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About the firm

Named for a river in
Stirlingshire, Scotland.

Alan Water takes its name from the River Allan, a tributary of the River Forth that flows through Bridge of Allan near Stirling, in the heart of Scotland. The Allan is clear, purposeful and enduring. We chose the name because it reflects the qualities we bring to our work: precision of analysis, clarity of expression and depth of expertise.

The firm was established with a single, clear purpose: to provide specialist tax advisory services to owner managed businesses and to the professional intermediaries who serve them. We exist to do the deep technical work that complex tax questions demand, and to turn it into expert counsel that businesses and their advisers can act upon with confidence.

The team

Our advisers.

A focused team of specialists, deliberately small. Every engagement is led personally by a senior adviser from the first conversation to the final opinion, with no handing down to junior staff.

RW
Rhea Watson
Director and Partner
A qualified fellow member of ACCA, with over 15 years of experience in finance, accounting, and business advisory. She also hold an MSc in Social and Cultural Anthropology, two BSc degrees, and a Certificate of Higher Education in Business, Finance, and Management, giving me a unique perspective on business culture, strategy, and change. This blend of technical expertise and broader business insight allows her to support clients not just with their numbers, but with the systems, processes, and strategic thinking that drive long-term success.
SS
Sooraj Sankarakurup
Tax Manager
Sooraj is a member of MIPA Australia, AIA UK, IFA UK, and ACCA. He has over 15 years of experience in the UK and APAC, having worked for the Big 4 accounting firm EY, several industry and practice associations in the UK, and top listed companies in the Middle East. He is an expert on UK taxes for individuals, land and property investors, and owner-managed businesses. He specialises in giving our clients professional tax planning and advice while also guaranteeing compliance. In addition, he is a member of SOXCPA and has an MSc in Data Science for Business.
SB
Sanish P Balan
International Tax Advisor
Sanish is a qualified member of Institute of Financial Accountant (UK), Institute of Public Accountants Australia and CPA Australia. With over a decade of experience in financial governance, strategic management, an international tax planning for Middle East and Oceania, he provides expert business and tax advise aligned to client's financial strategies and organizational goals to drive compliance adherence, sustainable growth and transparency. He also holds an Masters and Bachelors in Commerce.

What we do

Specialist counsel, when it matters most.

We advise on the tax questions that fall outside routine compliance: business sales and restructurings, capital gains and inheritance tax planning, and the management of HMRC enquiries and disclosures. For business owners, we provide clarity before decisions are made. For accountants and solicitors, we act as an expert extension of your team, standing between you and the technical risk so that you can advise your own clients with confidence. We obtain HMRC clearance wherever it is available, so that planning can be implemented and relied upon.

No two of these matters are quite alike, which is why we treat each on its own facts rather than reaching for a standard solution. We research the position thoroughly, set out the options and their risks in plain terms, and give a clear, reasoned opinion you can rely upon, whether you are a business owner weighing a decision or an adviser who needs the technical question answered with authority.

Our principles

How we work.

A small number of principles govern every engagement.

01
Independent
We are not affiliated to any network, referral scheme or product provider. Every opinion we give is our own, given on the merits of the facts presented to us.
02
Specialist
We work exclusively on complex tax matters. We do not offer routine compliance services alongside our advisory work. Specialisation ensures the quality of our advice.
03
Responsive
Professional intermediaries receive priority response times. We understand that client matters have deadlines and that delays cost confidence.
04
Proportionate
Engagements are scoped carefully to the matter at hand. You are not sold unnecessary work. Our fees are agreed in advance.