Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Tax Research, Education and the Profession: Insights, Impacts & Opportunities

📢 Upcoming Webinar by the TRN: Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Tax Research, Education and the Profession  Insights, Impacts & Opportunities

Date: Thursday 22nd January 2026
Time: 09:00 GMT
Location: Online (Webinar link will be emailed directly to participants)

We are delighted to share our confirmed panel speakers:

Commissioner Ruth Kennedy, Irish Revenue

Commissioner Ruth Kennedy is a member of the Revenue Board and Director General of Customs. She was appointed as Commissioner in 2022. Five divisions report directly to Commissioner Kennedy, namely Large Corporates Division, High Wealth and Financial Services Division, Medium Enterprises Division, Customs Division, and Information Communications Technology and Logistics Division. Prior to her appointment, Ruth held various senior management positions in Revenue, including Assistant Secretary of Personal Division and Project Manager for PAYE Modernisation. She joined Revenue in 2012 from Accenture where she was a senior manager in the Revenue and Customs Client Service Group.

Anna Kwiatkowka, Chief Data Scientist, HMRC

Anna Kwiatkowska is HMRC’s Chief Data Scientist, leading the department’s Data Science function via a hub and spoke model. She focuses on building robust AI and data science capability, driving data‑led innovation, and fostering a trusted, ethical approach to AI across HMRC. Anna also heads HMRC’s Ethics and AI Assurance function, supporting the organisation’s ambition to be a modern, innovative and trusted tax authority.

Before joining HMRC, Anna held senior roles in AI, data science, and innovation across consultancy, broadcasting, retail and FMCG.

She was educated at Rhodes University and the Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town.

Ritchie Tout, Partner, Azets

Ritchie Tout is a Chartered Tax Adviser and Partner at Azets, specializing in tax support, share-related transactions, employee incentive plans, and share valuations. He trained at a “Big 4” firm, qualified as a Chartered Tax Adviser, and spent 15 years at PwC focusing on M&A tax work and incentive plans. He later worked as a director at Mazars for six years before joining Azets as partner in South Wales. Ritchie Tout is a former chair of the South Wales branch of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and is Chair of its Welsh Taxes technical sub-committee. He edits online tax valuation materials for Croner-i.

Anthony Pritchard, Chief Digital Officer, Welsh Revenue Authority

I am the Chief Digital Officer for Welsh Revenue Authority. I am responsible for a team of more than 30 DDAT professionals that develop and support digital services to support our tax collection functions.

I joined WRA as part of the implementation team that created the WRA and played a key role in the implementation of their cloud only digital solutions. In 2018 the WRA was awarded “The Best Use of Cloud” at the UK IT Awards.

Previous to this I spent 15 years in Welsh Government, my last role was the implementation of Rural Payments Wales Online.

Stephen Daly, Reader in Tax Law, King’s College London

Dr Stephen Daly is a Reader in Tax Law at King’s College London. He holds degrees in law from University College Cork, University College London and the University of Oxford. He is also a CTA (Fellow). Dr Daly’s research focuses on administrative law, technical tax law and EU law. He published his first sole authored monograph on tax administration with Hart Publishing and is publishing his second with Cambridge University Press. With Ruth Mason, he will publish a monograph with Oxford University Press on tax and subsidies. He has published over 40 papers in leading generalist academic journals, specialist tax journals and various edited collections. He is General Editor of the British Tax Review. He is also a member of HMRC’s Guidance Strategy Forum and the Tax Law Review Committee of the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Terry Filer, TRN Deputy Chair (Education), Swansea University

Terry Filer is an Associate Professor and Head of Accounting and Finance at Swansea University. Where she teaches taxation and financial accounting, preparing students for graduate roles through innovative teaching methods such as virtual reality and community‑focused charity accounting projects. Her research explores ways to enhance learning and assessment in taxation, auditing, and accounting, with immersive VR case studies proving particularly effective and engaging for students. Terry trained with PwC before moving into management accounting at South Wales Police, later becoming General Manager of a major PFI consortium in Wales, where she delivered increased shareholder returns through creative accounting and taxation solutions.

Kelly Sizer, Head of Qualifications Development, Chartered Institute of Taxation/Association of Tax Technicians (CIOT/ATT)

Kelly Sizer is Head of Qualifications Development for the CIOT and ATT, having previously worked for CIOT as Senior Manager for the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group. She is a CTA (Fellow), which was awarded in 2018 for her thesis on the complexities of tax-incentivised savings for the low-income population.

Sara Closs-Davies, TRN Deputy Chair (Research), Manchester University

Dr Sara Closs-Davies, a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and Fellow member of the Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants, is Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Accounting and Taxation at the University of Manchester. Sara’s research focusses on real-life implications of tax and welfare policy on citizens, civil servants, businesses, and social inequality. Sara explores the effectiveness of tax policy and administration, and has published in high-ranking academic journals, books, commissioned reports, and responded to Calls for Evidence from the Welsh Government and UK Parliament. Sara’s profile and further information can be found here.

Timings and format: Due to the high interest in this event a webinar format will be used with attendees being encouraged to raise questions to our panel of experts via the Q&A function. Links to the Webinar will be sent directly to attendee’s email addresses.

📌 Register Now by clicking 👉 here