 |
Karen Spencer-Smith
Managing Partner
Karen is Managing Partner of Saffron and has a wide breadth of experience in all areas of Personal Tax, advising both UK based individuals and those with an international background, structuring their personal taxation affairs and generally providing proactive advice. Karen brings to the Partnership a blend of commercial and sound tax knowledge, with the unique ability to put clients at ease.
Having previously trained within a Big 4 Accountancy Practice, Karen gained extensive experience within the Lloyds Insurance market and currently advises many clients on Lloyds underwriting issues. This subsequently led to the role of Tax Consultant to a leading Lloyds Underwriting Group, where Karen set up the UK taxation arm, servicing both corporate and individual names within the Lloyds Market.
More recently, Karen was Director with the Chiltern Group, developing and leading one of the most successful Tax teams within the Chiltern Brand.
Tel: 020 7337 6021 - Email: kspencersmith@saffrontax.com |
 |
Ali Sarikhani
Chairman
Ali is a qualified Chartered Accountant having trained in practice with what is now Ernst & Young. He was made a Partner of the Tehran practice in 1976 at the age of 29 and subsequently, in 1980, set up his own practice in London. The business was acquired by UBS in 1986 and grew organically by the acquisitions of Williams Jeffery Barber Limited in 1987 and Chiltern Limited in 1997. In 1997, following a buy out from UBS, the group was re-launched as Chiltern Group plc and grew to 350 people servicing around 10,000 clients. In 2005 a divestment program was initiated which has resulted in the sale of the business via a series of disposals.
Ali has interests in several other businesses including Tuxedo Money Solutions, a pre-paid debit card business, and is also involved in NLP who are a Partnership of Independent Financial Advisors.
Tel: 020 7072 0456 - Email: alisarikhani@saffrontax.com |
 |
Tal Kalsi Bsc (Hons)
Senior Partner
Tal has extensive experience in the field of accountancy and tax, having worked in general practice for the first 15 years of his career and then specialising in Private Client Taxation after joining the Chiltern Group in 1996. Before joining Saffron Tax Partners Tal was a Director in the Private Client Services division of BDO LLP in their London Office.
Tal advises clients in all areas of Private Client Taxation, including Inheritance Tax planning, Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax. Tal has specific expertise on issues concerning domicile & tax residence. More recently he has advised many non-UK domiciled clients and their offshore trust structures. Typical clients include shareholders who have sold their companies to multinational corporations and advising them on the relevant tax issues, with disclosures to the Tax Authorities on their behalf.
Tal is a member of the Federation of Tax Advisers which is the tax faculty of the Institute of Financial Accountants. Tal is also a holder of STEP Diplomas in the Taxation of Trusts & Estates and in the Administration of Estates.
Tel: 020 7337 6025 - Email: talkalsi@saffrontax.com |
 |
Jason Spencer-Smith
Partner
Jason has over 20 years experience in Financial Services covering Finance, Middle Office and Credit Risk Management. He has a broad financial knowledge, gained from working in regulatory finance, Treasury dealing rooms and Wholesale banking. He has previously assisted with the closure of a securities unit before moving to set up the operations for a dot com start up business. Jason has spent the last 8 years within the interpretation and implementation of new international regulatory credit risk requirements, at a major UK high street bank. Jason is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants and an Associate Member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers.
Jason is responsible for IT at Saffron and has been instrumental in helping build the operating platform for the Partnership.
Tel: 020 7337 6021 - Email: jspencersmith@saffrontax.com |
 |
Vic Howard
Director
Vic began his professional career with the Inland Revenue, before moving to the private sector and brings to the Partnership over 20 years experience in varying areas of personal taxation.
Having gained extensive knowledge with two medium sized Accountancy practices, Vic more recently spent a number of years with the former Chiltern group and has managed a variety of clients affairs, including Lloyds Underwriters, self employed entrepreneurs, non resident and non domiciled individuals, and Trust issues. Vic is a member of the Association of Tax Technicians.
Tel: 020 7337 6024 - Email: vichoward@saffrontax.com |
 |
Bruce Lee
Director
A very experienced tax professional, Bruce started his career at the Inland Revenue (as it then was) in January 1982. After five years in the civil service, he has spent the intervening period of over twenty-two years working for four firms of varying size within the private sector, the substantial majority for tax specialists Chiltern.
Bruce is involved in advising individuals and trusts in relation to income and capital gains tax matters, with a particular emphasis on compliance with the Self Assessment system and planning for tax mitigation. Bruce also advises non-resident landlord companies, with regard to tax liabilities on UK rental income and is a member of the Association of Tax Technicians.
