Profile

Bernie Watson is a partner at haysmacintyre Chartered Accountants and tax advisers. He heads up the charities unit and is part of the professional practices unit.

Overview

Head of charities/not for profit
Bernie heads our charities unit, which comprises eight partners and over 60 dedicated staff.  During the last 15 years, he has been instrumental in building the unit which now accounts for 35% of the business. He has personally acted for over 50 charities and not for profit organisations including those with a membership or health focus.  He has a specialist expertise in private clubs and advises 15 of the 50 London Clubs. He provides training for trustees in the area of governance, is a regular attendee at CFDG events and a regular lecturer.

Professional practices
Bernie is a partner in our Professional Practices unit which advises a large number of surveying, legal and other professional practices. As well as advising on a range of audit, taxation, financial and commercial issues he also provides advice to individual partners on personal wealth issues.  He has personal experience and a strong track record in managing the multitude of management and commercial issues when professional practices merge. He also advises on when LLP status is appropriate and how to convert.

Pension funds
Bernie also specialises in pension scheme audits and acts for over twenty pension schemes, most of whom he has advised for a number of years. His work in this field includes, but is not limited to, scheme mergers, advising on accounting aspects arising from changes in pension scheme structure and implementing buy-out arrangements, overseas sponsoring multi-employers, and schemes with Finance Act dispensations for including self-employed members.

Bernie became a partner in 1985 and was managing partner for twelve years through to September 2007. He oversaw the merger with MacIntyre & Co in January 2001 when the present firm was formed.

Languages Spoken

• English