http://www.taxgrotto.com Movers & Shakers in the Global Tax Market Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:23:57 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Pacific Life has promoted [private]Kevin Hendra to assistant vice president, Tax, Corporate Division Mr. Hendra was hired by Pacific Life in 1992 as its corporate tax manager, and has served in various positions over the past 17 years. During the last ten years as corporate tax director, he has been responsible ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/03/10/pacific-life-appoints-assistant-vp-tax/ O’Melveny & Myers LLP has named partner[private] Brad Okun, a recognized authority in the tax field, as head of the Firm’s Tax Practice, succeeding Robert Rizzi. Okun was formerly head of O’Melveny’s New York office. O’Melveny is one of the few international law firms with US, UK, and Chinese ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/03/10/o%e2%80%99melveny-myers-appoints-new-head-of-tax/ Alvarez & Marsal Taxand, LLC, a founding member of the first global network of leading independent tax firms, announced that [private]Keith Kechik, formerly of KPMG, and John Easterday, formerly of True Partners Consulting, have joined the firm as managing directors in Chicago. The firm also announced the promotion of Richard ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/03/10/chicago-office-of-alvarez-marsal-taxand-hires-two-senior-tax-professionals/ [private] In response to client demand, Justin Smith, a Senior Director with Alvarez & Marsal Taxand's San Francisco office, has been temporarily seconded to Alvarez & Marsal Taxand UK beginning in February 2010. Mr. Smith, who specializes in the area of transfer pricing, travels to London with the aim of improving ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/03/10/alvarez-marsal-strenghtens-uk-tp-capability-with-internal-secondment/ The IOMA group has announced that [private]Mike Hodgson has joined the group as Managing Director of IMPACKT Limited which will trade under the IOMA Solutions banner. In addition, Alex McNee and Paula Coates have joined as Directors. Mike was most recently MD of Abacus in the Isle of Man, but has more ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/03/10/team-move-from-abacus-to-ioma-group/ [private]Vaish Associates has launched an indirect tax practice in its new Parel office with the hire of partner Shilpa Sharma, formerly of Paras Kuhad .[/private] http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/03/08/vaish-appoints-head-of-indirect-tax/ Niche recruitment specialist, Pure Search & Selection, announced the appointment of experienced recruitment consultant Sarah Jackson to augment the Taxation Private Practice team in the UK. Sarah will lead the accounts of large practice firms to assist their strategic sourcing requirements in 2010 for Expatriate Tax, Global Mobility and Compensation ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/03/02/pure-search-selection-hires-new-consultant/ Pacific Life Insurance Company's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer James T. Morris announced the promotion of[private] Tom Gibbons to senior vice president, Corporate Tax; A resident of Newport Beach, Mr. Gibbons joined Pacific Life in 2004 as vice president, Tax. He has been responsible for overseeing and directing ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/27/pacific-life-announces-senior-vp-tax/ KPMG has appointed Michelle Quest as UK Head of People, to lead the UK firm's people strategy and policy development.[private] Michelle takes over in the UK from Rachel Campbell, who was recently appointed KPMG's Global Head of People. Michelle joined KPMG from Robson Rhodes in 1997 and became an M&A Tax ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/24/ma-tax-partner-is-new-head-of-people-for-kpmg-uk/ RSM Tenon’s Chiltern Street offices has announced that [private]Pete Hackleton joined the firm from Deloitte on 1 February 2010 as an Associate Director in the entertainment, media and sports team. Pete has over 10 years of corporate tax experience, focussing on the sports sector since 2005. His clients have ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/17/rsm-tenon-taps-sports-tax-specialist-from-deloitte/ CETERIS®, a global economic consulting firm that provides transfer pricing and business valuation services, announced today that[private] Leslie Prescott-Haar has joined the company, further extending its global presence. Leslie was previously a partner with one of the Big 4 firms and comes to Ceteris with over 15 years experience specializing ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/12/2618/ Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) announced today (12 February 2010) that [private]Andrey Shpak has been recruited to lead the Goltsblat BLP tax team in Moscow. The announcement of Andrey’s appointment coincides with the first anniversary of the launch of Goltsblat BLP, the first international Russian law firm. The new firm ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/12/goltsblat-blp-taps-pwc-tax-lawyer-for-moscow/ Blair, Bohlé & Whitsitt, PLLC, (BBW) has expanded its partner group to include[private] Sylvia A. Warren, CPA. Ms. Warren, the fifth partner in the firm’s group, has been with BBW for five years as a Senior Tax Manager. BBW’s four existing partners, John D. Blair, Sr., CPA, George W. ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/12/blair-bohle-whitsitt-makes-up-tax-partner/ Bank of America Merrill Lynch named Charles-Henry Courtois as the new head for its International Trust and Wealth Structuring business in Charles-Henry Courtois, according to a report in London-based Wealth Bulletin, a Dow Jones publication. Courtois, previously a director of Merrill's ITWS business with responsibility for bespoke trust and fiduciary ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/12/merrills-appoints-new-head-of-international-trust-and-wealth-structuring/ Highly regarded international tax lawyer [private]John Couch has joined Baker & McKenzie LLP as a partner in Houston. Couch joins the Firm from Bracewell & Giuliani LLP where, among other activities, he spent significant time assisting clients in the United Arab Emirates and the former Soviet Union. “We are excited ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/11/bakers-taps-international-tax-partner-from-bracewells/ KPMG in the UK has appointed tax partner,[private] Anneli Collins, to the role of head of tax policy in the UK. As head of tax policy, Anneli Collins intends to focus on developing and coordinating KPMG's relationships with HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs, together with key industry bodies. Sue ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/11/new-head-of-tax-policy-at-kpmg-uk/ Allen & Overy has now launched in Australia and the partner spearheading their tax practice is [private]Andrew Stals [/private] http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/10/founding-tax-partner-for-ao-australia/ Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) announced today (8 February 2010) that [private]Linda Adelson will shortly be joining the firm as a tax partner. Linda, who is currently Chair of the VAT Working Party at the British Bankers Association (BBA), has spent her whole career specialising in VAT and financial services both on ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/08/blp-hires-vat-partner-with-in-house-banking-experience/ Taxand, the world’s largest independent global network of specialist tax advisors to multinational businesses, today welcomes[private] Gobert, Fest & Partners Attorneys and Tax advisors as its exclusive member firm for Hungary. The addition of this firm means that Taxand is now represented in 48 countries, compounding the network’s strength ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/05/taxand-expands-network-into-hungary/ [private] Sherman has joined Baker & McKenzie as a partner in its Sydney office. Tim is an experienced tax practitioner and has joined the Firm from Mallesons Stephen Jaques. Tim is the fifth new partner to join Baker & McKenzie's Australian offices in 2009. Tim has extensive experience in taxation-related advice ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/02/bakers-sydney-taps-partner-from-mallesons/ Neo Material Technologies Inc. announced today that it has appointed [private]Ms. Claire M.C. Kennedy to its Board of Directors effective immediately. This appointment increases the total number of directors to eight, seven of whom are considered to be independent. Claire Kennedy, a resident of Canada and tax partner in the Toronto ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/02/01/bennett-jones-tax-partner-joins-board-of-neo-material-technologies/ FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) announced on January 28 that[private] James G. Garanich will join the company as vice president, Tax, effective March 1, 2010. He will lead FirstEnergy's Tax Department, developing tax strategy and overseeing reporting, regulatory compliance and tax payments to more than 600 communities and government entities. He ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/31/ey-tax-partner-to-lead-in-house-tax-function-at-first-energy-corp/ [private] Magisters, a leading CIS-based law firm, today announces the appointment of Vyacheslav Golik as Partner and Head of Tax Litigation practice at the firm’s Moscow office. Mr. Golik has over 10 years of experience and joins Magisters from leading international consultancy KPMG, where he was Director of Tax in Russia/CIS. He ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/31/new-head-of-tax-litigation-at-magisters-joins-from-kpmg/ Russell Bedford International has selected [private]Deramchi & Azzouz as its Algerian correspondent firm, helping to complete the accounting network's coverage in North Africa. The firm was originally established as a tax consulting practice in 1996 by Abdallah Deramchi following his 32 years as a tax director in the Algerian Public Administration. The ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/28/algerian-tax-consulting-firm-joins-russell-bedford-international/ Bennett Thrasher PC, the 4th largest Atlanta-based accounting and audit firm, is pleased to announce [private]Charles Edge has joined the firm as Director of Transfer Pricing. The new position is a further measure of DFK International, a major international association of independent accounting firms and business advisers, and two shareholders ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/28/former-sema-group-tax-director-joins-bennett-thrasher-to-lead-tp/ As one of the largest and most renowned corporate law