John Danzig BSc FCA

Senior Partner

After several years with PWC, John established Danzig & Co to provide generalised proactive support services to the small and medium business market, where relevant in-house expertise is normally limited.

John specialises in identifying critical management information for decision-makers. He recognises the importance of collaborating closely with clients to help distil key business challenges and develop creative ideas for their resolution. A senior partner in the firm since it’s foundation in 1991, John is a highly experienced Chartered Accountant and business adviser, consulting on a broad range of areas including cash flow, profitability, and tax planning as well as marketing and general infrastructure issues.

John is known for his positive energy, warmth and sense of humour, recently offering these thoughts:
“We care passionately about our clients success in achieving their objectives. We are there for our clients and see ourselves as key long term business advisers. I feel proud that we now play this role for a significant majority of our client base, many of whom have become very successful. They know we are there for the long haul, can be trusted to give objective but practical advice, use a large dose of common sense, and avoid meaningless technical jargon.”

In his spare time, John has developed a considerable academic interest in evolutionary genetics.

Donald Maclean BA CA

Partner

Donald qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1990 and has spent the majority of his career advising small and medium-sized entities in the UK; with two spells in industry – in the UK and in New Zealand.

With 20 years in the profession; ranging from the international firms through to small-independent firms, Donald has a breadth of experience to draw on to assist clients in growing their business while minimising their tax liabilities. Donald joined Danzig & Co in 2004 and the growth of the practice following his appointment is testament to a shared commitment to customer care. Instrumental in bringing Ian McLeish to the firm in 2007 - in no small part due to values agreed by all the partners of professionalism, making a difference, valuing difference, communication, and empowerment - Donald firmly believes in helping his clients fully understand the often complex financial aspects of their business; the better to understand and take advantage of the opportunities that are there in every phase of the economic cycle.

Donald heads the firm’s corporate and charity departments, also advising in areas of business systems and IT generally. Specialisms include the medical sector, construction, corporate finance, and ‘joined-up’ corporate/personal tax planning.

When not working, Donald’s free time is spent with his family (and occasionally competing in sailing regattas throughout the UK - culminating in being part of the winning team in the UK national championships of the RS Elite class). Donald is also a regional co-ordinator for the RNLI, raising funds to support this important charity.

Ian McLeish MA CTA

Partner

One of Ian’s roles in the firm is to head the tax function to ensure that our clients pay no more tax than they are obliged to by law and that all their tax compliance requirements are completed correctly, efficiently and on time. Ian’s experience of tax began in the 1980s with a spell in the Inland Revenue. Since 1990 Ian has worked for a mix of accountancy firms, from PWC to a small local firm, and several in between. He has over 20 years experience advising owners of small and medium sized businesses on their tax strategies and requirements.

Ian spent 6 years building his own tax and accounting business which merged with Danzig & Co in 2007. As a result, he has personal experience of the issues and pressures which are part and parcel of starting and running a small business. This gives him an immensely useful resource when advising smaller businesses.

Away from tax, Ian has a role as Staff Partner in the firm. He brings his experience as a fully qualified counsellor, therapist and coach to the development of the firm’s team members.

Ian believes strongly in taking a holistic approach to business and loves to deal with the people issues as well as the seemingly more hard-nosed financial aspects of business. To this end Ian takes a coaching approach to business and tax advice. Helping people to reach their own conclusions about what they want from their business provides a solid platform to give specific expert advice on matters such as cash-flow or tax planning.
Ian is a Chartered Tax Adviser and also holds qualifications in Person-Centred Counselling, Gestalt Therapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP).

In his spare time Ian enjoys hill-walking, playing his guitars and the odd glass of wine.