We recently caught up with Annie, to find out more about her journey progressing from grad to partner at Blick Rothenberg...
Please give us an overview of what the US/UK Tax team at Blick Rothenberg do
The US/UK team works predominantly with Americans who live outside of the US and need to ensure they are compliant with both US and local taxes. We also work with individuals moving to the US. We help with advice on a whole range of personal tax matters and file both US & UK tax returns.
Tell us about your role at Blick Rothenberg and your journey to become Partner
I started as a graduate back in 2013 and began working on the preparation of US & UK tax returns. In 2015, I was seconded to the Swiss offices we had then where I focused on helping Americans with Swiss assets become compliant as the rules around banking secrecy changed. This gave me a huge amount of experience working directly with clients.
When I returned to London, I spent time working on complex advisory cases and outside of tax I focused on building my networks. I was involved externally in multiple ‘next gen’ initiatives and internally I co-founded the Blick Rothenberg internal networking group called BRing.
My role has changed throughout the years as I’ve always tried to find better ways of working. Throughout my time at BR, my clients have been the bread and butter of my role, but I’ve been able to focus on people management, leadership and most recently I have revamped the US/UK training programme.
In Summer 2024 I became a partner, and I’m looking forward to continuing to face the challenges of an ever changing and always complex tax landscape.
What do you believe makes Blick Rothenberg unique and stand out from other firms in the industry? How would you describe the culture at Blick Rothenberg?
Having always worked with this US/UK team, I can’t speak with much authority on other firms in the industry, but what I can say is the reasons that have kept me here are:
- The team is collaborative – if I have a problem, I have so many doors I can knock on and everyone will be genuinely invested in helping me find a solution.
- The work is interesting – we focus on the most complex areas of tax; our clients are innovative; there is always something new to figure out.
- My colleagues are really the best in their fields – who wouldn’t want to get to work with them every day!
What do you enjoy most about your role?
At the core of my job, I solve problems. Whether it is a client looking to understand the complexities of US/UK tax, or a new way of working that needs to be implemented, I identify the problems and work to find the best solution. A lot of what I do is anticipating issues before they arise. This is by far my favourite part of my role.
What is one highlight from your career to date that stands out to you?
This is a hard question, but the most joy I get is when I am managing someone who achieves their goals; usually this comes at promotion season!
What specific challenges have you faced as a woman within the industry, and how did you overcome them?
I cannot name a specific challenge I have faced as a woman, and I do feel I work in a supportive and collaborative environment. However, my personal reflection is that often in order to succeed, women are held to higher standards than others. I can’t say I have found the solution to this society-wide issue, but I strive to ensure awareness of this, and equality of opportunity is consistently applied in all that we do.
Looking back on your career journey in tax so far, what top piece of advice would you give to someone looking to start their career in the industry?
To put your hand up for everything you can. There is so much knowledge that only comes with experience. Working with different people (clients, advisors) can really boost your skills, so my advice would be to take every opportunity you can to work with as many people as possible.