Johnston Carmichael strengthens Newcastle team

Accountancy and business advisory firm Johnston Carmichael has bolstered its Newcastle team with the addition of senior tax specialists. 

Will Hamilton, Rebecca McColl and Zita Duggan bring decades of expertise across corporate tax, innovation tax incentives and R&D advisory.

Will joins as senior manager, with 24 years of experience in corporate tax compliance and strategic planning.

Rebecca, also a senior manager, specialises in R&D and innovation tax reliefs, while Zita, appointed as manager, focuses on employee share schemes and tax-efficient remuneration structures.

The new hires follow the recent appointments of Tom Harrison, a global mobility specialist, as well as Chris Hodgson, a leading private client tax director in the region. 

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.”

Since launching its Newcastle office in 2023, Johnston Carmichael has rapidly expanded, growing its team to 18 people and relocating to larger office spaces in August 2024 and again in April 2025 to support its future ambitions.

The firm now serves a diverse range of entrepreneurial businesses, scale-ups and established companies across the North East.

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