firms in Austria with offices in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, CHSH continues to expand. [private] Johannes Prinz will be CHSH’s new tax partner As a partner, MMag. Johannes Prinz, 38, will significantly strengthen CHSH’s tax law practice. Johannes Prinz is an ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/27/new-tax-partner-at-austrian-law-firm-chsh/ [private]Edward Troup has been appointed Managing Director of the Budget, Tax and Welfare directorate, in succession to Mark Neale. Mr Troup has been Director of Business and Indirect Tax since 2004, having joined the Treasury after a career as a tax lawyer at Simmons & Simmons. A leading expert on ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/26/new-md-of-the-budget-tax-welfare-directorate/ Winston & Strawn LLP announced today the addition of [private]James P. Baker as a partner in its San Francisco office. Baker focuses on Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) litigation and counseling employers on the entire spectrum of employee benefit and executive compensation matters. "We are pleased to welcome Jim ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/25/new-erisa-partner-at-winston-strawn/ [private] Justin Bryant has joined Kingston Smith LLP as tax partner in the City office. A qualified solicitor and chartered accountant, Justin joins Kingston Smith’s tax and legal consultancy department with a wealth of experience. In his previous role he has been involved in innovative SDLT planning, as well as off-shore tax ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/25/new-dual-qualified-tax-partner-at-kingston-smith/ [private] Lyerly has joined Nexsen Pruet as a member (partner). He will be based in Charlotte and practice in the firm’s Tax and Estate Planning Groups. Prior to joining Nexsen Pruet Lyerly was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Charlotte. During his 20 years with that firm he advised high-net-worth clients on ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/21/former-pwc-tax-partner-joins-nexsen-pruet/ The Internal Revenue Service today announced the selection of [private]Michael Danilack as Deputy Commissioner (International) for the Large and Mid-Size Business Division. In his position, Danilack will oversee a wide range of issues relating to international tax matters. These include ensuring consistent tax treatment of U.S. taxpayers concerning international issues, providing ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/21/irs-names-new-deputy-commissioner/ Baker & Hostetler LLP have announced that[private] Paul Schmidt has been appointed firmwide Chair of Baker Hostetler’s Tax Group. Schmidt succeeds Jeffrey Paravano, who was recently named Managing Partner of the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. Schmidt is former legislation counsel to the Joint Committee on Taxation and has served as ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/20/new-head-of-tax-at-baker-hostetler/ Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP has announced that [private]Richard A. Hartnig has joined the firm as Of Counsel in the Tax Practice Group, based in the Atlanta office. Mr. Hartnig, who recently retired from PricewaterhouseCoopers, will advise clients regarding international tax matters, including the tax aspects of cross-border mergers, acquisitions, ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/19/retired-pwc-tax-partner-joins-sutherland/ [private]Nick Dunnell and Rhoddy Voremberg have joined Farrer & Co as partners within the private client team as part of the ongoing investment in the firm. Nick specialises in onshore and offshore trusts and personal tax planning, including inheritance tax, capital gains tax and income tax. He advises trustees and ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/19/2-new-private-client-tax-partners-at-farrer/ Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc. (NYSE:PCL) announced today that [private]Bob Jirsa has been named vice president, government relations; he will continue to oversee the company’s government relations program. John Hobbs has been named vice president, investor relations and will continue to lead the company’s investor relations function. Dan Tucker has ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/17/new-vp-tax-at-plum-creek-timber-company/ [private]San Diego-based wealth management firm Rowling, Dold & Associates LLP (RDA) joined Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC, the wealth management division of Moss Adams LLP. The combination boosts Moss Adams Wealth Advisors assets under management (AUM) to more than $1 billion—an impressive milestone given the current economic climate—and an important threshold ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/17/rowling-dold-associates-joins-moss-adams-wealth-advisors/ [private]Dr Juanita Brockdorff has been appointed partner at KPMG. Ten years ago, Dr Brockdorff graduated as a lawyer from the University of Malta, following which she proceeded to read for a Master’s degree in Inter-national Tax Law at the University of Leiden in The Netherlands. After obtaining the degree summa ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/17/new-tax-partner-at-kpmg-malta/ Ryan, a leading tax services firm in North America, with the largest transaction tax practice in the United States and