the pinnacle directors

Roger Barrs

Roger started his professional career in Birmingham in the early 1970s and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1976. The practice in which he trained had a wide range of owner managed businesses, mainly involved in the engineering sector.

After several years as an Audit Manager, Roger grasped the opportunity to take a two year secondment to the Isle of Man. That was in 1983 and he is still here.

In 1994-95 Roger was President of the Isle of Man Society of Chartered Accountants.

In his spare time Roger enjoys travelling, motor sport and gardening. He is Treasurer of Rally Isle of Man Limited and also yearns to revalidate his private pilots licence when time permits.

Phaedra Bird

Phae was born and educated in Douglas until the age of 18 when she left the Island to study at Leeds University. Emerging four years later with a science degree, she chose to move into accountancy with a view to an eventual return to the Isle of Man.

After training with a mid tier firm in Manchester, qualifying as a chartered accountant in 1995, and gaining a couple of further years' experience, Phae returned to the Island in 1998.

Outside of work Phae spends her time with her young family.

John Cowan

A Manxman by birth, and therefore now in a minority in the Isle of Man, John was educated locally but got his degree in Accounting and Finance at Nottingham Trent University, graduating in 1981. He then joined what was then the largest firm of chartered accountants in the Isle of Man. Starting in audit John was chosen to strengthen the tax function and began to specialise in tax in 1983. He became pa to the senior tax partner and qualified as a chartered accountant 1984.

Outside work John is honorary treasurer for Age Concern Isle of Man, one of the Islands' biggest charities. In addition he claims to be the only man he (or anybody else for that matter) knows who has written off an Aston Martin and his other interests include a season ticket to Goodison Park and his drum kit.