Damian J. Smyth – Global CEODamian Smyth

  1. Damian Smyth has been Swanson Reed’s Chief Executive Officer since July 1st 2013.
  2. He began his career in general tax advisory and has been a Director of Swanson Reed since 2008.
  3. He has an interest in forward tax planning and substantiation advice. <learn more>
  4. He is part of a think-tank that is lobbying Congress to adapt of a U.K style Patent Box.  <learn more>
  5. He has an industry focus in power and electricity generation assets.
  6. Damian is passionate about fitness and is a die-hard supporter of the Houston Texans.

 

Professional and Academic Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Business with Distinction
  • Member of Institute of Chartered Accountants
  • Member of the Tax Institute
  • Registered Tax Preparer and Tax Agent

Our Leadership Team

Swanson Reed is guided by a distinguished Board of Principals, comprised of eight seasoned professionals with extensive expertise across taxation, innovation policy, engineering, and business management. Collectively, the Board brings decades of experience in addressing complex financial and technical matters, ensuring that the firm continues to deliver trusted and effective guidance to clients worldwide.

Each member of the Board has a proven track record of leadership in their respective fields, including experience within multinational corporations, professional services firms, and regulatory environments. Their diverse backgrounds enable them to provide well-rounded oversight, blending technical precision with practical commercial insight.

The Board of Principals plays a central role in shaping Swanson Reed’s strategic direction, reinforcing our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of compliance, integrity, and innovation. By combining their collective knowledge, the eight Principals ensure that the firm remains at the forefront of R&D tax advisory services, both in the United States and internationally.

Above all, the members of the Board detailed below remain dedicated to upholding the values established by our founder: making funding and tax incentives accessible, efficient, and beneficial for businesses of all sizes.

Members of the Board of Principals

  • Damian Smyth – Damian has been Chairman of the Board of Principals and CEO since July 2013. His professional qualifications include a Bachelor of Business or Commerce with Distinction. He is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Registered Tax Agent. His background is in general tax advisory, and has an industry focus on power and electricity generation assets. He is a thought leader for the firm, regularly authoring papers on taxation matters and is quoted in the media on developments in R&D tax systems.

  • Cherie Jones – Cherie is a Principal at Swanson Reed and serves as the Managing Director of Operations. She has over 30 years of business experience and has focused exclusively in R&D tax credit preparation since 2015. She has published several articles on R&D tax credit and Patent Box initatives in the Tax Adviser. Prior to working at Swanson Reed she was an account executive at Johnson Controls.

  • David Greatwich –  David is a Principal at Swanson Reed and has worked exclusively in R&D tax credit advisory services since 2012.  He has over 30 years  of business experience. David has a degree in Economics, and post graduate diploma’s in Business Administration and Banking and Finance.

  • Andy Nguyen – Andy is a Principal at Swanson Reed and has worked exclusively in R&D tax credit prepearation since 2011. He has a degree in Business, Accounting and Finance and is a Charted Accountant.  He has co-authored several peer-reviewed papers alongside Damian Smyth on the R&D tax credit and its implementation.

  • Adam Rogers –  Adam is a Principal at Swanson Reed.  He has exclusively worked in the R&D tax credit space since 2005 and is extensively published in peer reviewed journals across six countries, the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and Singapore.  As a mechnical engineer and tax agent, he is the director of technical compliance and assists in audits across multiple jurisdictions.

  • Patricia Harlow – Patricia is a Principal with Swanson Reed.  She has worked with Swanson Reed in the R&D tax credit space since 2014 and has over 30 years business management experience across three countries. She sits on Swanson Reed’s global board and is currently serving as chairperson of the Board of directors of Swanson Reed in the United Kingdom and Swanson Reed in the United States.

  • Lyle Norris – Lyle is a Principal at Swanson Reed in the United States and the only surviving son of  Joe W. Norris. He has a background in dentistry and a special focus on dental metalurgy, anaesthesiology and surgical processes. He has co-authored many peer-reviewed technical papers and is familar with the university grant process, having previously served as a sessional academic. He has previous held board and chair positions with preeminent anaesthesiology boards and currently advises Swanson Reed’s medical and biotechnology R&D tax credits team.

  • Tom Parkhouse – Tom is a Principal at Swanson Reed.  He is a chemical engineer who has worked in the R&D tax credit advisory services sector for over 20 years, focusing specifically on R&D tax credit claims in the mining industry.  Prior to joining Swanson Reed, Tom worked in the R&D tax divison of Ernst and Young. Tom advises Swanson Reed’s Mining and Oil & Gas R&D tax credits team.