1. Our people
  2. Sector specialists

Our people

ForrestBrown’s team gives clients access to unrivalled breadth and depth of technical expertise across a range of innovation incentives.

Our team is 120-strong and comprises chartered tax advisers, chartered accountants, lawyers, sector specialists, former HMRC inspectors and quality assurance experts.

  • Tom Heslin MSc

    Associate Director

    • Leads our sector specialist team.
    • Expert on software guidance for R&D tax relief.
    • Master’s in Medical Image Computing.
    Tom Heslin
  • Tree MA FBCS

    Senior Sector Specialist

    • Software, electronics and physical sciences specialist.
    • Former CTO with 30 years’ experience in high-tech businesses.
    • MA in Physics from Cambridge University.
    Tree
  • Peter Beavis PhD MSci CSci CChem MRSC MIMMM

    Senior Sector Specialist

    • Highly experienced materials scientist.
    • Background in food science, pharma and defence. 
    • Doctorate in organic chemistry.
    Peter Beavis
  • Robin Taylor BEng MIED

    Senior Sector Specialist

    • 20 years’ mechanical engineering expertise.
    • Specialist in automotive body and electromechanical systems.
    • Plays a key role in optimising engineering R&D claims.
    Robin Taylor
  • Mike Harrison BSc(Eng) ACGI MNI

    Senior Sector Specialist

    • 35+ years of construction, manufacturing and marine engineering experience.
    • Studied Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College.
    • Built his own eco home on the Severn Estuary.
    Mike Harrison
  • Ben Wyatt LLB

    Senior Sector Specialist

    • Expert in a huge range of developer and cloud technologies.
    • 15 years of agency experience working across many sectors.
    • A dedicated resource at ForrestBrown for uncovering digital innovation.
    Ben Wyatt
  • Luke Sturgess-Durden MSc

    Sector Specialist

    • Over 20 years’ experience in software engineering.
    • Former CTO who has worked in many fields at startups and multinationals.
    • Worked in FinTech and Healthtech.
    Luke Sturgess Durden
  • Ryan Barr MS

    Senior Research Manager

    • Helps translate our clients’ complex scientific and technical projects into reports for HMRC.
    • Background in geophysics, having worked with onshore and offshore survey teams.
    • Building great relationships, ensuring time spent with clients is maximised.
    Ryan Barr
  • Kim Malik PhD

    Research Manager

    • Experienced scientist who helps communicate clients’ R&D projects to HMRC.
    • Doctorate in Organic Chemistry and degree in Biological and Medicinal Chemistry.
    • Gained R&D tax experience in the Big Four.
    Kim Malik
  • Robert Lutken MSc

    Research Manager

    • Communicates our clients’ scientific and technological projects to HMRC in technical reports.
    • Experienced full stack software engineer.
    • Masters in computer games development.
    Robert Lutken
Our people careers

Want to work for us?

We’re ForrestBrown, and we were ranked in The Sunday Times best small companies to work for in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Regionally, we were ranked number one across all companies to work for in the South West in 2018. Everyone at ForrestBrown is valued for who they are as well as what they can do.

We all share a common purpose: to help innovative businesses grow. If you’re thinking “where next?”, we’d love to hear from you.