Ballards has strengthened its growing Birmingham and West Midlands advisory offering with the appointment of experienced Corporate Tax & Transactions Partner Francesca Hutcheson.
Francesca has joined the independent business advisory firm and will play a key role in supporting the continued growth of Ballards’ tax offering across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.
Her appointment forms part of Ballards’ wider investment in Birmingham and its commitment to building an increasingly strong, partner-led advisory presence across the Midlands.
Francesca brings extensive experience advising ambitious owner-managed and entrepreneurial businesses, privately owned groups and their shareholders. Her specialist areas include corporate tax advisory, tax structuring, exit and succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, employee reward, and tax reliefs including R&D and capital allowances.
Prior to joining Ballards, Francesca spent four years as a Tax Partner with Azets, working across its Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury offices. Before that, she held senior tax roles with leading independent firms and spent 12 years with a Big Four firm.
A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (FCA), Francesca has extensive experience helping businesses and their shareholders navigate complex tax matters, transactions, growth and succession.
At Ballards, she will focus particularly on developing relationships with privately owned businesses and their shareholders, as well as strengthening the firm’s wider referral network across the region.
Francesca said: “I am delighted to have joined Ballards at such an exciting time for the firm. Ballards has established a strong reputation as a genuinely partner-led, advisory-focused and independent business, and I was particularly attracted by its ambitious plans for future growth. I’m looking forward to working closely with clients and colleagues to provide practical, commercially focused tax advice, and to helping develop the firm’s tax offering across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.”
Martin Adams, Partner and Head of Tax at Ballards, said: “Francesca is a fantastic addition to our team. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise, particularly in advising ambitious privately owned businesses and their shareholders, and her appointment augments our tax advisory presence in Birmingham and the wider Midlands market. We remain committed to providing market-leading tax advisory services, and Francesca’s appointment further strengthens our ability to support clients through every stage of their business journey.”
With over 170 professionals across the West Midlands, Ballards continues to build its advisory capabilities and strengthen its commitment to supporting businesses across the region.
