Chris Williams

I am a Tax Partner and part of the tax leadership team at BDO in Southampton. We are a large, energetic, and ambitious team that supports entrepreneurial and high-growth businesses.

I provide a range of corporation tax compliance and advisory services to large, UK and multinational, privately owned and Private Equity-backed businesses. I support my clients as they navigate the ever-changing and increasingly complex UK and international tax landscape.

I have experience across various sectors, although the majority of my clients are in technology and media, hospitality, retail and consumer, and aerospace and defence. I have also supported several charitable and public sector organisations in managing their local and international tax affairs.

I take a pragmatic approach to tax, focusing on the overall needs of the business and my clients' key priorities. I bring the most value when my clients are growing, particularly through buy and sell-side transaction advisory support and international expansion. Tax can be complicated enough so I always work to ensure my clients receive an exceptional service, from friendly and reliable people, with as little complicated jargon or overcomplicated explanations as possible.

Since starting my career in tax in 2011, I initially worked with some of the largest tech and defence companies in the world. Early on, I shifted my focus to fast-growing privately owned and PE-backed businesses. I have worked on tax structuring and tax due diligence for deals ranging from £1m to £350m, ensuring tax adds value where possible and does not impede commercial negotiations. I also supported many of these businesses before and after a transaction. Whether during a deal or during the day to day running of a business, I help to ensure my clients have confidence that their tax affairs are in order.

I live just outside Southampton with my wife, our two children, and our Labrador. I'm a practicing Roman Catholic and a School Governor. Outside of work my time is mainly spent with my family and friends. For the sake of my mental and physical health I carve out time for my other interests which include gardening, golf, Warhammer, walking, reading (mainly fantasy, sci-fi and historic fiction) and archaeology.