Team
The people at Colby & Co.
There are six of us. Two partners, four staff. Every client knows their partner, and the partner knows the work.
Founding Partner
James Colby
FCA · ICAEW · IoM Society of Chartered Accountants
James founded Colby & Co. in 2011 after thirteen years at one of the larger Manx firms. He qualified with ICAEW in 2003 and has spent his career working with owner-managed Manx businesses. His clients are a deliberately small group of long-term relationships, mostly in property, professional services, and family businesses.
Outside the firm, James is on the board of a local charity and chairs the audit committee of an IoM sports association. He lives in Onchan with his family.
Partner
Sarah Quirk
ACA, CTA · ICAEW · Chartered Institute of Taxation
Sarah joined Colby & Co. as a partner in 2018. She qualified in tax with ICAEW and the Chartered Institute of Taxation, and was previously head of tax at a Manx trust company. Her work at Colby & Co. focuses on the tax-led side of the practice - personal tax planning, owner-manager remuneration, and residence and domicile questions for clients with cross-border position.
She is a regular contributor to IoM tax events and writes occasionally for trade publications on Manx tax matters - particularly around residence rules, cross-border pensions, and how the Common Reporting Standard plays out for Manx-resident families. She lives in Castletown with her family and a particularly persistent border terrier.
Who to approach: Sarah leads our tax-focused work - personal tax, owner-manager remuneration, residence and cross-border position. James leads everything else - accounts, audit, commercial work, and the broader practice. The first conversation will route you to the right partner.
The wider team
Four staff behind the partners.
Two qualified seniors who handle the day-to-day client work, and two trainees in the early stages of their qualifications. We deliberately keep the firm small. When you call Colby & Co., you'll usually speak to someone who knows your business by name. That's not by accident.
Senior accountant
Michael Kinrade
ACA · IoM Society of Chartered Accountants
Ten years on the Island; ran finance for a small Manx property group before joining the firm in 2021.
Senior accountant
Eleanor Quayle
ACA · IoM Society of Chartered Accountants
Manx native, Peel-based. Runs a smallholding outside the office hours - sheep, hens, a working sheepdog.
Trainee accountant
Thomas Cain
ACA trainee, year 2 · ICAEW student
Ramsey native; back on the Island after a maths degree at Newcastle. Working toward the September 2026 advanced papers.
Trainee accountant
Rachel Bridson
ACA trainee, year 1 · ICAEW student
Castletown-based; previously worked in retail finance before switching to accountancy training. Currently sitting the certificate-level papers.
Get in touch.
Talk to a partner directly. The first conversation is free.