Everyone is in it together, and there is a great deal of support available; it is a ‘true partnership’, and everyone’s opinion matters.
Zoe Martin, Tax Partner
Can you share with us your career journey and role at Bishop Fleming?
I left school after finishing my A-levels and took up a career in tax studying my ATT and then CTA to become a qualified tax advisor. Upon qualification, I moved to London and spent 12 years working for a mid-tier firm in Canary Wharf, where I embarked on further professional exams to become STEP-qualified. I left London in 2012 to join RSM in Bristol where I was promoted to Private Client Tax Partner 7 years later.
I joined Bishop Fleming in my current role as a Tax Partner in Cheltenham 6 months ago to lead the Private Client team and strengthen Bishop Fleming's Private Client offering in the region.
I have spent the majority of my career working with high-net-worth individuals, owner-managed businesses, and Trusts, focusing on Capital Gains and Inheritance Tax planning.
Alongside my professional life, I am also a proud mum to my two children aged 8 and 9.
What are the key skills you have that help you succeed in your role?
Understanding tax legislation and a commitment to keep updated with ongoing education and professional development are critical to a role in tax. Being able to explain complex tax legislation in simple terms to our clients is particularly important. We always think client at Bishop Fleming and try to put ourselves in the clients' shoes at every opportunity, identifying and resolving tax issues by listening to clients and understanding their key objectives and priorities.
Organisation skills are also very important for a role in tax and have definitely helped me succeed in my role to date. In Private Client, we manage multiple client relationships and deadlines, and therefore, keeping on top of your workload and achieving the right balance between personal and professional life has been key to my success.
Attention to detail and accuracy in tax work are crucial to ensuring that clients are compliant with their tax filings and that the firm maintains its high-quality standards and brand reputation at all times.
I am a positive and resilient person and both of these personality traits, along with a willingness to adapt to change, are essential in this rapidly evolving professional services industry and constantly changing tax legislation environment.
Strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain relationships are core to everything I do in my role, whether that be with clients, colleagues, intermediaries, or regulatory bodies. Providing exceptional client service and innovative solutions to complex tax issues leads to high client satisfaction, retention, and rewarding work.
What have been your most significant achievements so far?
One of my most significant achievements in my career to date is successfully balancing a demanding career with my personal life and achieving recognition for all the hard work when I was promoted to Partner while supporting a young family at home.
This has led to me serving as a positive role model, mentor, and coach for other colleagues over the years and a personal achievement of mine would be seeing colleagues achieving their full potential and knowing that I have helped to inspire and support them on their journey.
It gives me great satisfaction to create, build, and lead diverse, high-performing teams that contribute to the firm’s success.
I am also passionate about D&I and, in particular, supporting people to achieve their maximum potential by actively advocating for gender equality and diversity within the industry.
Since joining Bishop Fleming what has stood out to you about how we differ from other firms/partnerships?
Bishop Fleming is a very collaborative firm, and they openly share information with staff at all levels.
Everyone is in it together, and there is a great deal of support available; it is a ‘true partnership’, and everyone’s opinion matters.
Everyone shares the same common goal and is driven by a passion for progression. Bishop Fleming is not afraid to be different.
What's on the horizon for Bishop Fleming in the Cheltenham/Gloucestershire region?
The Cheltenham/Gloucestershire market has been underserved by the accounting profession for a number of years. There are a limited number of large and medium-sized practices that can offer the breadth of services or provide the level of expertise that organisations and high-net-worth Individuals in Bristol or Birmingham can expect. We aim to provide the market with more choices and a different outlook.
Having a presence in Cheltenham gives us better access to the dynamic Gloucestershire market and a wider pool of talented people. We want the Cheltenham office to grow rapidly, and double in size over the next few years.
What kind of talent are you looking to recruit in the Cheltenham office, and what opportunities and career prospects can potential employees expect?
We see a fantastic opportunity for growth in the region and have been on an exciting journey since opening our Cheltenham office in 2023. To meet our growth plans, we need to recruit many talented people in Cheltenham over the next few years, and as such, we are recruiting tax specialists for both our corporate and personal tax teams.
We are looking for friendly, professional, and confident individuals who want to take their careers to the next level and contribute to shaping our growth journey.
This is a great opportunity for our staff. As we offer more services and specialisms and grow our presence in the local market, this will give our staff the chance to work with interesting clients, develop professionally and progress a long and fulfilling career with Bishop Fleming.
Ready to shape your career in tax?
We're on an exciting growth journey and are actively recruiting tax specialists for our corporate and personal tax teams. If you’re looking for an opportunity to work with interesting clients, grow professionally, and be part of a collaborative and ambitious team, we want to hear from you.