Owen, you weren’t just my manager or colleague, you were a truly incredible friend. I’ve now realised how incredibly lucky I was to have you as a mentor, and I have so much to thank you for!   I miss our Monday morning “work” catchups on the weekends football, how our fantasy football teams had done (it was usually you complaining that Cat was beating you again) and how Celtic got another dodgy decision to win their game and how Aberdeen were always hard done by. Although I do not miss that dossier of yours and trust me it would be pages long now with the introduction VAR and all the dodgy handball decisions.   You’ll be glad to know that I haven’t changed much when it comes to handing work over for review as Alison always needs to tell me to update the dates lol. But I do have a bone to pick though as you had always promised me that macro for excel you used to make life easier, so I have had to take matters into my own hands and follow excel pages on Instagram (yes Amy slags me for being a geek just the same…

As well as being my manager, Owen had been a great mentor to me over the years. He taught me so much and was always happy to take my daft questions and turn the complex into the understandable. He had a passion for sharing his love and knowledge of tax and he will be fondly and respectively remembered throughout the small tax community in Scotland for this. As a manager he did everything right – he was fair and supportive and always had the best interests of his staff in his mind. We are missing Owen at Beam – his witty banter, unrivalled passion for a spreadsheet and sheer intelligence cannot be replaced. What always struck me about Owen was hit respect for Cat – Cat, he talked about you with so much love and respect and I always got the impression he just felt so lucky to have you in his life. His devotion to his girls was second to none. I hope they grow up knowing what an amazing Daddy they had – they could not have been more loved and wanted….

Friday mornings up at the coffee pod will never be the same again!!! You thought you were Pep Guardiola discussing your dream team and how you were going to beat Robert and I that weekend :). I’m not sure you ever did beat us but you talked a good game. Then on the Monday we would discuss how Celtic and Aberdeen had gotten on and you would fill me in on your dossier of things that had went against Aberdeen and all the decisions that other teams had gotten that they shouldn’t have. I remember you texting me one day when Aberdeen had taken the lead against Celtic and then by the end of the game you hadn’t replied…supposedley you’d had to take your phone into the Apple shop…aye right 🙂 It wasn’t always just football we spoke about, although that was the majority of our chats. We would speak about music and gigs that we were going to/had been to. We would speak about food and different restaurants. As we approach the World Cup I’m going to miss your predictors and your very technical spreadsheets that I know Robert is already dreading using as he knows you will…

It was so sad news to hear that Owen passed away.I remember him as a kind, calm, funny person. I had the chance to meet him in Germany – just when I was new to Beam in 2018.I will always remember him as a wonderful person and colleague who always had a good idea and was always willing to give advice and help. My thoughts are with his family and I wish them strength at this sad time….

I only knew Owen for a short time but I’m so glad we met. How can you have fond memories of discussing Hungarian branch taxation and whether 8 series branch accounts should be included in statutory accounts? Owen achieved the impossible – I do! Witty, intelligent, professional and with a great sense of perspective. (He and I were so alike ). I know he’ll be so proud of his family and I can only send my very best wishes to you….

I’m honoured to be able to leave a short message of condolence to Owen. I was Owen’s ‘boss’ when he worked at PwC and I will forever remember him for his wry humour. I recal, for example, l the time he delivered a subtle, slagging to me as I had seemingly made a miraculous, but temporary, recovery from a bout of illness to be able to attend a full hospitaility Take That concert – he might have been more forgiving if it had been the Goo Goo Dolls! Owen was a tremendously hard worker and I was always comforted when one of ‘my’ jobs was assigned to Owen’s safe pair of hands. My colleagues have already mentioned his legendary skills with a spreadsheet; he was generally a master at anything to do with IT and he helped me on more than one occasion to pull together a presentation with suitably doctored images for our annual TAXi awards. Owen was a very popular guy and testament to this was the frienships he retained with his his former colleagues after they and he left PwC. My condolences to Owen’s wife and children – you can be proud of your husband and…

Owen was a cracking guy and it was a privilege to call him a colleague and a friend. In one form or another, I have worked alongside Owen since 2006 and I can honestly say I learned more from him than anyone else in my career. His passion for spreadsheets and tax accounting was legendary and I still use some ‘Owen branded’ spreadsheets to this day. His love for football was well known and one of the highlights of the early part of my time working with Owen was the weekly games of fives he organised. I was truly awful at football and Owen knew it, but every week he encouraged me to come along. Owen would never leave anyone out – he was the glue that kept people together.  After he joined Beam, Owen and I would regularly buzz each other to chat through some tax point we had come across. There was usually only five minutes of work chat but we were easily on the phone for half an hour each time. It was a pleasure to know Owen and he will be deeply missed. My thoughts are with his family….

I have lots of fond memories of working with Owen over the years. He put you at ease, was great fun and also very witty. He was famous for his meticulously organised and colour coded spreadsheets, many of which still go through a classic rollforward at PwC! It was incredibly sad to hear of Owen’s passing and he will be missed. Many people at PwC have shared their warm and happy memories of Owen over the years. Thinking of Owen’s family, friends and colleagues at this difficult time….

I had the pleasure of working with Owen for over 5 years. Our interactions were limited to phone calls and emails but, even still, he was the most caring and nice man. His willingness and efforts to go above and beyond was incredible. He was incredibly hard working and an absolute joy to work with. My condolences go to his family and the entire UK team. Owen will be missed dearly….

I was deeply saddened to hear of Owen’s passing and my heartfelt condolences are with his family, friends and co-workers at this difficult time. It was a pleasure to have known and worked with Owen and I’ll never forget his cheery outlook (on what were otherwise pretty dull tax calls!) His ability to brighten the tone of every conversation with his wonderful sense of humour and his love of complex excel models (and trying to explain them to me) will remain with me as fond memories. His time on earth may have been short, but his impact immeasurable amongst the people that knew him. We’ll miss you Owen, may you rest in peace x…

I worked alongside Owen closely over the last 6/7 years. He was a really lovely guy and you always got him the same way. Owen was liked by anyone who had the pleasure of meeting him and I feel lucky to be one of those people. My condolences to Owen’s family. He will be sorely missed….

I was so shocked and saddened to hear the new of Owen’s passing.  I have known Owen for about 5 years and although we met through work only a few times each year, I was always struck by his down to earth nature and his openness to new team members.  An incredibly clever gent, he picked things up so quickly, but his ability to get into the detail was balanced with a lovely ability to build relationships.  It was obvious he a had a broad friendship group amongst our little Tax community in Scotland. We will miss him terribly.  It is such  a tragedy when people so young are taken from this earth so suddenly and I can’t possibly imagine what his family are going through.  I hope they are able to take some comfort in knowing how liked Owen was by all who crossed paths with him….

All I can say is that Owen was a really lovely, decent and fun-loving guy. I coulnt myself as being very lucky to have known him. Owen was always will to help. Greatly missed!…

I had the pleasure to call Owen a colleague & a friend. Our Monday morning chats of the football results from the weekend was always good banter and something I looked forward too. Owen with his take on Aberdeen games & me with Celtic…….Not always agreeing of course but always able to share a laugh & a smile. You are sorely missed my friend. God Bless and don’t be up there trying to turn everyone in heaven into Aberdeen fans 🙂 Until we meet again. Gordon xxx…