Georgiana Head Recruitment

John Whiting OBE is one of the best known and highest regarded tax specialists in the UK. He has over the years covered most taxes and has held significant roles in the UK tax profession including president of Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT). He is now responsible for PricewaterhouseCoopers' tax external relations and tax policy work, and is lead tax spokesman for the firm. Whiting retires from PwC in June 2009, when he becomes the CIOT's tax policy director.

What was your first job?

Between leaving school and starting university I was barman in a holiday hotel for 4 months in Ravenscar, North Yorkshire in the north of England. I learnt a great deal about making cocktails, playing table football and I met a wide cross-section of people. Perhaps it led my way into tax as I remember having to explain how payslips worked to some of the staff!

If you weren't in your current job what would you like to be?

My dream job might be playing with Fairport Convention but I guess that as I've no known musical skills I'd better stick to the day job. Presenting the programmes 'Working Lunch' or 'Moneybox' would be (non musical) dream jobs. Coming back down to earth, my new role as tax policy director for the Chartered Institute of Taxation from July 1 sounds pretty good. I've been incredibly lucky with my career with PwC – having joined as a graduate; I have over the years done some 10 different roles ranging from training to client service partner.

What achievement are you most proud of?

It is being married for 30+ years and raising three wonderful daughters! Workwise, a recent proud achievement is co-devising PwC's Total Tax Contribution framework and its development. Then there was being president of the CIOT...winning an audition for BBC Budget tax spokesman ... running the best tax training programme in the profession....chairing PwC's Supervisory Board....couple of tax awards which show how people view me ... some (not as many as I'd like!) successful submissions for tax changes...helping launch the Domesday Book online...oh, and an OBE for services to the tax profession.

What's the best advice that anyone has ever given you?

It has to be either 'There's more to life than work' or 'Don't lose your sense of humour'. I hope I've managed the second of these, even if the work/life balance hasn't always been as successful. I'm rather hoping that I'll be able to get a bit more balance over the next couple of years.

What's the best thing about your job?

Although I have spent 35 years with one firm, what has kept me here, motivated and generally stimulated has been variety (both day-to-day and different roles), intellectual challenge, the people and change. I have dealt with a great variety of people and situations and find there is always scope for initiative. My normal day could range from a client question to a BBC slot, via briefing an MP and helping a staff member with a technical problem – which can't be bad!

What is your favourite place in the world?

It's a toss-up between Wensleydale, Goathland (pre-Heartbeat), Ravenscar and Bishop Burton (maybe no coincidence that they are all in Yorkshire!) or Lord's, but home has quite a pull as well, especially after a hard day. Overseas, Zimbabwe before its current travails had so much going for it.

If you meet someone from any era, who would it be?

I would have to say Richard III, the wrongly much-maligned late Plantagenet. He was arguably the most English king we have ever had.

What question would you ask them?

What happened to the princes – and are you sure you should trust the Stanleys? For that matter, he may be a future chancellor, but should you leave Morton to get up to mischief?

If you were chancellor of the exchequer what one change would you make to the tax regime?

Commit to improving the way tax legislation is brought in – full consultation and evolution of new rules over a proper timescale, with regard to administrative burdens and practical issues. That would achieve more than any single technical change.

What is the weirdest question you have been asked about tax?

I've been asked some very weird and wonderful things but ones that spring to mind are historic ones such as ' Was hair powder ever taxed?'(yes) and 'was the UK tax rate ever over 100% (yes!)'.