Retiring from a long and successful career at the Big Four and national accounting firms is no easy decision, but that’s exactly what Greg McNally did when he founded VITA.
He now runs one of the UK’s largest independent VAT and indirect tax consultancies, based on a simple but powerful principle: understand customers first, then deliver real value. With more than two decades of experience, McNally has witnessed the dramatic evolution of the profession and is committed to challenging the status quo with an advisory firm that emphasizes relationships, authenticity and commercially focused advice in an increasingly complex tax landscape.
McNally is managing partner and founder of VITA, a Glasgow-based specialist VAT and indirect tax consultancy firm. With over 85 years of combined experience across the team, VITA is now the largest independent VAT and indirect tax consultancy in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK.
Instead of focusing exclusively on compliance, VITA specializes in high-quality consulting work and supports companies in managing complex tax strategies, transactions and economic decisions. The company works closely with clients at the earliest possible project stage, ensuring that taxes are considered proactively rather than retrospectively.
However, the team is equally adept at stepping in when challenges arise, whether with limited options at the end of a business cycle or dealing with HMRC queries. Known for its pragmatic, commercially driven approach, VITA combines deep technical expertise with a problem-solving mindset to deliver clarity, trust and value.
What was the inspiration behind VITA?
I founded VITA in 2019 after a 20-year career at Big Four and a national accounting firm, where I reached the partner level.
During this time I saw the profession change significantly. Accounting services are becoming increasingly commoditized and in many cases the depth of customer relationships has diminished. Early in my career, accountants were often trusted advisors, people who truly understood their clients’ business and were part of their broader journey.
VITA was founded in response to this change. The goal was to build a company that prioritized understanding – our customers’ motivations, challenges and ambitions – and then created value through insights, not just processes. This ethos still underlies everything we do today.
Who do you admire?
The clients I have worked with over the last 25 years.
Especially those who built something from nothing, who saw a gap in the market, challenged convention and had the faith to bring their vision to life. I’ve always found their origin stories fascinating. There is something incredibly powerful about this combination of resilience, creativity and determination.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
No. Every mistake is a learning point, and I wouldn’t wish any of them away.
Life is a process of putting things together. You can always look back and understand how you got to where you are. Looking forward is a different story. Plans rarely turn out exactly as expected. So the real skill lies in being agile, adapting quickly and reacting to what is in front of you.
What defines your way of doing business?
Traditional values in a modern, fast-paced environment.
At its core, the business is simple: listen to your customers, understand what they actually need, not what you’re trying to sell them – and then deliver exactly what you promised, on time and on budget.
The challenge is to get the scope of work right and communicate clearly throughout the process. Don’t promise too much. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Be honest, be authentic and do the right thing.
At VITA we live by two mantras:
“Say what you do and do what you say” and “Do the right thing.”
What advice would you give to someone starting out?
You can’t learn from experiences – you have to live through them.
Early in my career, I focused heavily on learning – building knowledge, developing skills and expanding my network. This phase takes time and there are no shortcuts. But the rewards come later.
Start work early, stay curious and be patient. The return on this investment will arise.
