VAT & Property Conference 2026

Colin has worked at M&G Plc for over a decade, advising on VAT matters related to its property funds in the UK and Europe. He takes an active role in the industry, lobbying HMRC and HM Treasury for change, and at the time of writing is chair of the Real Estate: UK VAT Committee (formerly the British Property Federation).

The co-author of VAT on Construction, Land and Property, published by Scammell & Nyland, Chris Nyland has specialised in the taxation of real estate and the built environment for two decades. He was a partner at Gowling WLG and continues to provide consultancy services to some of the largest property operators in the UK. He is a member of the Real Estate: UK VAT Committee, a member of the CIOT’s Property Taxes committee, and a regular contributor to Tax Journal.

Richard leads BDO’s real estate and construction VAT service line. He is currently a member of Real Estate: UK’s VAT Committee and sits on and contributes to HMRC’s Land and Property Liaison Group. Richard combines a commercial approach with the capacity for deep technical analysis. Whether it’s a complex development, an investment acquisition or a portfolio restructuring, Richard helps clients understand and manage their VAT position effectively.

Daniel Taylor is the Deputy Director responsible for VAT Reliefs, Financial Services and Insurance. Daniel has over thirty years’ experience within HMRC, of which over twenty years has been spent in VAT policy. This has included place of supply of services policy, negotiating on EU Exit and the Windsor Framework, and introducing the changes to private schools and the Great British Summer Savings. Daniel is a Chartered Tax Adviser.

Helen leads the Real Estate Deals Indirect Tax team at PwC. She and her team provide VAT advice on all aspects of the deal lifecycle across all asset classes. In addition, Helen manages a large compliance portfolio of non-UK established landlords that frequently encounter issues with VAT recovery due to the place of supply of the services which they receive. Helen has been involved in recent discussions with HMRC on the place of supply of services in the context of what is considered land related and is active in trying to ensure that clarity is provided.

Louise Cowell is a VAT Director at RSM where she leads the firm’s Real Estate VAT team nationally. She is an active member of the Real Estate: UK VAT Committee and has over 16 years’ experience advising clients in the real estate and construction sectors. Louise specialises in supporting clients on complex VAT matters relating to property transactions, development projects and construction activities, across a number of asset classes including residential, retail and logistics.

Robert Waterson leads Eversheds Sutherland’s UK Tax Disputes practice. Recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers, he specialises in complex, high-value direct and indirect tax litigation, HMRC enquiries, cross-border disputes, and public law challenges. He regularly acts for multinational corporations, financial institutions, and high-net-worth individuals in significant tax controversies and strategic litigation.

Martin is the co-author of VAT on Construction, Land and Property, published by Scammell & Nyland. He started out in VAT Policy in Customs & Excise, was a Partner at Ernst & Young, and then head of indirect tax at Eversheds. He is technical secretary to Real Estate: UK VAT Committee, and a member of the JVCC, of HMRC’s Land and Property Liaison Group, and of the CIOT’s indirect taxes and property taxes committees.