Chair - Colin Smith

Colin has worked at M&G Plc for over a decade, advising on VAT matters related to its property funds. He takes an active role in the industry, lobbying HMRC and HM Treasury for change, and is the current chair of the British Property Federation's VAT Committee.

Ali Anderson

Ali is a tax partner at EY specialising in VAT for the real estate, construction and hospitality sectors and leads a team of EY professionals focussed in these areas.  He has over 20 years experience advising investors, developers, housebuilders and construction firms, as well as a range of high profile corporate occupiers.

Martin Scammell

Martin Scammell is the author of the leading reference work VAT on Construction, Land and Property, published by Scammell & Nyland, and an occasional consultant in these areas. Martin started out in VAT Policy in Customs & Excise, was a Partner at Ernst & Young, and then head of indirect tax at Eversheds. He is technical secretary to the BPF’s VAT Committee, and a member of the JVCC, of HMRC’s Land and Property Liaison Group, and of the CIOT’s indirect taxes and property taxes committees.

Kirsten Prichard Jones

Kirsten advises primarily on the tax aspects of real estate transactions, including forward funding and developments, financing and restructuring transactions, corporate acquisitions, offshore holding structures and joint ventures. Particular areas of focus include residential developers and operators in the "build to rent", student accommodation and care home sectors. Her clients include large institutions, funds, developers and individuals.

Graham Elliott

Graham has been a VAT consultant for nearly 35 years, and involved in VAT for close to 40 years.  He has practiced in accountancy firms, and a legal practice, but now works through his own company. Graham has authored the monthly VAT update for Accountancy Magazine for around 30 years, and has written for a wide range of other publications.  He has frequently appeared on the lecture circuit. He has been the technical adviser to the Charity Tax Group since 2016.

Chris Nyland

Now the co-author of VAT on Construction, Land and Property, published by Scammell & Nyland, Chris has specialised in the taxation of real estate and the built environment for almost two decades. He was a partner at Gowling WLG, and continues to provide consultancy services to some of the largest property operators in the UK. He is an active member of the BPF’s VAT Committee, and a regular contributor to Tax Journal.

Hydeam Sulton

Hydeam is a Tax Partner at Armstrong Watson and leads the firm’s VAT and Indirect Tax practice nationally. He has over 20 years’ experience gained in practice (Big 4 and large independent), in-house FTSE 100, and spells in HMRC. Most recently there, he was HMRC’s Head of Tax Professionalism, Campaigns and Projects until 2018. Hydeam advised the campaign which recently secured a new temporary zero-rate for energy saving materials.

Amy Collins

Amy has been working in indirect tax for over 20 years, both within the big 4 and, for the last 8 years, for CBRE, the global leader in commercial real estate services and investments, where she is VAT Director for the UK and EMEA.