Chris Orchard is a specialist in the application of Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI), under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) and the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). Chris brings over 30 years working in the public sector with the Inland Revenue, and its successor, HM Revenue and Customs.

While at HMRC, Chris worked on the litigation of a number of high profile tax avoidance cases as an investigator and subsequently worked in developing anti-avoidance policy before moving into international exchange of information work, as both a delegated competent authority and policy specialist.

A leading authority, Chris was the UK representative at the OECD working group responsible for developing the CRS, and also worked with the EU on transitioning the CRS into the Directive on Administrative Cooperation. Chris was also part of the team in HMRC that developed and published the Guidance on Automatic Exchange of Information, and developed the internal training programmes for HMRC in this area.