Leading UK accountancy and business advisory firm Johnston Carmichael has strengthened its tax offering in the North East with a series of senior tax appointments.

Will Hamilton, Rebecca McColl and Zita Duggan have joined the Newcastle office to further strengthen its specialist tax services, bringing decades of combined experience across corporate tax, innovation tax incentives, and R&D advisory support.

Will joins as a Senior Manager, bringing 24 years’ experience in corporate tax compliance and strategic planning. Rebecca, also a Senior Manager, brings strong expertise in R&D and innovation tax reliefs, while Zita, appointed as Manager, specialises in employee share schemes and tax-efficient remuneration structures.

Since launching its Newcastle office in 2023, Johnston Carmichael has experienced rapid growth, expanding to a team of 18 people and relocating larger office spaces in both August 2024 and April 2025 to support its future ambitions. The firm now advises a wide range of entrepreneurial businesses, scale-ups and established companies across the North East.

Alex Nicholson, Partner and Head of VAT and Indirect Tax, said: “From day one, our ambition in Newcastle has been to combine technical expertise with a local, hands-on approach to client service. In under two years, we’ve built a fantastic team, and the arrival of Will, Rebecca and Zita marks another exciting step forward.

“Their experience will be vital as we continue to grow and support even more brilliant businesses across the region. It’s fantastic to be able to offer the local market the full suite of tax services from our Newcastle team, with specialists in personal taxation, corporate tax, VAT, innovation taxes, employee incentives, employment tax and global mobility.”

The new hires follow the earlier appointments of Tom Harrison, a highly experienced global mobility specialist, and Chris Hodgson, one of the North East’s leading private client tax directors, advising clients across a range of complex tax matters.

Earlier this year, Johnston Carmichael was recognised nationally, with two of its VAT and its Transactional Tax teams shortlisted for the 2025 Tolley’s Taxation Awards, which recognises technical excellence, innovation, and outstanding client service across the sector. The VAT team has also recently been announced as a finalist in the ‘Excellence in Tax’ category at this year’s North East Accountancy Awards, which will be taking place on 3rd July at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead.