A new specialist transfer pricing practice named Quantera Global launched last week, comprising a select group of senior transfer pricing partners formerly of the Transfer Pricing Associates group (TPA Global). Quantera Global will offer a truly specialist and integrated transfer pricing service to multinationals of all sizes, focusing principally on intra-Asia transactions as well as inbound and outbound transactions and investment flows between Europe and Asia and the Americas and Asia.
Quantera Global will service multinationals throughout Asia from strategically located bases in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Jakarta, Sydney and Brisbane, with additional offices to be established in the coming months. Quantera Global also has alliance partners in Europe and other regions of the world, including North, Central and South America and Africa. Quantera Global will operate as an alliance partner of the TPA Global network and so will continue to provide high quality services to clients of the TPA Global network in the Asian region.
Douglas Fone, Senior Partner of Quantera Global says that the firm has been established to provide a specialised service to the rapidly growing number of Asian headquartered multinational firms and all multinationals doing business within or into Asia.
“The depth and breadth of our experience in serving multinational clients in the key markets of Asia, in respect of intra-Asia transactions and inbound-outbound investment flows between Europe, the Americas and Asia, is unique” he said.
“We are the only independent firm offering truly specialist and integrated transfer pricing services to multinationals in Asia. In addition to our strategically located offices throughout the region, we work with a select group of alliance partners in other locations, to ensure that our clients receive only the best transfer pricing and local tax services,” he said.
The Quantera Global partners are highly experienced transfer pricing professionals, each with over 12 years of specialised experience in the key jurisdictions of Asia, Europe and North America. That experience has been gained from many years at the Big 4 accounting firms, boutique transfer pricing firms and tax authorities. The Quantera Global partners therefore know the complex and unique demands of the Asian region and the importance of strong local knowledge and are drawing on their experience, networks and insights to meet the specific needs of multinationals in the region.
Steven Carey, also a Senior Partner of Quantera Global, explained that “Quantera Global’s objective is to effectively partner with multinationals and provide high-quality and personalised transfer pricing services, utilizing an efficient and proven business model. We will demonstrate to multinationals that there is a better alternative to the Big 4 accounting firms, by providing superior quality services at more affordable rates”.
There is a 3rd partner launching the Firm: Stean Hainsworth, who as over 20 years of legal and tax experience, specialising in transfer pricing. He has worked as a transfer pricing specialist for PricewaterhouseCoopers for 10 years and more recently was Crowe Horwath International’s transfer pricing leader for Asia.
WTP Advisors announced today that Stéphane Dupuis, who was most recently a KPMG partner, has joined its transfer pricing practice.
“Stéphane’s global approach and his Canadian perspective will further strengthen our ability to serve our global clients,” says Dave Wain, partner and co-founder of WTP Advisors.
Based in Montreal, Stéphane has over fifteen years of transfer pricing experience with Big Four accounting firms, including over ten years as the Chief Economist of KPMG’s transfer pricing practice in Montreal.
Michael Flaherty, WTP transfer pricing partner, says, “WTP Advisors is truly fortunate to be able to add Stéphane to our team of transfer pricing professionals. We stress a multi-disciplinary approach to transfer pricing, providing our clients with highly experienced lawyers, economists, and analysts working as a team to offer international tax-planning solutions and value-added resources to our clients. Stéphane adds significantly to the capabilities of our team in North America, and we look forward to introducing him to our clients and global affiliates.”
Stéphane will team up with WTP Advisors to develop the Canadian market for transfer pricing services and also partake in developing WTP Advisors’ global reach. As a managing director, Stéphane will also deepen WTP Advisors’ practices in the industries where he is known for his vast experience and knowledge, particularly in the life science and biopharmaceutical sectors.
“I’m excited to work with Stéphane again,” says Guy Sanschagrin, WTP Advisors transfer pricing managing director. “He is very creative and has a strong reputation in the field for his technical skills and knowledge. At the same time, he maintains a practical, balanced approach our clients need and expect.”
As companies increasingly look to transfer pricing as an essential element of their strategic planning, WTP is uniquely positioned to offer its expertise, productivity improvement frameworks and analytical tools to support company objectives.
“WTP’s agility lets us focus completely on our clients, and deliver world-class services more quickly and efficiently than our competitors who must navigate through cumbersome internal channels and administrative requirements,” says Guy.
“I’m very excited to join WTP Advisors and particularly its great team of transfer pricing professionals”, says Stéphane. “Having seen the quality of resources and the client service culture of the firm, I feel we are set to make a difference and bring outstanding value-add solutions to the market.”
