Biography:

Heleen Broer is specialising in Dutch and international tax law, Heleen focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, and corporate reorganisations. She advises a wide range of private clients, including listed, Dutch, international and multinational companies, on a broad range of complex cross-border tax matters, including value added tax and wage tax matters.

Biography:

Career:
1994-now
PKF Munkebo Vindelev

• Audit and assurance
• Tax and counselling
• Responsible for company’s Caseware Platform
• Auditor of small and medium-sized companies
• Auditor of a number of foreign owned subsidiaries
• Auditor of companies with activities abroad

Education:

• 2011 Appointed State Authorised Public Accountant
• 2007 Master of Science in Business Administration and Auditing Copenhagen Business School
• 2001 Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (Financial and Management Accounting), Copenhagen Business School

Biography:

Wouter Brackx is a Partner with Moore Belgium. For over twenty years, he has been giving VAT advice to domestic and international clients on operational business matters and restructurings.  Prior to joining Moore Belgium in December 2020, Wouter worked with PwC (2000 to 2010) and was a Partner with PKF-VMB (2011-2020).

Wouter primarily works for dynamic businesses/groups with international activities, mainly in the areas of manufacturing & distribution,  leasing, services and technology.  He is pragmatic, hands-on and has a strong solution focus, based on know-how.

Wouter is an expert in VAT planning (avoiding unnecessary VAT costs/registrations), VAT risk identification & mitigation, VAT cash flow optimizations (supply chain), VAT automation and international VAT compliance coordination. He also provides assistance in obtaining advance rulings from the Belgian Ruling Commission. He and his team also have significant experience in due diligence work for private equity funds.

Biography:

Sarah specialises in all aspects of real estate fund taxation including fundraising and advising on equity investments into real estate.

Her experience includes:

• complex high-value real estate transactions;
• structuring a variety of different investment platforms domiciled in a diverse range of jurisdictions; and
• acting for institutional investors and private equity real estate funds.

Sarah is a member of the Investment Association's Tax Committee and the Stamp Taxes Practitioners Group.

Biography:

John is a chartered accountant and independent training consultant, who lectures for the major trainers, professional bodies, accountancy practices and publishers. He speaks on auditing, financial reporting, ethics, company law and anti-money laundering. Previously, he has been the technical partner for a top thirty firm of accountants and Head of CharterGroup, the accountancy network.

He has spoken for ICAEW's, highly successful, Audit & Assurance Faculty and Financial Reporting Faculty roadshows, for many years.

As well as writing for Audit & Beyond and various other publications, John is author of Core Auditing Standards for Practitioners. John is also a member of the Audit & Assurance Faculty's Practitioner Services Panel.

John finds writing about himself in the third person unsettling.

Biography:

Reinout de Boer is a partner in Stibbe’s Amsterdam tax practice group who specialises in domestic and international taxation with an emphasis on M&A, private equity transactions and corporate reorganisations. He heads the Dutch tax controversy practice of Stibbe and advises in a wide range of (international) tax litigation cases.

Biography:

Hemma specializes in supporting U.S. citizens with their U.S. and UK tax reporting obligations, also offering comprehensive advisory services to help clients remain compliant across both jurisdictions. Hemma is known for her practical, client-focused approach and her ability to navigate the complexities of cross-border taxation.

Biography:

Biography:

Mike Thexton has been talking and writing about tax since passing the examinations of ICAEW in 1983 and CIOT in 1984. He currently spends his working time presenting regular VAT updates for the specialist staff of several large and medium-sized firms of accountants, writing the Quarterly Online VAT Update for LexisNexis, and providing tax and accountancy services to personal and small company clients.

Mike won the Taxation Magazine Tax Writer of the Year Award 2010 for his articles in the professional press, leaflets for the clients of accountancy firms and technical material on VAT. Among the pieces submitted to the judging panel were answers to Taxation magazine's Readers' Queries, concealed behind a mysterious pseudonym.

He has also published a book, "What happened to the hippy man?", about his experience at the centre of the hijacking of PanAm 073 in Karachi in September 1986. He is working on "VAT the heck!", a collection of weird and wonderful stories from the world of VAT, and looking for a publisher…

Biography:

I trained in Private Client Services at Andersens and qualified as a CTA in 2000. In 2002 I joined BPP in Manchester as a CTA tutor before leaving in 2010 to set up iCount Training.

Biography:

Karen is an experienced employee benefits lawyer with more than 20 years' experience in advising companies of all sizes in relation to their employee benefit and remuneration issues. She trained and worked for leading law firms Baker McKenzie LLP and Linklaters LLP and spent three years as a remuneration consultant at Ernst & Young LLP. Prior to co-founding Cooper Cavendish, Karen headed up Osborne Clarke LLP's employee benefit practice for 15 years.

Karen is a thought-leader and regularly speaks and presents at industry conferences and events. She is a member of the Small Quoted Companies Alliance Share Scheme Committee and the Share Plan Lawyers Organisation. Karen is also the author of a wide range of legal publications including the chapter on executive remuneration in Sweet & Maxwell's 'Corporate Governance', the chapter on employee share schemes in Jordan's Company Administration and she contributes regularly to Tax Journal, and Practical Law (PLC). She is ranked as a leading individual on employees share schemes in Chambers and Partners and was recognised in the 2015 International Tax Review Women in Tax Leaders (a comprehensive guide to the world's leading female tax advisers).

