Zoe Gascoyne has taken over as director of the Fraud Investigation Service at HM Revenue and Customs, becoming the first woman to hold this position.
Gascoyne, who previously led offshore corporate and wealth operations at the Fraud Investigation Service, will also be the first female chief of the J5 (Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement), which brings together tax fraud enforcement organisations from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the UK and the US.
Her appointment follows the retirement of Richard Las, who worked for HMRC for more than 30 years.
Commenting on the move on LinkedIn on her first day in the job, Gascoyne said she was “proud for many reasons”.
“I’m proud to be the first woman to hold this position, and the first female chief of the J5 (Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement),” she said. “A UK first and a global first.”
She said she is also proud to be based in Liverpool, “the city I have spent my whole working life in”.
“Most of all, I’m proud because this work matters," she said. "It matters to the UK exchequer and it matters to every taxpayer who does the right thing. It also matters to me. I have relied on the provision of our NHS more than I could ever have anticipated this year and I am still wholly reliant upon them doing the best for one of my daughters. If I can continue to secure a fraction of the value our public services have afforded me and my family then it's a career well spent."
Gascoyne, who received an OBE in the Birthday Honours last year, added: “I’m proud of what I’ve achieved so far and I know there’s still more to do. I aspire to lead brilliant teams delivering brilliant results so thanks to everyone who has already been part of my journey. Delivery doesn't happen in these jobs without the team around you and I'm fortunate to be surrounded by many great people who are on board and excited to be part of the next challenge.”
Before joining HMRC, Gascoyne worked at the Crown Prosecution Service in roles including deputy director, Serious Economic Organised Crime and International Directorate.
Prior to joining the civil service, Gascoyne was a private practice lawyer.