Paul Shields

Mr Shields joins Johnston Carmichael after 25 years of advising clients across the north-east of England.

A qualified auditor, he will work with partner and head of VAT, Alex Nicholson, also based in Newcastle, to grow Johnston Carmichael’s presence across the north-east and provide high quality advice to local businesses.

Having established an office at the start of this year in the centre of Newcastle, the team has been expanding rapidly, appointing its first graduate to the firm’s student programme, and it has plans to grow further in the next year.

The Newcastle team is focused on supporting the region’s most prominent sectors, including, amongst others, engineering and manufacturing and construction and property, providing a wide range of services to help businesses achieve their growth plans or expand internationally.

Established in the north of Scotland almost 90 years ago, Johnston Carmichael has grown to a business of more than 850 people spread across Scotland, the north-east of England and London, and incorporates a team of over 150 tax specialists.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Shields said: “Johnston Carmichael is a successful and growing firm with extremely knowledgeable people dedicated to supporting businesses. As a large independent firm, we have the scale and experience to offer a diverse range of services while being wholly committed to the north-east and responsive to the needs of businesses based in the region.

“As we embark on a new era of devolution in the north-east, it is an exciting time to be working with local businesses and growing our team. I’m looking forward to coordinating with colleagues across the firm and making the local marketplace aware that we are here and keen to engage, supported by our specialist knowledge from across the firm.”

Andrew Walker, CEO of Johnston Carmichael, added: “We welcome Paul to the firm as we grow our team in the north-east of England. He is a well-established figure in the business community with a deep knowledge of local sectors.

“We have been speaking with local businesses for some time now, listening intently to them about the services they require to support their operations and achieve their ambitions. We will build on that insight and bring our decades of experience of being trusted advisers in business communities across Scotland to the north-east of England.”