Biography:

Barbara trained as a lawyer with top-tier firms in Brazil, gaining over 15 years of experience in tax law, with deep expertise in both national and international taxation. As the Head of the Tax Department at Andersen Ballão Advocacia, she leads a team of professionals advising on a wide range of tax matters, including corporate taxes, national and cross-border transactions, VAT, and tax disputes.

Barbara specialises in tax planning, M&A transactions, consultancy, and resolving complex tax litigation, with extensive experience advising multinational companies, individuals, and various industries, including technology, retail, oil and gas, and finance. Her expertise extends to key areas such as international tax structuring, transfer pricing, direct and indirect taxation, helping clients navigate the complex Brazilian tax system.

She holds bachelor's degrees in Law from UNICURITIBA and in Accounting Science from the Federal University of Paraná. Barbara also obtained a Master of Laws (LLM) in Domestic Taxation from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), and an LLM in International Tax Law, with distinction, from Queen Mary University of London. In recognition of her academic achievements, she was awarded the prestigious Chevening Scholarship for 2022/23.

In addition to her legal practice, Barbara is a published author and a frequent speaker at national and international conferences. Her articles have been featured in renowned tax publications, and she regularly delivers lectures and workshops on taxation in leading post-graduate programs in Brazil.

Barbara is recognised for her technical excellence and strategic thinking, having contributed to innovative solutions in major tax disputes and cross-border tax planning. She has played a significant role in fostering tax debate and education, serving as a mentor and role model for young professionals in the tax law field.

To contact Barbara, please email: barbara.neves@andersenballao.com.br / barbaradasneves@gmail.com or call +55 41 3221-7777.

Biography:

Nicola Vernola is an Associate at Chiomenti law firm. During his professional experience, he has developed expertise in tax law and tax planning, with a particular focus on international taxation and domestic and international tax policy.

He is a member of the Bari Bar (Italy) since 2024.

Biography:

Matteo is Tax Adviser in PKF Studio TCL - Tax Consulting Legal based in Italy, in Genoa, Milan and Rome, since 2016. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant at Genoa’s Order of Chartered Accountants in 2019.

He gained experience in VAT compliance and International indirect taxes as it has been identified as Indirect Tax Expert in Italy within the PKF Network.

Biography:

Ross Birkbeck is a barrister practising from Old Square Tax Chambers in Lincoln’s Inn. He can be instructed to advise in all areas of tax and trusts law, with a particular interest in private client and close company work, and charities. He can also be instructed to assist in disputes with HMRC at any stage in the proceedings. He is currently co-author of Taxation of Charities and Nonprofit Organisations (with James Kessler QC). Ross is the online moderator of The Taxation of Non-residents and Foreign Domiciliaries (by James Kessler QC).

Biography:

Shashi Satyal serves as the Managing Partner of PKF T R Upadhya & Co. in Nepal (PKF Nepal), boasting an impressive track record of over 33 years in serving clients in the realm of taxation. Throughout his tenure at PKF Nepal, Shashi has played a pivotal role within the team, specializing in assurance and tax advisory services.

His extensive experience extends to handling international clients, engaging with officials from the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), as well as government organizations. Additionally, Shashi has held the esteemed position of Head of Tax and Advisory Department at PKF T R Upadhya & Co., representing clients during tax assessments, appeals for administrative review, and obtaining Advance Rulings on cross-border transactions, often serving as an expert before the Revenue Tribunal.

Shashi's professional expertise spans a wide spectrum, encompassing audit services, assurance, business advisory, taxation, investigation, and financial restructuring. His clientele includes public and private enterprises, subsidiaries of multinational corporations, manufacturing companies, banks, financial services institutions, hospitality businesses, infrastructure projects funded and multilateral agencies, and not-for-profit organizations. He possesses the knowledge and proficiency to guide clients in achieving their business objectives while offering a comprehensive array of services to foster their growth and protect their investments in Nepal.

Furthermore, Shashi Satyal has contributed significantly to the financial landscape of Nepal. He served as a member of the Accounting Standards Board in Nepal, playing a pivotal role in the development and implementation of Nepal Financial Reporting Standards (equivalent to IFRS) within the country. As a team leader and engagement partner, he has led various NFRS/IFRS convergence services and NFRS/IFRS financial statement audits across diverse sectors, including banking, government and regulatory bodies, manufacturing, insurance, hydropower, tourism, credit rating agencies, and the service industry.

Shashi Satyal holds a bachelor's degree in commerce with honors from Delhi University and is a qualified chartered accountant certified by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He is also a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal, cementing his status as a respected and highly capable professional in the field.

Biography:

Tracey is a Partner in the Tax team at Osborne Clarke.

Part of Tracey's practice is advising on employment tax matters, especially in the recruitment sector, having advised in this area for many years. She often writes on the subject.

Tracey is also a chartered tax advisor.

Biography:

Jonathan joined the Exam Training team at Tolley in July 2015 and teaches on courses across all of the tax qualifications and is Head of Leeds Centre.

Jonathan trained as a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser with Hodgson Harris in Hull, qualifying in 1986 and 1988 and then moved into training.

He was a regular speaker for the Government Finance Profession Senior Conference and delivered bespoke courses for clients in industry.

He also presents seminars regularly and delivers tailored training sessions to clients, as well as writing for a variety of publications.

Jonathan is an enthusiastic and competitive tennis player, but alas not very good, he is also a devout skier. Desperate to find a cheaper sport he has rather naively taken up scuba diving and golf.