Stephen is a Partner in the Film & Television Unit at media accountants Saffery. He specialises in providing strategic policy advice to companies in the creative sector. He has been heavily involved in the policy development of the film and television for the last 25 years.
Stephen co-authored the case for a tax relief for high end television and initiated the lobbying process that resulted in the High-end TV Tax Relief, which came into effect on 1 April 2013.
Stephen also represented the British Film Institute (BFI) and the UK in the recent successful negotiations with the European Commission on the Cinema Communication. A key debate that determines whether the UK can have tax reliefs for film and television.
Stephen is also a trustee of MediCinema, a small charity that installs, manages and builds state-of-the-art cinemas for patients in hospitals and healthcare facilities, a member of the Finance and Audit Committee of ScreenSkills and is member of the Creative Industries Council (CIC) – Finance for Growth group.
Prior to his current role, Stephen worked at the UK Film Council where he had responsibility for the UKFC international film co-production, including the negotiation of treaties and advising filmmakers. He also supervised UKFC’s Certification Unit, responsible for certifying films as British in accordance with the 1985 Film Act.
Key experience
- For Ireland’s media sector regulator, Coimisiún na Meán (Media Commission) led a study of the feasibility of introducing Audio-Visual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) financial obligations in Ireland,
- Lead consultant for the Study of the Economic Value of the Screen Sector in Scotland (both 2019 and 2021 editions),
- Lead consultant prepared a 10-year vision and strategy for Malta’s film and TV production sector, including an analysis of the economic impact of film and TV production in Malta,
- Led a commissioned to develop a strategy for the screen sector in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, which involved extensive stakeholder consultation both within and outside Cornwall,
- Co-authoring the case for a tax relief for high end television that has been taken up by the UK Government, implemented in April 2013, Advising the TV Coalition, a group of key industry organisations with an interest in ensuring that a sustainable and effective tax relief is put in place for high end television production. The coalition includes production companies, trade bodies, inward investors and national film and TV bodies,
- Advising the UK’s visual effects sector to convince the government to amend the Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit to increase the rate of relief on qualifying expenditure and exempt from the 80% cap on qualifying expenditure.
Awards
- Winner of the Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden Contribution to the Industry Award for his outstanding contribution to the development and sustainability of the UK film and TV industry.
Interests
Stephen enjoys reading, going to the cinema and is a long suffering fan of Queens Park Rangers FC.