Tel: 020 7337 6023 - Email: brucelee@saffrontax.com |
 |
Jim Pamphlett
Director
With more than twenty five years experience in Personal Tax, Jim started his career with the Inland Revenue in 1985, before moving into private practice in 1989 with accountancy firm, Brooks Carling.
Subsequently, in 1998, Jim joined tax specialists Chiltern, and for the next ten years formed part of their highly regarded private client team. Prior to joining Saffron, Jim worked for BDO LLP, within their London based private client operation.
Jim enjoys managing a wide variety of Private Clients, including Company Directors, Partners, Sole Traders and successful Entrepreneurs. Other areas of expertise include advising non UK resident individuals, Lloyds Underwriters, Trusts and property investors.
Tel: 020 7337 6026 - Email: jimpamphlett@saffrontax.com |
 |
Niels Nielsen
Advisor
Niels holds an MBA from Yale School of Management and a BA in Economics from Brown University and his Consultancy role at Saffron will focus on developing the business and working with Karen and Tal on the Marketing initiatives.
Niels is also a Director of Azure Property Investments and prior to 2008, he acted as Head of Hotel Investments and Asset Management for Union Investment Real Estate. Niels has also worked in Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisition at Credit Suisse in London. In addition Niels sits on the management committee of several companies including Tuxedo Money Solutions, NLP and Vestra Wealth.
Tel: 020 7072 0450 - Email: nielsnielson@saffrontax.com |
 |
Karen Smith
Executive Personal Assistant
Karen is a very experienced secretary and personal assistant, with over 20 years of knowledge within the private client tax world.
Having initially worked in an administrative role for a Big 4 accountancy practice, Karen has loyally supported Karen Spencer-Smith in providing the unique seamless service to personal tax clients, and ensures the smooth running of the office in all areas of correspondence.
Karen helps co-ordinate clients needs within the team and is often the first point of contact for many clients.
Tel: 020 7337 6022 - Email: karensmith@saffrontax.com |
 |
Malcolm Curtis
Senior Tax Consultant
Malcolm began his professional tax career with the Inland Revenue in London, before joining the private sector in 1989, with BDO Binder Hamlyn at their Newbury office.
Having spent 7 years at Binder Hamlyn/Arthur Anderson, Malcolm joined Kleinwort Benson Private Bank in 1996, where he managed a portfolio of high net worth clients including barristers, entrepreneurs, farmers, senior London bankers, partnerships and non resident and non domiciled individuals.
Malcolm is a member of the Association of Tax Technicians and brings over 24 years of personal taxation experience to the Partnership.
Tel: 020 7337 6029 - Email: malcolmcurtis@saffrontax.com |
 |
Peter Stevens
Senior Tax Consultant
Peter is the former Head of Tax Compliance at Kleinwort Benson and has over 37 years experience in personal tax.
Peter has experience of dealing with a vast range of clients including high net worth and self employed individuals, entrepreneurs, partnerships, non residents, and non domiciled individuals. In addition Peter has a wealth of knowledge in dealing with offshore trusts, and offshore companies with UK rental income.
Tel: 020 7337 6028 - Email: peterstevens@saffrontax.com |
 |
Louise Palmer-Broughton
Tax Consultant
Louise began her career working at the Head Office for a large Hotel company, Regal Hotel Group Plc (subsequently Corus Hotels) where she worked alongside the Finance Director, on various areas of company taxation.
In 2001 Louise joined the Personal Tax Compliance Team of Kleinwort Benson, and in January 2003 became a member of the Association of Tax Technicians. Louise brings her 10 years of personal tax knowledge to Saffron, having dealt with a wide variety of clients including self-employed individuals, non-resident landlords, UK and offshore trusts.
Tel: 020 7337 6027
Email: lpalmerbroughton@saffrontax.com |
 |
Jackie Watson-Spratt
Senior Tax Consultant
Jackie has worked in personal tax for over 16 years, formerly with Donnelly Hamilton Brent, where she qualified as a member of the Association of Taxation Technicians, then joining the Tax Compliance department of Kleinwort Benson Private Bank Ltd in 1997.
Her role has encompassed work in connection with sole traders, directors, offshore companies with UK rental income, UK and offshore settlements, PAYE schemes, partnerships and non-resident/non-domiciled individuals.
Tel: 020 7337 6022 - Email: jwatsonspratt@saffrontax.com |
|
|
