of AccountingWEB.co.uk. She is now editor of CFO21.com, Sift Media's soon to launch online community for chief financial officers and finance directors.
Quentin Pain, founder, Accountz.com
Quentin Pain started his first company in 1979 and having successfully sold that in 1984, went on to found the UK software company Accountz.com Ltd which was the first UK company to develop multi-platform solutions for accounting software. Acting as chair of that company, Quentin regularly talks at seminars and events encouraging and showing business owners how to control their finances without compromising their vision for success.
Nigel Harris, associate, Burton Sweet
Self-confessed music and gadget fan Nigel Harris is AccountingWEB.co.uk's longest serving contributor. During the day, he's an associate at chartered accountants and business advice firm Burton Sweet. If you ever need to read the bible in French, Nigel's your man - he studied theology and French.
Simon Sweetman, tax expert
Simon Sweetman was a tax inspector for 18 years and later became a senior manager and partner of chartered accountants Scrutton Goodchild & Sanderson. He is now a member of the Federation of Small Business and the small business working group of the Chartered Institute of Taxation.
Mark Pearson, CEO, Surrey Economic Partnership
Mark Pearson has a background spanning both public and private sectors, and has been involved in economic development, at delivery and strategic levels, for over 17 years, working in the North West, and South East of England. Mark has worked for Sub-Regional Economic Partnerships for seven years, and is currently the Chief Executive of Surrey Economic Partnership Ltd.
Mark has responsibility for leading and managing the operational activity of Surrey Economic Partnership, which brings together the public and private sectors to have a better understanding of the key challenges facing the Surrey economy, and to act on them by promoting the strengths of the economy and realising its potential. He has recently led the bid and processes to establish the new Innovation and Growth Teams for the county, and led the bid to secure £2.275m of Future Jobs Fund monies from the DWP; and is championing the 'Invest in Success' message to both business and Government, influencing, leading and coordinating action and lobbying for the greater level of investment in Surrey's economy and infrastructure to ensure continued economic success. Mark also chairs the Economic Development Delivery Board one of the five thematic groups of Surrey Strategic Partnership; and is one of the Rural Champions for Surrey.
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