Innovation funding in aerospace and defence

Karim works with large businesses, exploring all elements of the innovation toolkit, from R&D tax relief to grant funding. He takes a forward-looking approach, identifying opportunities which align with client projects and objectives.

Having previously led decarbonisation grant advisory for a Big Four firm in the UK, Karim joined ForrestBrown in 2023. His in-depth knowledge of grants provides further support for the innovative businesses we work with, enabling them to explore a wide range of funding opportunities.

Karim is a chartered engineer and gained more than five years’ experience as an engineering consultant and project manager for major infrastructure clients before specialising in innovation incentives. He has subsequently helped companies access millions of pounds from grant funding bodies such as Innovate UK, the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, and Scottish Enterprise in sectors including aerospace, energy and manufacturing.

Through this combination of technical and finance expertise, Karim is well placed to advise businesses on their eligibility for innovation funding and the most appropriate projects for which to seek funding support, at the same time contributing to meeting some our biggest societal challenges.

At ForrestBrown, Karim has also supported multinational companies seeking to invest and create jobs in the UK, for example securing government support for the location of new manufacturing facilities.

Beginning her career with a Big Four firm and gaining experience across a range of auditing and tax roles, Katy has specialised in R&D tax relief since joining ForrestBrown in 2019.

During a time of unprecedented change, Katy has led ForrestBrown’s approach to key policy developments including restrictions on overseas R&D activities and HMRC’s introduction of an additional information form. This has included liaising with HMRC, delivering internal training and providing insights to clients.

Clients working with Katy benefit from her commercial mindset and deep knowledge of R&D tax relief, including how it can work alongside other innovation incentives. She works with a range of established SMEs and large businesses in sectors including manufacturing, financial services and aerospace, where she is a trusted adviser on the RDEC incentive.

Katy co-authored the Tolley’s Tax Digest on R&D tax relief and has contributed articles to publications including Taxation and The CFO.

Peter’s experience ranges from getting a PhD and MSci in Chemistry and improving confectionery shelf-life to the invention of a patented elastomeric material for improved radiation stability.

His career started with a role as a chocolate scientist at Mars. That was followed by a move to the defence sector, where he finished a nine-year stint as a Senior Materials Scientist at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

During that period, he authored numerous scientific papers and spoke at international conferences on the synthesis and characterisation of novel polymers and materials. With ForrestBrown, Peter has also been published in The Manufacturer, The Medicine Maker, Interplas Insights, and the Confectionery Production publications.

That scientific and technical capability allows him to quickly understand, challenge and assess clients’ work against the R&D tax credit guidelines. And, it’s seeing the projects companies are able to fund due to the value of their claims – and the excitement they have – that’s driving him.

At ForrestBrown, Peter provides expert peer-to-peer communication for our clients on their technical projects, helping to translate their work into reports for HMRC. Examples of his work include reviewing a claim prepared by a Big Four accountancy firm – and significantly increasing the value of R&D tax relief to their business.

Pete works with our network of associations in the food and drink sector, using his background at Mars as a chocolate scientist to help businesses identify their hidden R&D in this industry. Supporting the activities of our partnerships team, Pete speaks at events, networks with businesses and hosts webinars with industry partners to raise awareness of the value of working with ForrestBrown’s expert multi-disciplinary team to access this valuable incentive.

With an infectious passion for all things science and materials, you can talk to Peter about pharma, food and drink, materials (adhesives, polymers and manufacturing) and engineering sectors.

Rob is an expert software engineer in our sector specialist team. He plays an invaluable role in translating our clients’ highly technical scientific R&D activity into reports for HMRC.

After graduating with a master’s degree in computer games development from the University of South Wales, he worked for a number of years as a full stack software developer for an award-winning digital agency.

With a passion for AR, VR, game and mobile app development, Rob acts as a conduit between our clients’ technical teams and our tax specialists, enabling us to communicate our clients’ complex R&D projects effectively to HMRC.

Rob is always keen to share his knowledge and has delivered Learning Lab presentations to the wider business on a range of topics.

Jayne is an experienced chartered accountant with Big Four experience, who has worked in both the UK and Middle East. She is a senior adviser in FB Consulting, ForrestBrown’s specialist tax advisory service. 

Jayne joined ForrestBrown in 2020 and brings a wealth of experience in leading complex tax advisory projects, which helps her provide invaluable advice to our clients. She also plays a key role in assessing and managing tax risks and leading client relationships with HMRC.

Drawing on her science background, she takes particular interest in the pharmaceutical and medical sectors. In her role with ForrestBrown, Jayne is focused on developing our advisory services to help more businesses across the UK benefit from R&D tax relief. This includes working with clients and accountants to create robust claims and providing strategic advice or specialist support should HMRC open an enquiry.

After completing a Master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, Jayne began her career with Deloitte in 2006. She was based in the entrepreneurial business tax practice and studied for her ACA qualification.

In 2010, she moved to Dubai to help establish Deloitte’s international tax practice for the Middle East region. She managed a diverse portfolio of clients including large multinationals, owner-managed companies and startups.

James leads our tax advisory practice, FB Consulting, providing award-winning R&D tax relief expertise to businesses and accountants. This can include modelling and forecasting, risk profiling and benchmarking, and advice on compliance and methodology for large corporates.

With a legal background and extensive experience dealing with HMRC, James brings incisive insights to tax disputes, developing strategies to achieve the best possible outcome for clients. For example, he successfully led ForrestBrown’s support for Quinn (London) Limited in a 2021 landmark tribunal case challenging the interpretation of subsidised R&D expenditure.

James and the FB Consulting team provide specialist advice, working alongside a company’s general advisers, including due diligence relating to R&D tax relief pre and post transactions and R&D in complex, international groups.

A solicitor who specialises in tax advice for corporates and individuals, with a focus on cross-border and international issues, James trained and qualified at a top London law firm before relocating to Geneva to help set up the firm’s Swiss office. On returning to the UK James worked in the tax team of a leading Bristol and London-based law firm, before joining ForrestBrown in 2019.

James has contributed commentary on R&D tax relief and tax disputes to publications including Bloomberg Law and International Tax Review.