Elizabeth Leonard

It is hoped that Ms Leonard’s appointment will help extend its client base in a post-pandemic economy, and beyond.

Ms Leonard will manage the firm’s Corporate Tax Compliance team, with the aim of building increasing market share in the Corporate Tax sector.

Ms Leonard will provide tax compliance and advisory services to the firms existing portfolio, helping them to navigate the ever-changing, complex tax landscape, whilst providing proactive effective solutions in the process.

Ms Leonard’s appointment will see her come full circle, after she started her career at French Duncan, undertaking her tax traineeship at the firm in the late 1990s.

Graeme Finnie, managing partner at French Duncan, said: “We’re thrilled to appoint Elizabeth as Head of Corporate Tax Compliance.

“As our firm has grown in recent years, we have needed to focus more heavily on specialised service lines and creating this new role is further evidence of the progress French Duncan continues to make. The service we deliver gets better year on year and Elizabeth will help us accelerate this in the field of Corporate Tax Compliance.

“It’s a pleasure hiring someone who trained with the firm and who, after a successful career with larger national firms, has decided to return to where it all started for her. Not only is she a brilliant tax practitioner but she is also a great personality to have in the team.”

Elizabeth Leonard added: “It’s exciting to come back full circle to the firm that I received my traineeship at – albeit, more than two decades later! I am already enjoying the challenges that come with this new role, leading the Corporate Tax compliance team and working closely with clients. I look forward to helping French Duncan continue to grow over the years to come.”

Ms Leonard was previously Associate Director in the Corporate Tax Team at RSM and also previously worked at Grant Thornton, in a career spanning more than two decades.