Carla Horsfall joined BHP as VAT Director in the summer of 2021 and she’s a valuable member of our Tax and Property teams. Find out more about Carla’s role at BHP and what she likes to do in her spare time in our latest Meet the Team interview.
Where are you from and where did you train?
I was born and bred in Sheffield and completed my training in the city at another local firm. I also studied Accounting at Sheffield Hallam University.
What typical tasks do you perform in your role?
I’m mainly involved in VAT advisory across all sectors. Typically, this is determining the VAT liability of a transaction, but I do have a particular interest in property VAT.
I get involved in all different aspects of property VAT, from looking at the VAT treatment of a property sale to the VAT liability of building and construction work. I spend quite a bit of time considering the VAT recovery position of businesses acquiring or building property and advising on the most beneficial structure.
Additionally, I get involved in VAT health checks which can be as simple as checking that a business is applying the correct VAT rate to their supplies, right through to checking that they’re preparing their VAT returns correctly.
I also assist my team and other departments with VAT compliance if they have any particularly complex issues.
What are your career highlights or achievements?
Getting my ACA qualification from the ICAEW and my CTA qualification from the Chartered Institute of Taxation are two of my biggest successes. The sense of achievement after putting in so much hard work and effort was amazing.
One of my career highlights was becoming VAT Director at BHP and getting to work with such a fantastic group of people.
What is the best thing about working at BHP?
The people make BHP what it is.
Everyone is supportive of each other, whether it’s helping you get through a difficult job or assisting in career progression, you know there is always someone to guide you. The firm is people orientated, which I think makes people want to be the best they can be.
What are your hobbies/interests outside of work?
Outside of work, I love spending time with my husband and beautiful daughter. Family time is the best time. We love going for long walks and stopping off for tea and cake.
I also enjoy reading in those rare quiet moments!
What do you prefer? A TV series or a film? And which genre do you prefer?
Oooooh, that’s a difficult one. There is nothing better than snuggling up on the sofa with a good film, probably a cheesy romcom if it’s just me. But then binge watching a series can be just as good.
I’m happy to watch most things but I do tend to go for romcoms and dramas.
What is your favourite type of cuisine and why?
Italian; I love pasta, pizza and cheese!
What type of holiday do you prefer? Beach, active or city break?
I do enjoy a beach holiday, especially if you get the chance to read a few goods books that you just haven’t had time to at home. But a city break is always so exciting.
If you weren’t in your current role, what would be your dream job?
I’m not sure, but I love to bake and decorate cakes, so I think that would be a fun job to have!
