With over 30 years of practice experience, Cathy Revis is a highly respected Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor, specialising in tax advisory and mergers and acquisitions. Her career spans both small and large accountancy firms, where she has built a reputation for delivering expert guidance to business owners across a range of sectors. As a shareholder in the firm and former Managing Director, Cathy now serves as Head of Tax and Transaction Support
“My specialist experience includes advising business owners with values up to £100 million on growth, reorganisations, mergers, acquisitions and sales,” Cathy explains. “Throughout my career, I’ve supported numerous transactions with combined values exceeding £200 million, providing sound tax advice and transaction support throughout the process.”
Early Inspiration, Lasting Impact
Cathy’s passion for tax and finance was sparked at age 15 during work experience with her dad’s accountant. “I was drafting tax refunds for builders, and on my last day, a cheque arrived from HMRC for a claim I had prepared. I instantly knew I wanted to help people with their taxes.”
This early experience led to a career focused on supporting business owners, and this desire to help has remained for Cathy. This is evident in how she discusses her achievements, including securing an extra £1m for the sellers in a recent sale through negotiation of a potentially contentious tax issue, and identifying a £500k tax risk in a recent acquisition. It is clear that Cathy measures her personal success on the success of her clients.
Balancing Challenges and Rewards
Cathy finds deep satisfaction in helping clients make informed financial decisions. “I enjoy having the chance to make a tangible impact on clients’ strategic decisions,” she states. “There’s something deeply satisfying about transforming challenging situations into clear, actionable plans.”
However, the fast-changing nature of the field keeps them on their toes, namely the regulations and market dynamics, as well as the increasingly tough negotiations and constantly changing tax rules. “But that’s also what drives me to keep learning,” she says. And one fool-proof strategy in these situations? “Keep calm.”
Invaluable Experience
On a personal level, Cathy is expanding her Transaction team and its M&A capabilities, allowing them to learn from her rich experience in the sector. When asked how this experience adds value to a client’s business, the answer is simple: “I save clients’ money.” This is accomplished through a problem-solving mindset, swiftly identifying the root causes of issues and developing practical, effective solutions.
This expertise has provided her with invaluable insights, enabling her to give people interested in a career in the M&A world some practical and sound advice. “Get as much exposure as possible early on in your career,” she urges. “Being adaptable is also crucial, as staying open to change can lead to better solutions and opportunities for clients.”
Subverting Expectations
The tax and accounting world is often misunderstood, and Cathy wants you to know that it’s not geeky. “It’s practical, commercial and all about spotting opportunities, negotiating and influencing people,” she insists, and whatever stereotypes you hold about accountants, Cathy is definitely not it.
Her hobbies tell the story: “I enjoy kayaking, skiing, playing the drums, driving fast cars, kickboxing,” she shares. “Anything that gets the adrenaline pumping!”
When Cathy isn’t exploring cities or discovering ruined castles, she is dedicated to providing insightful guidance as a trusted advisor and skilled accountant, helping her clients navigate complex challenges with confidence and expertise. If you would like to contact Cathy with any queries, please email cathyrevis@fiandertovell.co.uk for more information.