RCK Compliance

The compliance team exists to protect our clients and colleagues by ensuring that the work that RCK produce is fair, correct, and well-evidenced. At RCK we take responsibility for the review process, as well as acting as a hub for tax-technical expertise and dealing with any correspondence with the tax authorities. Our compliance and review team has been made totally independent of our delivery team, as opposed to a more common peer review process.
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The team scrutinise each claim with the tax inspector mindset before it goes out – so we have all the answers to the questions HMRC might ask. Not only does this reduce the risk of enquiry, but it makes dealing with those that do arise much more efficient. We look to uplift claims where possible however in the event that you are overclaiming to manage risk we will reduce the amount if necessary.

Reviews take place at the submission stage when written evidence of R&D is drafted, the financial assessment has been calculated, and the complete submission package has been finalised. Our team manage the list of deadlines for the firm, whether this is submissions to HMRC, or correspondence deadlines agreed with clients or inspectors. We also have a daily check up with our consultants to make sure nothing slips through the gaps.

Meet the Compliance Team

Read our latest blog post on Compliance

The Importance of Compliance When Claiming R&D Tax Relief

Former HMRC R&D Compliance Officer and current RCK HMRC Liaison, Alex Marshall, shares his insight on how compliance is everything when claiming R&D tax relief. Compliance within the R&D tax relief scheme has never been more important, with the results of HMRC’s Mandatory Random Enquiry Programme (MREP), outlining greater levels of error and fraud than previously expected, resulting in a major overhaul in activity to tackle non-compliance. But how did we get here?

Sophie Spells

Head of Legal, Data and Compliance and General Counsel

Sophie’s legal career has spanned over 13 years. Prior to joining RCK she has spent the last seven years leading an in-house legal, data and compliance team at a top law firm. Her experience incorporates all things legal (contracts/ litigation/ corporate), data protection, procurement, costs challenges, funding, compliance and dispute resolution. Prior to this, she worked in private practice in asset finance at Norton Rose, specialising in Shipping and Aviation Finance.

In her roles as both General Counsel and Head of Legal, Data and Compliance, Sophie safeguards the business by ensuring the adoption of best-practice principles in all areas of corporate governance and departmental procedure. With her wealth of legal, data and compliance knowledge she is consistently tightening RCK’s security which is consistent with RCK’s adopted mission to be the safest and most security-conscious provider of services in our industry.

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Chris Johnson (Former HMRC)

Compliance Manager

Chris Johnson joined RCK Partners from HMRC, where he was a Higher Officer within VAT compliance, dealing with complex VAT cases. Chris has also gained extensive experience working within the private banking sector as a Senior Trust Officer, where he gained a high level of taxation knowledge in capital gains, inheritance and income tax.

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Gosia Szalega

HMRC Liaison

Gosia obtained BSc (Hons) in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and MSc in International Business and Management. She has previously spent more than 3 years working in R&D Tax both in the UK and in Canada, where she was heavily involved in claim preparation and defence.

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Alex Marshall

HMRC Liaison

Alex Marshall joined RCK directly from HMRC’s R&D department, bringing more than 3 years of experience as an R&D Compliance officer. In his new role as HMRC Liaison at RCK, Alex will play a crucial role in the Compliance team by responding to HMRC enquiries and advising on our approach to claims.

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Pia Chakrabarty

Assistant Manager

Pia is an audit and accounting professional with extensive experience in statutory audit procedures, accounting principles and financial reporting.

She has audited clients listed on various stock exchange (NSE/BSE/SEC) in sectors such as manufacturing, IT services and healthcare services, and has been responsible for auditing a whole unit of an NSE listed company, performing SOX audit for an SEC listed client.

Pia has assisted clients in preparation of standalone and consolidated financial statements in line with respective accounting framework, with subsidiaries in various countries.

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Taher Ebrahim

Compliance Consultant

Taher graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in Economics and French, during which time he studied at the Toulouse School of Economics. With recent experience in the not-for-profit sector, Taher worked as an Assistant Research Analyst in Paris before developing his audit skills back in the UK.

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Mohammed Yusufali

Compliance Consultant

Mohammed graduated from University of Portsmouth with a degree in Accounting and Finance. He has worked in various industries including retail and manufacturing with broad commercial acumen and a thorough understanding of the accounting process.

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