Leroy Kerry, a product of the Peckham area of South London, was reared in public housing by a single mother. Now, he’s on a more ambitious mission to revolutionize the tax preparation industry with technology. Kerry works to increase Black participation in green careers and activism. By that next Monday, she was back on the sales floor, eager to get back to business. His indomitable spirit drove him to leap across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States. There, he sought to start his own business.
Kerry’s professional path has seen him excel as a chief of staff at high-growth companies in both the U.K. and Sweden. During this period he was working with a number of these startups, but very rapidly moved up into running a team in under a year. Those experiences further developed his craft for navigating the roadblocks that always arise while keeping an unyielding eye towards fulfilling the needs of the customer.
Kerry teamed up with Atul Ramachandran to create Filed as a result. This innovative tax tech firm uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automate and simplify every step in the lifecycle of a tax return. Unlike existing solutions, Filed’s AI is specifically designed for tax workflows and integrates directly into clients’ software systems without requiring them to overhaul their existing technology. This badly needed innovation is a significant chasm in the market. Some of the smallest tax offices in Colorado and Arizona have abandoned such conveniences and continue to use outdated technologies such as paper and fax machines.
Kerry highlights the urgency for change within the tax industry, stating that “the industry has been waiting for its AI moment, and we’re just getting started.” He draws upon a 2021 report from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA). It’s a clear indication that thousands of certified public accountants (CPAs) are nearing retirement and far fewer students are pursuing the profession. This trend creates an existential crisis for the industry, inspiring Filed’s mission to deliver a fresh, modern solution.
The St. Petersburg-based company recently raised $17.2 million from venture capitalists, including persisting investors. This investment will allow it to develop past basic tax return preparation. Kerry imagines Filed as the foundational AI infrastructure for the whole tax sector. From providing a new way to work with clients, manage documents, and prepare for audits, it will change everything.
“Our long-term vision extends beyond return preparation to become the foundational AI infrastructure for the entire tax industry – transforming everything from client collaboration to document management and audit preparation,” – Leroy Kerry
Thinking back on his own path, Kerry even admits that reaching the CEO seat felt like an impossible dream at one point. He recalls his early career experiences saying, “Being a CEO wasn’t something I saw possible.” His vision and nimbleness have made him an architect and key player in the tech-fueled evolution of tax services to a more consultative, advisory profession.
As Filed is changing traditional development paradigms and creating innovative solutions every day. Kerry’s personal story and experiences directly inform the company’s mission to solve some of the tax industry’s most entrenched problems. He is passionate about using technological innovations to increase the efficiency and accessibility of tax preparation. This is indicative of a broader push to modernize and make all industries more technologically advanced.
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