Canada, has announced that [private]Stephen Heusinger has joined Ryan as Principal and CEO of Ryan Tax Credit Services (RTCS). RTCS is a Ryan subsidiary and strategic investment intermediary that will ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/17/new-ceo-announced-for-ceo-ryan-tax-credit-services/ The Board of Directors of Whitney Holding Corporation (Nasdaq:WTNY) elected [private]Hardy B. Fowler a director of the Company and the Bank. Mr. Fowler served as the former Office Managing Partner at the KPMG New Orleans office where he was a tax partner for over 25 years. He is currently a member ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/17/former-kpmg-tax-partner-joins-board-of-whitney/ Foster Wheeler AG (Nasdaq: FWLT)has announced that its Board of Directors has approved management's proposal to relocate the company's operating headquarters from Perryville, New Jersey to Geneva, Switzerland. The company will continue to remain domiciled in Zug, Switzerland. Affected executives will begin operating from Switzerland in January 2010. Raymond J. Milchovich, ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/17/foster-wheeler-vp-tax-moves-to-geneva/ Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP has announced that [private] E. George Teixeira, CPA has joined the firm as a tax partner in its Financial Services Group as of Dec. 1, 2009. With the addition of Teixeira, Anchin has a roster of 54 partners who provide creative, pro-active advisory services to ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/17/new-fs-tax-partner-at-anchin-block-anchin/ Baker & McKenzie has announced the election of 4 new tax partners in North America The newly elected Partners are:[private] • Erik Christenson is a Partner in the San Francisco / Palo Alto office and a member of the Tax Practice Group. Mr. Christenson has more than nine years of experience ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/14/4-new-tax-partners-at-bakers/ Tamara Surratt, president of Legacy Family Office, LLC, has announced the addition of [private]Debby Kurtyka to the Naples-based multi-family office wealth management team. In her new position as Family Office Accounting and Tax Director, Kurtyka will coordinate accounting, strategic estate planning, complex tax issues, and compliance for high net worth ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/14/new-accounting-tax-at-legacy-family-office/ The regional accounting and business consulting firm of Meaden & Moore has elected a new Vice President – Principal. Resident in the firm's Akron office, Mr. [private]DiSalvo has been a key member of the firm's Tax Services Group since joining the firm in 2005. He is a graduate of The University ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/14/meaden-moore-promotes-tax-specialist-to-vp/ [private]Switzerland has appointed Mr Ambuehl as the new state secretary for tax issues. Mt Ambuehl was in charge of negotiating a solution for UBS regarding the acrimonious tax row with the US. This new position focuses on both international financial and tax matters and will help Switzerland avoid its tax haven ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/14/switzerland-appoints-diplomat-as-new-secretary-of-state-for-tax/ New York, NY. International law firm Nixon Peabody LLP continues the expansion of the firm’s Securitization and Structured Finance team with the arrival of [private]Sarah Nelson. who joins the firm as tax counsel in the Global Finance practice. Ms. Nelson will be based in the New York City office. Ms. Nelson’s ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/14/nixon-peabody-strengthens-securitization-and-structured-finance-team-with-new-tax-counsel/ Former Chancellor Denis Healey and economist John Kay have been honoured for their contribution to the field of taxation by being awarded honorary fellowships by the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT). CIOT President Andrew Hubbard made the awards at the annual President’s Luncheon at the Dorchester Hotel in London yesterday. Andrew ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/14/lord-healey-and-john-kay-honoured-by-ciot/ Mazars has announced the appointment of Andrew Ross as a senior manager within its Chilterns tax practice. Sebastian Tubb, a partner in the Milton Keynes office said:[private] "Andrew will be a valuable addition to our team, not only because of his extensive experience in mergers & acquisitions and UK corporate ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/11/new-hire-at-mazars/ Richard Sowler has joined Middle Temple Lane Chambers with effect from November 2009. [private]Richard has extensive in-depth experience of tax mitigation techniques, in particular in the areas of asset and loan finance, mergers and acquisitions and corporate and trust structures, both onshore and offshore. In the 1980s he negotiated with the ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/10/sowler-joins-middle-temple-lane-chambers/ [private]Alison Christian joins as a tax partner after a 19 year career with KPMG – 12 as a partner. Prior to joining KPMG she trained with HMRC. Alison specialises in international tax and treasury issues. Emi Kono was formerly head of the Japanese tax practice for Ernst & Young in the ... http://www.taxgrotto.com/2010/01/10/7-new-tax-partners-and-1-new-tax-director-for-ey-uk/