Tax, tech, and other stuff

In this episode of Tax, Tech & Other Stuff, Russell is joined by Tom Elsbury and Shilin Chen to explore how the R&D tax market is evolving under increased scrutiny — and how AI is reshaping the way claims are prepared and defended.They discuss the shift from the “Wild West” era of R&D claims to today’s more robust, standardised environment, and what rising inquiry rates mean for consultants and claimant companies. The conversation explores why Word and Excel still dominate the process, how AI is transforming technical narrative writing and baseline research, and whether HMRC is using AI in enquiries.It’s a grounded, practical look at where R&D tax is heading — and why the future is likely to involve smarter tools, stronger processes, and humans firmly in the loop.

In this episode of Tax, Tech & Other Stuff, Russell switches things up and welcomes three guests from the legal world - Andy Wright, Hugo Cassidy, and Rachel Coleman from Pinsent Masons - to explore how AI is reshaping legal services and what tax teams can learn from the legal profession. They discuss how AI is being used in practice today, from automating routine workflows to crafting 800-prompt due diligence engines, and why risk management, not cost-cutting, is becoming one of the biggest AI use cases. The conversation dives deep into prompting skills, human oversight, training the next generation of lawyers, and the uncomfortable question: what happens to junior roles as AI accelerates? Whether you're in tax, legal, or any professional services role trying to make sense of AI’s impact on people, processes, and business models, this episode offers both realism and optimism - and plenty of parallels between industries. 

In this episode, Russell chats with Alex Mann, Managing Director at Harvey John and one of the few recruiters focused exclusively on tax technology and transformation. They dig into the evolution of tax careers - from traditional compliance paths to hybrid data roles - and how AI and automation are shifting the hiring landscape. Alex shares honest takes on what clients really want, why LinkedIn matters more than cold calls, and how roles are changing faster than most teams can keep up. If you’ve ever wondered where tax tech talent comes from - and where it’s heading - this one’s not to be missed.

In this episode of Tax, Tech and Other Stuff, Russell sits down with John McSorley, co-founder of Ilumis, a boutique tax technology firm launched in 2025. They talk entrepreneurship, workflow, and AI - covering everything from founding a lean consultancy, to building agentic AI tools that do the “grunt work” of tax. John shares lessons from his career across Big Four, in-house roles, and now as a founder, offering practical insight into what makes tax tech projects succeed (and why so many fail). If you’ve ever struggled to make workflow tools stick - or wondered how AI can actually help your team - this one’s for you. 

In this episode, Russell chats with Stevie Frooninckx, Co-Founder and CEO of Loctax, about what happens when two innovators join forces. They discuss the story behind Tax Systems’ acquisition of Loctax, how data and AI are shaping a new “tax operating system,” and why collaboration - not code - is the real differentiator. From integration to innovation, this conversation explores what’s next for connected tax technology.

In this episode of Tax, Tech and Other Stuff, Russell catches up with Nick Stobbs, Co-Founder & CEO of Syntax AI Limited, to explore how tax technology is shifting from back-office support to front-line strategy. They discuss the pressures of digital transformation, why automation alone isn’t enough, and the real barriers to adoption (spoiler: it’s rarely the tech). From client behaviours to compliance design, this conversation covers what’s changing - and what still needs to. If you’ve ever wrestled with process, platforms, or people, this episode will feel very familiar. 

In this episode of Tax, Tech and Other Stuff, Russell is joined by Sam Chilvers, Director at Forvis Mazars and Kimberley Clague, Operations Business Partner to Tax at Cooper Parry to unpack the changing shape of tax technology - and what that means for teams navigating constant transformation. From the death of the “steady state” to the rise of platforms over spreadsheets, they explore how client expectations are evolving, why simplicity is the real superpower, and where AI fits into the picture (and where it doesn’t). For anyone balancing change, complexity, and clients - this episode speaks your language. 

In this episode of Tax, Tech and Other Stuff, Russell chats with Alastair Wilson, Tax Partner at UNW. From humble beginnings in tax compliance to scaling tech at a high-growth startup, Alastair shares his journey from spreadsheets to product strategy. They explore what users actually want from software, why moving fast matters more than ever, and how simplicity is often the smartest innovation. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to go from Big 4 to building tech that scales, this one’s for you. 

In this episode of Tax, Tech and Other Stuff, Russell chats with Bilal Mansoor, tax technologist at Dhruva Consultants. From the fast-paced rollout of VAT and corporate tax in the UAE to the evolving role of automation and AI in advisory, Bilal shares honest reflections, war stories (including when Excel was the better option), and a grounded vision for the future. If you're curious about where tax tech is heading—and what it means for the people doing the work—this one's not to be missed.