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Celebrating Renewal and Connection: Highlights from the BTC Seminar Hosted by BDO on 13 November 2025

As we gathered for our first seminar of the new financial year—and the last of the calendar year—there was a  sense of excitement and renewal in the air. Hosted graciously by BDO at their beautiful London offices, this event marked not just another entry in our calendar, but a milestone in the ongoing evolution of the BTC community.
Insights from Industry Experts
The evening’s seminar promised—and delivered—timely and insightful content. Our presenters from BDO brought deep industry expertise and practical perspectives from across the financial services sector. Attendees received valuable updates on Making Tax Digital, VAT, and the latest developments in transfer pricing. And, in a particularly bold move, BDO experts shared interesting forward-looking budget predictions -  the impact on tax policy and the broader economic outlook.
Honoring Leadership and Legacy
A heartfelt thank you goes to Liz Zaremba for her outstanding leadership as President over the past two terms. Although Liz couldn’t join us in person for the evening, her dedication continues to inspire the BTC's work and the committee's commitment to upholding the legacy of service to our banking taxation community.
Building Community and looking ahead
Events like these are only possible thanks to the hard work of our committee members, the generous support of our hosts and the continued support of the members. BTC events are designed to foster meaningful connections and open dialogue and we encourage all members to take full advantage of these opportunities to network, share knowledge, and learn from one another.
 
If you have any questions about registration and membership, or indeed any suggestions for topics that would be of interest for future events please reach out to the committee or contact us via the website.
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A Year of Transformation

This year has been one of celebration and renewal for the BTC.
We proudly celebrated our 70th anniversary, a testament to the enduring strength and relevance of our circle. We introduced an updated membership structure, launched a brand-new website, gained several new members, new sponsoring hosts and committee volunteers. All instrumental in making event registration smoother and to enhance networking opportunities for all members. As with any digital transformation, there have been a few teething issues which we’re committed to resolving as we bring the BTC into the digital age.

New BTC website launches

We’re delighted to announce that, as of 31 October, the brand-new BTC website is live!

After more than a decade, our online home has had a complete makeover — bringing BTC into the digital age with modern features, smoother navigation, and new functionality. Members can now pay their fees and register for events directly through the site, making everything faster, simpler, and more efficient.

70th Anniversary AGM and Dinner

The AGM and dinner to celebrate theAGM BTC's 70th anniversary was held on 1 October at The Athenaeum Club in Pall Mall.  

It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening, with an excellent keynote address from Lord David Richards and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate this milestone with so many members and friends.

Keep an eye out for the BTC News email for details on changes agreed at the AGM to both the BTC committee members and to the membershpi structure for the coming year.

 

11th Bankers’ Taxation Circle Conference - 2025
70th Anniversary

11th Bankers’ Taxation Circle Conference - 2025

Thank you to everyone who attended today’s BTC conference, hosted for the 11th year by EY at their More London office. We had an engaging day with 8 sessions, 20 speakers, and over 80 members attending.

The conference covered various topics: the current UK banking and tax environment, the future of AI, tax controversy and risk management including HMRC, tax policy and politics, and technical breakout sessions on indirect, corporate, and employment taxes.

Celebrating our 70th anniversary, we debuted our new roller banner, and attendees received notebooks featuring the new BTC logo.

Preparing for the conference

As I prepare for the conference on the 12th, I decided to take out the President’s Medal from its box – something I rarely do. I noticed the engraving on the back for the first time – in our 70th year, it is great to see this was presented to the Circle in 1976 by George Whillans, who was “Founder and First Chairman of the BTC in 1955”

The Banker’s Taxation Circle (“BTC”) is celebrating its 70th anniversary today

The BTC first met on Friday 18th March 1955 at the Comedy Restaurant in Panton Street, London.  It was established as an informal association of employees of British and foreign banks with a common interest in taxation.  This initial meeting was followed up by the first formal meeting of the Circle on 1 May 1955, where the first constitution of the Circle was drafted.

New BTC Logo

Continuing celebration of the BTC's 70th year, I am pleased to share with you our new logo.  

The original artwork for the BTC logo had been lost in the mists of time and we have been using on a scan of an old letterhead, so we felt this anniversary year was a good reason to smarten up the logo and ensure we have it available in various electronic formats to use more widely in future.  I hope you feel it is still the same BTC, with a sharpened image!