Bristol-based R&D tax credit consultancy ForrestBrown has appointed corporate tax specialist Jenny Tragner as a director.
She joins from French-headquartered Alma Consulting Group, where she was R&D tax director, and her arrival takes ForrestBrown’s team of R&D specialists to 17. 
A chartered accountant and member of the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT), Jenny, pictured, led Alma’s 11-strong team of R&D tax specialists and was responsible for overseeing all claims serviced by the consultancy.
Prior to this role, she was a tax manager within KPMG’s innovation reliefs and incentives team, and an assistant manager role in the Big Four firm’s capital allowances unit.
She has significant experience advising a range of blue-chip clients on maximising their R&D claims including McLaren Group, GlaxoSmithKline and Telefonica O2, and her sector experience spans FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods), automotive, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and food and drink.
She holds a seat on HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) R&D Consultative Committee, where she has fed into major policy consultations leading to new legislation governing the R&D tax credit scheme.
She will continue this role at ForrestBrown, which will enable the consultancy to advise its clients on the latest HMRC guidance concerning R&D tax relief as well as working with all stakeholders to help steep future policy decisions around R&D tax relief.
ForrestBrown managing director Simon Brown said: “Jenny’s track record speaks for itself and her involvement on the R&D Consultative Committee will add that extra layer of technical expertise and guidance that we can offer our clients.
“She will also be a major factor in our growth as we look to help many more companies benefit from the SME and Large Company R&D tax relief schemes.”
Jenny added: “I am excited to be joining a vibrant company during a period of such sustained growth. One of the main attractions for me was the culture and ethos that Simon and the team have created, and the talent that the business has recruited.
On her work with HMRC’s Consultative Committee, she said: “I’ve held my seat with the committee for several years now and I make a point of being an active member. It’s a privileged seat to hold and I am keen to make the most of it in terms of helping to streamline the process of submitting R&D claims which is in the interest of both HMRC and the clients we as tax professionals represent.”
In the past six months ForrestBrown has recouped more than £14.5m for clients with a 100% success rate for claims submitted to HMRC, and with
It has also recently developed its website to provide detailed information on how it can work in partnership with tax advisers to offer a niche and non-competing service to their clients.