Ernst & Young LLP announced today that Stan Hales and Andy Martyn have joined the firm’s Financial Services Office (FSO) Transfer Pricing practice. Hales and Martyn join the expanding Ernst & Young network’s FSO groups to provide clients with services relating to transfer pricing, controversy and tax-related valuation issues in the financial services industry.
“Stan and Andy bring deep practical knowledge and experience that, when added to our existing team, greatly enhance US, UK and global capacity in transfer pricing,” said Kurt Neidhardt, managing partner of the Financial Services Tax Practice, Ernst & Young LLP.
Hales joins Ernst & Young LLP from PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he led financial services transfer pricing on the West Coast of the US. Martyn joins Ernst & Young LLP from Deloitte where he co-led its Global Financial Services Transfer Pricing practice.
“Stan and Andy give Ernst & Young the type of experience we strive for, as well as providing additional direction and coordination for the global organization’s Financial Services Transfer Pricing practices,” said Thomas Borstell, the leader of Ernst & Young LLP’s Transfer Pricing practice.
Hales taught transfer pricing courses for the master’s in tax program at Golden Gate University as well as economics, statistics and finance at The Ohio State University. He was a doctoral fellow at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn and earned his master’s degree and PhD in Economics from The Ohio State University with a primary focus on the valuation of foreign currency futures options.
In addition to his experience with Deloitte, Martyn led the International Financial Services Group at HM Revenue & Customs, where he concluded some of the most significant transfer pricing settlements and produced the rewritten permanent establishment investment manager exemption tax rules governing offshore funds with UK investment managers.
Shanwu Yuan, a former senior official in the People’s Republic of China’s State Administration of Taxation (SAT), has joined Baker & McKenzie’s highly regarded Global Tax Practice as a Director. Mr. Yuan brings to the Firm over 17 years of experience in international tax policy and administration, having served as China’s delegate to tax and transfer pricing technical working groups at international organizations including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations, and interacted with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in the area of taxation.
“We are delighted to welcome Shanwu to our Global Tax Practice,” said Erik Scheer, head of Baker & McKenzie’s Global Tax Practice Group. “As a former senior SAT official who has worked with numerous international tax policy organizations, Shanwu can offer our clients invaluable insight to the positions of tax authorities in China and around the world.”
“Shanwu’s joining further strengthens our ability to provide world-class tax and transfer pricing advice to our international client base,” said Hong Kong-based Michael Olesnicky, head of Baker & McKenzie’s Asia Pacific Tax Practice Group.
Based out of the Firm’s New York office, Mr. Yuan will work closely with the Firm’s tax and transfer pricing practices in China and throughout the Firm’s 72 offices, advising clients on tax and transfer pricing matters based on his in-depth knowledge of international tax legislation and enforcement trends.
During his tenure with the SAT, Mr. Yuan served as a member of the United Nations Tax Committee’s Subcommittee on Transfer Pricing – Practical Issues and helped draft the United Nations Practical Manual on Transfer Pricing for Developing Countries. He also served as China’s delegate to the OECD’s Peer Review Group from 2009-2010, where he assisted the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information in formulating the Methodologies and the Terms of Reference, pursuant to which the Global Forum conducts reviews of countries’ implementation of their systems for the exchange of information in tax matters. He also served as a delegate to the OECD’s Working Party 6 on the Taxation of Multinational Enterprises, and contributed actively to the OECD’s work on intangibles and other topics.
In addition, Mr. Yuan served as a policy member on the drafting team for the current corporate income tax law of China and served as the assistant to the Chief Economist of the SAT. In 2009, he rose to the position of Deputy Director of Anti-Avoidance, where he was heavily involved in transfer pricing policy, advance pricing agreements and policy matters related to China’s general anti-avoidance rule (GAAR).
Mr. Yuan joined SAT in 1995 after receiving his BA in Business Administration from the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China. He received his MBA in 2001 from the Business School of the University of Durham, UK.
Mr. Yuan is the latest in a series of prominent hires for the Firm’s Global Tax Practice. Ulises Castilla-Flores, the former Central Litigation Administrator of Large Taxpayers for the Tax Administration Service in Mexico, recently joined the Firm as a Partner in Mexico City. Partners Josh Odintz, a former Senior Advisor for Tax Reform to the Assistant Secretary at the US Department of the Treasury, and Mary Bennett, the former head of the Tax Treaty, Transfer Pricing & Financial Transactions Division of the OECD’s Centre for Tax Policy & Administration (CTPA), also joined the practice in Washington, DC. In addition, Caroline Silberztein, head of the CTPA’s Transfer Pricing Unit, joined as a partner based in the Paris office.
