RfM Accountants + more RfM Exchange contact us home RfM offices RfM people services business questions news testimonials resources more personal Our people are what make us stand out from the crowd. Get to know them here or, even better, call in for a chat about your business needs and meet them in person. RfM people More personal More attentive More thorough Gillian Isibor Partner Gillian has been with the practice for over 14 years, and a partner at the Preston office since 2008. She specialises in advising clients on all aspects of technical tax planning for a broad range of situations, and has helped a number of clients sell their businesses over the years, advising on the taxation aspects of a sale taking place. Many of our clients choose to stay with us year after year and that’s in no small part down to Gillian’s attentive and personal approach. She takes time to get to know her clients and works closely with them to help them get the most out of their business. To Gillian, jargon is just another word for confusing, and she takes care to make sure her clients easily understand the complexities of tax and accounting matters. Small businesses and start-ups who choose RfM will also benefit from Gillian’s expertise as she heads up the Small Business department at RfM Preston, with a particular emphasis on giving advice and support to new companies as they take those vital first steps into the world of business. More connected More accessible More committed Paul Newsham Consultant Paul acts as a consultant to the firm. With many years’ experience and knowledge of accounting, business and management, Paul can always be relied upon to give sound advice on getting the most from your business. He specialises in helping owner-managers to develop the skills needed to grow their business and make it successful. Paul challenges himself to solve any problem a client presents him with or, if he can’t, put them in touch with someone who can. His connections include a number of long-standing RfM clients who he has been advising since they first started in business many years ago. Though he assures us his golf swing is worse than his jokes, Paul also has an interest in working with Sportsmen and Entertainers. More trusted More compassionate More dedicated Elaine Harris Managing Partner Elaine’s career has included roles at Nat West and six years at the Inland Revenue, prior to joining RfM in 2005. Her journey from assistant in the tax department to partner is the result of hard work and dedication and a knack for building long-standing working relationships with clients. Her experience has given her a great deal of expertise in the owner-managed sector, from new start ups right through to large enterprises. Care and professionalism lie at the heart of Elaine’s approach, balanced with a willingness to get stuck in and a wealth of knowledge on tax and regulatory matters. If you come to Elaine with a business or tax query, not only will you get a warm welcome and a cup of tea, you will go away happy that you have been given sound advice, that you can clearly understand and act upon. More connected More respected More results Peter Armer Partner After training in private practice Peter moved into industry, where he honed his skills as a Chartered Management Accountant. He made his fair share of big boardroom decisions in his roles as Director of Finance and IT at European Metal Recycling, Director of Finance and Estates at the University of Cumbria, and Director of Supply with BAE Systems. In 2012, Peter formed his own private practice, providing the specialist skills he gained in his commercial roles to clients in Morecambe, Lancaster and surrounding areas, with a particular specialism in business change, business process re-engineering, strategic planning and acquisitions and mergers. In 2015, Peter’s practice became RfM Morecambe and he also heads up RfM Lancaster. As if all that doesn’t keep him busy enough, Peter has been a Non-Executive Director for a local NHS Foundation Trust for three years, where he is Chair of the Audit Committee and the Organ Donation Committee, and has a place on the Finance Committee. More personal More dedicated More knowledgeable Rachel Brownsmith Partner Rachel developed her skills and qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant during 14 years working for a global fire protection business. In the course of her journey to the challenging position of Financial Planning and Analysis Accountant, Rachel gained a great deal of knowledge and understanding of the financial issues that affect global businesses. Rachel took up her first role within private practice in 2013; her meticulous attention to detail, enthusiastic hands-on approach and high standards of client service, ensuring she was soon asked to become a partner. Rachel is now a partner at the RfM Morecambe and RfM Lancaster offices. More committed More trusted More responsible Alan Meikle Partner Alan began his career in practice in 1983 at a firm of accountants in Lancaster and qualified as a Chartered Accountant three years later. He remained with the firm for 11 years, gaining invaluable experience in audit and later managing the business in South Cumbria. With a largely rural client base, Alan learned all the ins and outs of farming tax and accounts, making him quite literally an expert in the field. Alan’s specialist knowledge and experience secured him a position at Barbara M Thompson Accountants in Pilling in 1994 and he became a partner in the business in 1998. In the summer of 2015, BMT Accountants joined RfM to become known as RfM Fylde. The practice operates from the same office in the rural village of Pilling with Alan as partner. Clients from all walks of life and business – some of whom neither use computers, the internet or email – are grateful for Alan’s flexible approach and his commitment to providing a friendly, efficient service and clear, jargon-free tax advice. Alan is also involved with a number of local charities and is treasurer of the Halton Community Centre. More personal More thorough More Professional Lee Tomlinson Director Designate Lee joined RfM Preston in summer 2015 to take up the role of Client Manager. It didn’t take Lee long to find his feet though as he was already a familiar face, having spent several years at the practice earlier in his career, as part of the Audit and Tax teams. Lee’s return, after nine years in a number of industry roles – including Group Accountant at JWT Waste Services and Finance Director at Heatex Group – is great news for RfM’s corporate clients. Lee has walked in commercial shoes, in the boardroom and on the shop floor, and understands the pressures and constraints of running a business. Having influenced strategic business decisions and taken a ‘hands-on’ approach to making critical improvements and achieving impressive commercial results, he’s not shy when it comes to helping RfM’s larger clients. Lee’s drive and enthusiasm have seen him work his way up through the accounting ranks, since starting out in practice as a school-leaver over 20 years ago. As well as his dedication to going the extra mile to support his clients, Lee is committed to sharing the benefit of his experiences to support the next generation of finance professionals who might be starting out from school, just as he did. our services Find out why we're so much more than just accountants. RfM people Our people are what makes us stand out from the crowd. Meet them here. testimonials We take pride in our 'client-focused' approach. 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