Meet The Team

Stewart Davies ACA FCCA MAAT Cert PFS – Director

Stewart has over thirty years’ experience in the accountancy profession dealing with owner managed businesses. As well as ensuring that their accounts and tax affairs are in order and any liability minimised, Stewart deals with all manner of clients’ problems; finding solutions and communicating these to clients in a clear, efficient manner.

The captain of our ship – Stewart is dedicated to ensuring the best experience for everyone at Philip Burley & Co., and is keen to ensure we are as successful as a practice as his beloved Manchester United are at the beautiful game.

Mark Sheen Tax Consultant FCA CTA – Client Manager

Mark, our skilled Tax Consultant joined Philip Burley & Co. in 2020 bringing a wealth of expertise in tax advice to the team. He can be relied on for some solid tax advice and will be busy preparing tax returns and accounts on a daily basis.

Mark says our warm and supportive environment is the best part of working here, and he values the friendliness of his colleagues, always willing to lend a helping hand. With a long career under his belt, Mark is dreaming of future retirement with plenty of shortbread at hand!

Outside the office, Mark is an avid runner and his fitness is uncompromised by a Coke as his choice of beverage on a night out. Mark’s expertise and friendly demeanour make him an invaluable asset to our team.

Sylvia G. Barker CTA – Client Manager

Sylvia is a chartered tax advisor with a vast knowledge of taxation and HMRC compliance, she has over thirty years experience in her field.

Jonathan Smith – Accounts Senior, FCCA

Jonathan joined us at Philip Burley & Co. in 2019, having qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2012, he is now a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants, bringing expertise in payroll, accounts and tax. He is a great supporter of our junior colleagues’ CPD, and he celebrates the community spirit within our team – we didn’t bribe him to say ‘it is the best I’ve experienced in my career so far.’
Jonathan’s keen eye for detail in the office is reflected in the miniature painting he is dedicated to out of the office. His ninja-level patience is proven when we reveal his favourite cake… he’s prepared to wait for a baked cheesecake!

Choosing a booze-free pear cider in the pub means Jonathan always has a clear head for figures!

Tanya Bailey – Tax Manager

Tanya has been with our practice since 1998 and she became part of our busy taxation and VAT department in 2000. Celebrating 25 years with the practice and with over 20 years now managing our clients’ VAT returns and tax returns at Philip Burley & Co. she’s our in-house tax expert.

Committed to continually helping our clients, she loves the variety of her work and we love what she does! She’s totally deserving of a cool, crisp cider at the end of the week to unwind after juggling figures!

Craig Moth – Practice Manager, FMAAT

Celebrating 25 years at Philip Burley & Co. in 2023, Craig is now our Practice Manager, having joined the company in 1998 as an accounts junior. Rising through the team to achieve a Fellow membership of The Association of Accounting Technicians, we’re very proud of his continuing professional development. He really knows his stuff and keeps our team running smoothly with his skills and experience and he is happiest with a Botham’s chocolate eclair in hand while testing new software!

Devoted fan of WTFC Craig is an avid supporter and integral part of the club – always happy to chat about football or your finances because WAWAW.

Emma Harland – Accounts Senior, FCCA

Emma joined Philip Burley & Co. in 2020, bringing her degree in Accounting & Finance, and Fellow Chartered and Certified Accountant qualification and expertise to the team. She enjoys the variety of preparing accounts for our diverse range of clients, and also the camaraderie within our team. Emma’s dedication to her work speaks volumes about her passion for the profession and her positive approach make her a valued member of our team.

We’re excited to support her career as she progresses and look forward to seeing what happens in her future. One thing’s for sure – what we’ll be sipping at any future celebrations is a glass of Prosecco!

Alan Wright – Accounts/Payroll Clerk

Alan returned to Philip Burley & Co. in 2019 for his second stint, with his first being way back in the 1980s – meaning he’s had longer out of our office than his beloved Everton have had out of the Premier League! We’re delighted to have him back in our top-of-the-league practice; working on accounts, VAT and payroll services for our clients and he’s a great asset to our supportive team.

His drink of choice is an ‘Old Peculiar’, which oddly is the same choice of words we’d give to his pastime passions: the ELO and Laurel & Hardy!

We’re more onboard with his choice of sweet treat – a Botham’s Chocolate Jap – delicious.

Danielle Walker – Accounts Technician

Danielle, achieved a First in her Accounting and Finance degree, before joining our practice in 2022. She says the variety of account preparation, VAT handling, and bookkeeping, means she never feels stuck in a routine. Aspiring to become a qualified accountant, Danielle’s enthusiasm and dedication to her career growth is as impressive as the determination she shows on the hockey pitch at weekends!

