DLA Piper yesterday announced that Matthew Cridland has joined the firm’s Tax practice as a partner in Sydney.
Matthew joins from KPMG, where he was a Director, providing advice to clients on a wide range of Goods and Services Tax (GST) related issues including Real Property, Energy and Resources, Public Private Partnerships and Telecommunications.
Matthew brings with him an impressive track record of advising global Financial Services companies, particularly on securitisation transactions, funds management, superannuation, life insurance, securities lending, cross-border finance, syndicated finance transactions, credit card arrangements, equipment leases and hire purchase arrangements.
Matthew also has significant experience and expertise on major infrastructure projects and has acted for government agencies, structuring transactions, and evaluating bids for the sale of infrastructure or other assets. He also has a strong relationship with the Australia Taxation Office and Treasury, engaging with them on a number of industry related issues.
Roderik Bouwman, International Group Head for Tax said: “With the expansion of the Australian tax group under the leadership of Jock McCormack, DLA Piper’s uncompromising commitment to build a leading tax platform for its clients, whether national or international, has taken another step forward. Matthew’s recognised expertise in the GST area is a clear testimony to this commitment.”
Jock McCormack, Head of the Tax Group for DLA Piper in Australia added: “Matthew’s appointment is reflective of the increasing importance of GST/VAT to tax planning and tax risk management issues and considerably strengthens our broad and full tax service offering in Australia and globally. With the proposed reform of Australia’s International GST regime and the on-going modernisation of various GST regimes, including in China and India, we expect that Matthew’s joining is timely and that he will be very active across our global GST/VAT practice.”
Prior to his role at KPMG, Matthew worked for King & Wood Mallesons, Corrs Chambers Westgarth and Ernst & Young. Matthew also has a Masters of Laws from the University of Sydney, where he graduated from in 2003.
Darren, who joins as a (non lawyer) Partner and will be appointed as Head of Indirect Tax Advisory, is one of the UK’s leading indirect tax practitioners operating within the Financial Services sector. He will take on responsibility for growing Pinsent Masons’ overall VAT advisory practice.
Darren joins from KPMG, where he was an Associate Partner within the Indirect Tax Team, heading up their Banking and Funds team. Prior to this Darren was Head of VAT at UBS. He trained with HMRC and joins the growing number of senior members of the team who have an accountancy, in-house or HMRC background, bolstering the firm’s multi-disciplinary Tax practice’s position as the largest in a UK law firm.
Commenting on the appointment James Bullock, Head of Litigation & Compliance at Pinsent Masons, said: “Darren’s arrival demonstrates Pinsent Masons’ commitment to being a “one stop shop” for all tax services. We are delighted that Darren shares our vision for the delivery of tax advisory services from a law firm – and he brings the extra dimension of having held a senior in-house role, something which our clients really value. Darren will help us to build on our excellent tax reputation and our strength as an emerging force in the Financial Services sector.”
Commenting on his appointment Darren said: “I am delighted to be joining Pinsent Masons’ award-winning tax team and to help build a market leading VAT advisory practice in a law firm. Pinsent Masons has shown an incredible commitment to tax and the Financial Services sector generally. I have instructed the firm as a client before and I am delighted now to be one of the team.”
Darren’s arrival follows the appointment of financial services disputes specialist Michael Isaacs from Addleshaw Goddard, energy disputes expert John Gilbert from BP, and infrastructure disputes Partner Frederic Gillion from Fenwick Elliot.
International accountancy firm Mazars is delighted to announce that VAT specialist Vincent McCullagh has joined its tax practice as a Partner.
Previously a Director with Deloitte Ireland, Vinny has over 12 years experience in VAT, having worked extensively in the UK and Ireland. His particular areas of expertise lie in financial services, VAT issues facing the multi- national and indigenous listed sector, and VAT on property. He has written and presented widely on indirect tax and is the author of VAT on Property, the leading text on Irish VAT on property.
Mazars’ National Head of Tax Tim Davies says: “I’m delighted to welcome Vinny on board. He has accomplished a great deal in his career to date and I have no doubt he will prove a major asset to the team, and to our clients.”
Vinny comments: “I chose to join Mazars because I believe it’s a firm uniquely positioned to serve clients across all sectors, from the very largest multi-nationals to start-ups in the owner managed business sector. There is a quality indirect tax team here in the UK, at the forefront of delivering unique and innovative solutions to clients, supported by an extensive international network that allows us to meet client needs wherever they may be.”
Tony Windle has resigned from PwC Brisbane where he lead a team of 8 GST specialists, to join Grant Thornton.
Tony was a Director with PwC but is joining Grant Thornton as a partner. He has specialist in GST advice since 1999.
The Minter Ellison Legal Group has announced the appointment of five partners, sixteen special counsel and twenty-eight senior associates effective 1 July 2012.
This list included Bastian Gasser in the Melbourne office.
He is a specialist GST advisor with almost a decade in dedicated practice. His expert advisory spans transaction structuring, GST compliance reviews, input tax credit recovery, GST audits, investigations and objections, and cross-border transactions.
Bastian’s clients include Australian and foreign corporates, government departments, statutory authorities, charitable entities and superannuation and infrastructure funds.
Recent matters include advising the Victorian Department of Justice on its Ararat Prison expansion, Places Victoria on the Docklands development, Singapore Power International’s acquisition and restructuring of Alinta, and Bank of Kuweit and Middle East on Federal Court GST proceedings.
Hogan Lovells has hired Michael Conlon QC as its new Head of Indirect Tax in London. Michael will join Hogan Lovells International LLP in July 2012. He replaces former Head of Indirect Tax Greg Sinfield, who retired in January 2012 to take up an appointment as a Judge of the Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery).
Michael will join Hogan Lovells from Temple Tax Chambers where he is a practicing barrister, having many years of specialist experience in all aspects of indirect taxation, in particular value added tax (VAT) and also community customs duty, excise duties, insurance premium tax (IPT) and investigations. Michael has conducted high profile litigation before the Tribunals, the higher courts and the European Court of Justice. His experience in these areas will prove invaluable to both Hogan Lovells’ VAT and tax litigation practices.
Commenting on Michael’s hire, joint Global Head of Tax, Fulvia Astolfi, said:
“Michael’s huge and unique experience in the indirect tax field and his skill in conducting tax litigation speaks for itself. His appointment is testament to our long-standing commitment to indirect tax and litigation and we are very excited to have him join us.”
Michael Conlon said:
“Hogan Lovells offers an extremely attractive platform to further develop a high profile and top performing tax practice, both in the UK and globally. I am very pleased to be joining the team here in London.”
