Blair
Hay

WHO I HELP

Entrepreneurs. Family Businesses. High net worth individuals and families.

HOW I HELP

Income tax. Entrepreneurial taxes. Business succession. Tax structuring. Inheritance tax.

SECTORS/SUPPORT

Family Business. Business Services. Property & Construction.

“UNDERSTANDING MY CLIENT’S GOALS & MOTIVATIONS ALLOWS ME TO PROVIDE TAILORED TAX ADVICE FOR THEIR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES.”

Blair Hay is a Senior Manager and part of our Private Client, Advisory Services and Expertise to Entrepreneurs teams.

Based in our Edinburgh office, Blair works on tax advisory projects for a wide range of clients and, with a background in M&A and transaction tax, specialises in business succession, shareholder planning and entrepreneurial taxes.

Blair is also responsible for looking after the tax compliance of high net worth individuals and families.

A TRUSTED ADVISOR

“The perfect client relationship is one where both the client, and AAB as advisors, can be open and honest with one another. There is nothing more rewarding than being established as a trusted advisor. Knowing my clients on a personal, and not just professional, level is one of the most fulfilling parts of my job and really allows me to truly understand their goals and motivations and tailor tax advice for their specific circumstances.”

UNDERSTANDING OUR CLIENTS AS PEOPLE

“It’s a given that clients expect technically correct advice from me. However, in Private Client Tax, our clients want us to go further than this, and to really understand them as individuals. In doing so, we can share in their success stories, whilst also providing empathy and advice when things aren’t going so well.”

SATISFACTION IN HELPING CLIENTS ACHIEVE

“My line of work is very satisfying as it allows me to help my clients and achieve a successful outcome for their wider goals and ambitions.

Working with colleagues is rewarding too. Internally, the team at AAB is full of fantastic people, who are all aligned in achieving the best for one another. Only with each other’s support can we truly deliver for our clients – nobody can do it alone.”

AN OPEN & SAFE SPACE FOR SHARING OPINIONS

“I am a strong character, who’s not afraid to share my opinion and the team dynamics within Private Client Tax provide an open and safe space for all team members to share their views, without the fear that this will prejudice anyone against them. Often the best ideas come from our more junior members of the team; a different, fresh perspective is always welcome at AAB.”

BLENDING TECHNOLOGY WITH IN-PERSON COMMUNICATION

“The working world post-COVID has completely changed, and employees now look for a greater balance between work and life balance, including where to work. AAB Group provides this balance and I know I can trust my team to make the right decisions for themselves, and also their clients. In our line of work, there will always be a place for in-person meetings, there is no better substitute, however, with the pace of change in technology, this allows me and my team to make better decisions and work more efficiently.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING PROACTIVE

“The greatest challenge in my area of expertise is the ever-changing myriad of tax legislation, and the seeming lack of a roadmap to ‘Tax Simplification’ with a clear, concise tax system, which does not help our clients plan for the long-term. However, we always aim to counteract this by being proactive with our clients, updating them of any relevant tax changes and preparing them as best as we can to get the best tax outcome.”

FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITIES

“AAB Group has gone through a significant period of growth in the last few years, which has provided a fantastic number of opportunities to both myself and the wider team.

The breadth of services that the Group now provides allow me and my team to shape our careers however we want – there is no one path to success, and only by learning, trying new things, and stepping outside of our comfort zone can we really understand what we enjoy.

I know this better than most – I started my career in Private Client, moved to BAG, then Corporation Tax and have now gone full circle! However, what I have learnt throughout my career has been invaluable to my growth and development.”

HAVING STRONG TEAM RELATIONSHIPS

“We understand our professional roles can be serious at times, so any opportunity we can have to take a short break, chat with a colleague, have a quick laugh, is essential to building a true team ethos. Having strong relationships with your team members is the first building block to delivering for our clients, and without each other we will not be able to achieve our own, or the Group’s, wider goals.”

BRINGING A SENSE OF CALM

“I am very analytical, logical, and mild-mannered, and aim to bring a sense of calm to my team when their workloads can feel anything but. I’m not one for the spotlight, so don’t look for glory when things have gone well, and equally don’t look to point the finger when mistakes are made. A culture of blame helps no one.”

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR CLIENTS’ WORRIES

“In my role, I’m often assisting clients with transactions that they are experiencing for the first time. I feel my job is to take responsibility for their worries and ensure that they can trust me to do what’s right for them.

It’s great to hear from clients, once a transaction or process is completed, how much help you were to them once a transaction or project is completed.

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS.

“It’s fairly stereotypical – however most people think accountants are pretty boring. My experience of the people of AAB is that we are anything but – we certainly know how to have fun!”