Rutherford Cross Tax specialist Ben Jones recently had the opportunity to sit down with Ross Stupart, Regional Managing Partner and Regional Head of Tax for RSM in Scotland and Northern Ireland. From the outside looking in, it’s a mammoth task and it was interesting to explore how he approaches his role as a leader and the journey that has led him here.
Ross’ Early Education and Guiding Principles
Ross’ journey to the top of a leading professional services firm like RSM began with a love of numbers and a well-rounded degree in Law and Accounting from the University of Edinburgh. During his studies, tax emerged as the perfect middle ground for someone who was as interested in calculus as case law.
After university, Ross trained at Grant Thornton in Leeds and quickly found himself gravitating towards corporate tax. He loved the variety and problem-solving aspects of the role, particularly when it came to helping businesses navigate challenges and seize opportunities. Rather than specialising in one narrow area, Ross intentionally stayed broad, relishing the holistic nature of tax advisory and the satisfaction of making a real difference to clients’ outcomes.
One of his guiding principles is to be curious. Ask questions, dive deep and never accept the first answer as the final one. As Ross puts it, “The first question a client asks you isn’t always the question they need answered.”
Ross has benefited much from this curiosity, and it has helped shape his career journey from day one.
Ross’ Milestone Career Moments
Among the many milestones in his career, one standout was during a stint at Lloyds Banking Group. Ross was part of the tax team that was involved in the complex and unprecedented carve-out of a retail bank, a project born from the banking crisis that required not only technical capability but also cross-functional collaboration under pressure. “It hadn’t been done before,” Ross recalls. “And I don’t think it’s been done since. It was such an interesting and challenging project to be involved with, working with a great multi-discipline team.”
Another career highlight was watching junior colleagues he once mentored or supported grow into directors and future leaders. In Ross’ words, “My job is to help develop people who are either going to be better than me or can step into my shoes.” It is a philosophy that he hopes will continue to develop a culture of growth and loyalty at RSM.
Ross’ Impact on RSM
Ross joined RSM in 2017 seeing a huge opportunity to make a real impact in the market working with an international firm which had a clear vision of the segment of the market it serves and was actively investing in building its proposition to do so. Ross felt his interest in the private capital space, owner-managed, family-owned and private-equity-backed businesses fitted perfectly with RSM’s objective of being the adviser of choice for the “middle market”.
“These are businesses built with blood, sweat and tears of entrepreneurs and often their families over many years,” Ross says. “The people running them are emotionally and financially invested and that makes the support, advice and guidance we provide in helping them succeed incredibly meaningful, even in instances where we have played a small part.” If there is one mantra Ross lives by, it is to surround yourself with people who are better than you. Early in his career, a leader at a previous firm he worked with showed him what great leadership looked like. Not being the best at everything but being the glue that holds great people together. “I don’t need to be great at everything,” this individual had said. “My main role is to find the best people and then connect our people, our clients and the market.”
Ross took that to heart and today, it is embedded in the way he leads. His team is built on trust, empowerment and an expectation that everyone pushes each other to be better.
Looking to the Future of Tax
Looking ahead, Ross predicts that tax will play a bigger role in lifestyle decisions, particularly for high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurs in the UK. With tax regimes tightening, particularly in Scotland and political pressure rising to fill the national coffers, Ross believes a crossroads is being approached.
“One decision by a single entrepreneur to relocate can ripple through hundreds of jobs, livelihoods and tax contributions,” he warns. “We need a well-balanced, well-thought-through approach to tax policy.”
That is why RSM has invested in technical tax specialists, working across R&D, Patent Box and capital allowance claims to equity reward plans, international and UK employment and indirect taxes, inheritance/succession tax planning and M&A tax amongst many other areas. Ross is focused on ensuring his team continue to be equipped to support the ideas and innovations that clients will leverage and be on hand to help them exploit the opportunities to grow domestically and internationally with a comprehensive and tailored range of tax solutions.
Ross’ Personal Life and Inspiration
Despite his leadership role, Ross’ feet remain firmly on the ground, thanks in part to the grounding influence of his father and grandmother. His father, a lifelong employee to one of Scotland’s large banks who rose through the ranks, passed on the value of giving 100% to everything. And his grandmother was a no-nonsense, tea-sipping, straight talker who did not mince her words and had a fiendish sense of humour.
Outside of work, Ross finds calm in spending time with his three daughters, each thriving in their own way. From a university-attending gymnast/gymnastics coach to a national basketball squad member, to the youngest who is still discovering her niche (while occasionally copying her older sisters), his family keeps him grounded and very much on his toes.
“I do this, not only because I love it but also to give them the opportunity to pursue any opportunity they can,” Ross says. “Watching them flourish is the greatest reward.”
A (former) keen footballer involved in Dundee United’s youth setup who was once scouted by Hibs, gave it a try-out only for his father (a lifelong Jambo) to sit stubbornly in the car park, refusing to cross enemy lines. Ross eventually chose to stick with Dundee United’s youth setup, much to the collective sigh of relief in the Stupart household.
Advice to Succeed in a Career in Tax
Ross’s advice to his 18-year-old self is to “give 100% to everything.” And his advice to anyone starting out in tax is to “be curious, ask better questions and soak up every experience you can.”
Ross is everything that is looked for in a leader and it is clear to see his influence in the performance of RSM over the eight years he has been there. He is calm, personable, approachable, and driven with a deep interest in his work and helping his team to find solutions for clients. It does not seem as though the practice will be slowing down anytime soon with Ross at the helm.
Please contact Ben Jones for support with your Tax hiring needs or for advice with your own Tax career: [email protected]
Additionally, if you would like to be part of the Rutherford Cross ‘Why Tax?’ series and share your own career journey, don’t hesitate to reach out to Ben Jones.
