Colin
Brown

Private Client Director

LinkedIn

WHO I HELP

Individuals, sole traders, owner-managed businesses, Trustees, and Executors.

HOW I HELP

Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax, Employment Taxes, Share Schemes. Employee Incentivisation, handling HMRC Enquiries, Trusts, tax residence issues, and transaction work.

SECTORS/SUPPORT

Across various sectors. Assisting my Private Client tax compliance colleagues with advice on tax return disclosures/reporting/enquiries, and working closely with Corporate Finance on due diligence work but happy to support partners in all departments in servicing their clients.

“TIMELY AND ACCURATE ADVICE.”

Based in our Edinburgh office, Colin Brown is a Private Client Director and has over 25 years’ experience in Private Client Tax, advising HNWI and owner-managed businesses, specialising in Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax, and Employment Taxes for a variety of clients based in the UK and overseas.

Colin brings to AAB a wealth of experience and excellent tax technical knowledge in a number of areas. Colin aims to be a client’s trusted adviser and loves meeting clients face-to-face on a regular basis, understanding their business needs and objectives, and helping them achieve those goals. Colin likes to be open and honest with clients and be available when needed.

A collaborative approach

“I enjoy a collaborative approach to work, and clients can always expect honesty and timely and accurate advice from me. An ideal client relationship is one where a client is happy to pick up the phone to me to seek advice on any particular aspect of their business or any worries they may have.

I enjoy building strong, trusting relationships with clients. One of the most satisfying aspects of working with clients is working closely from start to end with a client and delivering a piece of advisory work that really makes a difference. In the past, I have had a client say that I had improved her health/well-being after assisting her with extensive HMRC Investigation, and we have remained friends ever since. Just knowing I have made a real impact and difference is extremely rewarding to me.”

Good team spirit

“I think it is important to have a vibrant, good team spirit in an office. I like to have a laugh with colleagues, and it helps to have good relationships especially when you have to work closely together and often long hours to meet deadlines and targets.

I love being able to work as a team and bring through and pass on my knowledge to more junior members of staff. As part of my role, I enjoy helping junior members of staff develop and grow more confident in their roles.”

Going global with technology

“Technology has no doubt changed the way we work, especially in creating greater opportunities to work on a more global scale which is definitely something we embrace at AAB as a tech-enabled group. Personally, I much prefer the face-to-face meetings approach to virtual calls as a more hands-on approach allows us to build stronger client relationships, although there is clearly a place for both, as we work more globally.”

The greatest challenge

“The greatest challenge with working in tax is probably keeping up with the continual changes in tax legislation and hot topics in the business/tax world. To stay up-to-date, I set aside sufficient time each week to read technical tax commentary and local business news.”

Excited to be part of AAB’s growth

“I look forward to joining a bigger organisation which will give me the opportunity to work on a more diverse range of advisory jobs. In terms of the Central Belt in Scotland, AAB are a relatively new player, and it will be exciting being part of that growth.”