NERA has promoted Vladimir Starkov to Vice President.
Dr. Starkov, based in NERA’s Chicago office, specializes in the areas of intercompany pricing and asset valuation. He has participated in engagements involving various tax controversy situations, negotiation and implementation support for Advance Pricing Agreements with tax authorities, design of intercompany pricing methodologies, valuation of intangible property transferred in intercompany transactions, including cost-sharing agreements, and preparation of transfer pricing documentation. He has conducted business valuation, including closely held businesses, and valuation of stock option compensation. He has also worked on a consulting engagement focused on improving internal controls over modeling of allowances for a bank’s bad debt losses.
Dr. Starkov holds a PhD and MA in economics from West Virginia University and an MS in environmental engineering from Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology, Russia.
Mayer Brown has announced that Jason Osborn has rejoined the firm in Washington, DC as a partner in the Tax Controversy practice. Previously, he served in the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Office of Associate Chief Counsel (International), most recently as senior technical reviewer in the transfer pricing branch, and before that, as a team leader in the Advance Pricing Agreement Program. Prior to joining the IRS in 2008, Mr. Osborn was an associate at Mayer Brown for five years.
“Jason has unique combined government and law firm experience in handling sophisticated transfer pricing controversy and transfer pricing planning matters, including the negotiation of advance pricing agreements,” said partner Joel Williamson, co-leader of Mayer Brown’s Tax Controversy practice. “His first-hand knowledge of IRS procedures and trends makes him a rare resource for multinational clients across a broad range of financial and industrial companies. His arrival further strengthens Mayer Brown’s tax capabilities in Washington, DC and around the globe, and in particular provides cutting-edge knowledge in complex cross-border transactions.”
Mr. Osborn represents clients in various industries on transfer pricing controversies, transfer pricing planning services and the negotiation of advance pricing agreements with the Internal Revenue Service and other tax authorities throughout the world. He has a deep technical understanding of several areas related to international transfer pricing, including cost sharing arrangements, tangible and intangible property transfers, valuations, intercompany services, intercompany guarantees and loans, and cross-border restructurings.
“Mayer Brown’s global platform and outstanding reputation as a preeminent law firm in the tax and international transfer pricing fields were key factors in my decision to join the firm,” said Mr. Osborn. “I look forward to rejoining some of the best legal practitioners in the transfer pricing arena and leveraging my tax controversy and tax transactions experience to solve client challenges.”
Mr. Osborn earned a JD degree from Notre Dame Law School and received a BA from Hamilton College.
The Altus Alliance, the independent Alliance rendering global transfer pricing, business restructuring and valuation services, has welcomed a new Altus Alliance member being Transfer Pricing Partners Ltd. located in Nairobi, Kenya.
Transfer Pricing Partners (“TPPartners”) is one of the first TP boutique firms in Eastern Africa / Kenya. Kenya introduced Transfer Pricing regulations in 2006 and is currently enforcing these regulations. It is expected other countries in the region will follow.
TPPartners was founded in 2012 by Isaac Ireri and offers a wide range of transfer pricing services including tax valuation. Isaac has over 10 years of experience in International Tax and Transfer Pricing. Among others, Isaac worked for E&Y and Deloitte.
Drew Bailey has joined KPMG’s Birmingham office as a partner to lead KPMG’s Midlands transfer pricing practice.
Drew Bailey, who joins from Deloitte, has 11 years of international tax and transfer pricing experience and has worked with many large multinational clients, including both inbound and outbound from the UK across a wide range of transfer pricing issues. He has worked across all sector lines but in particular has focused on automotive, transport and logistics and software where he has been working with a number of clients as they expand globally and redesign their value chains.
Stuart McDougall, partner and head of transfer pricing at KPMG in the UK, said:
“We are delighted that Drew is joining us as he brings a wealth of transfer pricing experience. As demand for transfer pricing advice from our clients continues to grow, Drew’s experience will be invaluable both in the local market and more broadly alongside the existing senior team.”
Drew Bailey said: “I am extremely excited to be joining KPMG at a time when it continues to expand its transfer pricing practice. Along with the team in the Midlands, I believe we can deliver significant value for our existing and new clients through our comprehensive transfer pricing offering.”
