About Rowena Clifton
Rowena Clifton leads a team of 130 specialists across VAT, customs, environmental taxes and indirect tax technology, as well as the global VAT compliance (GVAT) team. As part of this role, she also sits on RSM’s Tax Board.
She advises large and listed businesses, primarily in the industrials, life sciences, and energy sectors, with a particular focus on risk management, governance and VAT function effectiveness.
Rowena has over 20 years of UK VAT experience and has been a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation since 2005.
Before joining RSM, Rowena worked for three of the Big Four. During this time, she also undertook a number of secondments, including to:
- The compliance team of a global automotive business.
- HMRC, preparing impact assessments on proposed legislation for ministerial sign-off.
- KPMG’s International Tax Centre in Amsterdam.
When asked what she enjoys most about her role, Rowena says:
“For me it’s all about people – our clients and our staff. I enjoy being able to help heads of tax measure and articulate the value the indirect tax function delivers to the business across a range of metrics. And for our staff, helping them on that journey from being great at indirect tax to being great at running a part of our business (and all that entails).”
Outside of work, Rowena is mum to a 15-year-old—“going on 25”, as she puts it—and cares for her disabled brother. When she’s not helping revise French irregular verbs, she enjoys some quiet time watching England play cricket.
RSM timeline:
- 2025: promoted to Head of Indirect Tax
- 2023: transferred to London
- 2020: promoted to Indirect Tax Partner
- 2017: joined RSM as a Director to lead the indirect tax team in the north-west.