What stands out for her at the office is the support from colleagues, fostering a collaborative and friendly atmosphere. We say ‘Cheers’ to that and Danielle’s bright future at Philip Burley & Co. with her favourite drink, a Raspberry Vodka Lemonade!

Holly Gale – Trainee Payroll Technician, MAAT

Holly started her accountancy career working at her father’s practice in 2012. She became AAT qualified in 2016 and joined us midway through 2021. We’re delighted to support Holly’s professional development as she studies for her ACA qualification alongside her daily duties preparing precise payroll for our clients.

Her choice of chill out beverage is between a Passoa and lemonade or a tequila – depending on how “taxing” the working week has been!

Michelle Smith – Accounts Technician AAT Level 3. Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor

Michelle joined Philip Burley & Co. in 2018 as an apprentice and has since flourished. With AAT Level 3 completed and AAT Level 4 in progress, we’re really proud that she’s working through her qualifications here. Michelle’s days are filled with diverse tasks, from accounts and payroll to VAT and bookkeeping. She’s also the go-to person for Craig’s admin needs!

What Michelle enjoys most about her role? ‘Having Yorkshire Tea on tap’. Although her appreciation does extend to the friendly team at PB & Co., making her workdays enjoyable. Her bubbly personality is matched by her choice of beverage being Prosecco, although her alternative choice of a Sambuca on a night out is as serious as her commitment to her career!

Lily Collinson – Accounts Clerk

Lily, our dedicated Accounts Clerk, joined Philip Burley & Co. in 2022. She’s super detail-oriented and spends her days ensuring our accounts are perfectly organised. What Lily loves most about her role is the sense of accomplishment when everything is tidy and in order after completing her tasks.

We’re impressed by Lily’s commitment to her professional development and her focus on completing her current college course, she’s a real asset to our team. Her passion for horses keeps her busy out of the office and she’ll be found celebrating her equestrian successes with a glass of white wine.

Lily’s meticulous nature and positive spirit greatly enhance our team dynamic.

Jude Readman – Secretary

Jude, our super secretary, initially worked part-time when she joined our team in October 2016, handling secretarial duties and preparing VATs. Now she is here full time; managing new client interactions around secretarial tasks and our credit control.

Jude enjoys the variety of each day, and the camaraderie among our colleagues at Philip Burley & Co. She’s a real bookworm, her dream (if she wasn’t keeping us organised), would be to own a bookshop! She loves orange and lemon cakes or biscuits and Limoncello and lemonade is her top tipple, please don’t be sour when you speak to her though – her pet peeve is rudeness!

Harry Wright – Apprentice Accountant

Our newest recruit joined Philip Burley & Co. in 2023, Harry is enjoying each new challenge he faces as he learns about preparing accounts. When asked about his favourite aspect of working for PB & Co., Harry says, “The people.” – we love this answer! With ambitions to become a chartered accountant, Harry’s dedication to his career growth is evident, and we’re excited to help him along this journey.

Another footy fanatic on our team… although Harry’s favourite drink is a serious Baby Guinness, at least his favourite biscuit – a classic custard cream is not contentious.

Heather Zink – Receptionist

The first face you’ll see at the office is Heather, our friendly receptionist. Since she joined the team in 2022 Heather leads our customer welcome at Philip Burley & Co. and she says she loves meeting new people every day! Keeping us in order with typing, filing, and handling our admin; we’re grateful that Heather is content as part of our warm, friendly team – apparently the way to keep her happy is a classic jam tart.

Heather is dedicated to her family and friends and the best times are had with them and a lager on a night out!

Joseph Leather – Trainee Accountant

New to our team in 2024 as a trainee accountant, Joseph has a degree in Accounting & Finance so it’s no surprise he says he is enjoying getting to grips with Excel! With his student days behind him he’s now knuckling down to become a qualified accountant, although he still enjoys a Moretti or two on a night out. As a triathlete Joseph is used to performing well in multiple disciplines so we’re sure he’ll take preparing accounts, completing Self Assessment and Corporation Tax returns, VAT and Bookkeeping in his stride!

Paul French – Trainee Accountant

Paul has a good head for figures with a degree in Mathematics under his belt, and is ready to start working towards becoming a qualified accountant here at Philip Burley & Co. As a trainee accountant he is enjoying how productive our busy office is and is relishing his new responsibilities for completing Self Assessment and Corporation Tax returns, VAT and Bookkeeping. Getting to grips with new software doesn’t phase Paul either as he’s used to battling on new fronts in his spare time when he’s wargaming.

Passionate about anything to do with history, and partial to a good chocolate cake he fits right in.