40 under 40 for 2015

Welcome to 40 under 40 for 2015. This publication gives our pick of some of the best young professionals working in tax today.

I offer my congratulations to all the individuals profiled below. This is the third time we have published this guide. We received a record number of entries, and the quality was exceptional.

What sets this guide apart is the methodology behind our selection. Everyone will have an opinion on who should be listed, so, to help us make the best selection, a team of independent and experienced researchers evaluated all submissions. This was no small undertaking. The team took up hundreds of references from clients, employers and peers. We were looking for technical excellence, commercial nous and first-rate client skills.

Thank you to everyone involved and, in particular, to those who supplied detailed references. The standard of entries made for very difficult decisions. Everyone profiled comes very highly rated.

Paul Stainforth, Editor, Tax Journal

The names and faces

(Alphabetically by surname)

Anna Anthony, partner, head of UK financial services tax, EY

William Arrenberg, partner, Herbert Smith Freehills

Marie Barber, tax partner, Kinetic Partners

Jo Bateson, partner, KPMG

Jonathan Bremner, barrister, Pump Court Tax Chambers

John Brinsmead-Stockham, barrister, 11 New Square

Nick Clayton, senior associate and solicitor advocate, Herbert Smith Freehills

Yvonne Cypher, tax partner, PwC

Paul Davison, partner, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Aaron Fairhurst, partner, CMS Cameron McKenna

Mark Feldman, vice president, tax strategy and business support, Pearson

Matthew Findley, partner and head of share plans & incentives, Pinsent Masons

Philippe Freund, barrister, Joseph Hage Aaronson

Jill Gatehouse, partner, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Tim George, partner, Withers

Sonia Gilbert, partner, Clifford Chance

Pete Hackleton, tax partner, Saffery Champness

Judy Harrison, senior associate, Norton Rose Fulbright

David Hewitt, tax partner, Grant Thornton

Lizzie Hill, partner, Deloitte

James Hume, associate, Slaughter and May

Warren Hyams, managing director, WLH Tax

Helena Kanczula, senior tax manager, Hazlems Fenton

Paul Knight, partner, head of not for profit tax, BDO

Jonathan Legg, tax partner, Mishcon de Reya

Richard Montague, tax partner, BDO

Rory Mullan, barrister, 15 Old Square

Prabhu Narasimhan, partner, White & Case

Steven Porter, senior associate, Pinsent Masons

Gregory Price, associate, Slaughter and May

Dawn Register, partner, tax dispute resolution, BDO

Nicola Roberts, partner, Deloitte

Lachlan Roos, partner, PwC

Paul Rutherford, partner, DLA Piper UK

Paul Scully, international tax partner, Grant Thornton

Nick Skerrett, head of contentious tax, Simmons & Simmons

Chris Springett, associate director, private client tax services, Smith & Williamson

Matt Townsend, partner, Deloitte

Heather Williams, senior manager, UHY Hacker Young

Matthew Woods, partner, Withers

Learn more about 40 Under 40's background and rules