Troup and Barlow appointed to HMRC executive roles

EDWARD TROUP AND IAN BARLOW have been appointed tax assurance commissioner and lead non-executive director, respectively, by HM Revenue & Customs.

Troup, currently the Treasury's director-general for tax and welfare, also takes HMRC's permanent secretary post.

His responsibilities include shaping tax policy and strategy, tax professionalism, as well as overseeing and providing assurance of large tax settlements.

He will report to Lin Homer, HMRC's chief executive, and sit on the taxman's executive committee. He will take up role in August, replacing the outgoing Dave Hartnett, who retires at the end of July.

Barlow will assume the post vacated by Mike Clasper, whose contract is coming to an end.

Troup began his career as a tax lawyer, working with law firm Simmons & Simmons before joining HM Treasury as a special advisor on tax in 1995. He returned to Simmons & Simmons in 1997, before re-joining the Treasury in 2004 as director of business and indirect tax.

Barlow has held a range of posts in the public, not-for-profit and private bodies. Currently, he is chairman of WSP Group, and director at Smith and Nephew and at the Brunner Investment Trust.

Exchequer secretary David Gauke said both Troup and Barlow "bring specialist tax knowledge and an understanding of how HMRC operates" to the department.

He added: "Their wide experience will add depth and breadth to HMRC's leadership at both executive and board level."