BKR International Worldwide Bulletin
November/December 2020
Letter from the Worldwide Chair
Dear Members,

I am hopeful that the past six years of Worldwide and EMEA Board membership have prepared me well to represent BKR International as your new Worldwide Chair. Although we are experiencing unusual times as business leaders and friends, I look forward to continuing the goals of past Worldwide Chair Manuel Rangel, Jr. (Mexico City) and our outgoing Worldwide CEO, Howard Rosen. I want to express my deep gratitude to both of them, as well as to outgoing ex-officio Worldwide Board Chair Jacqueline Wolfovski (Paris) and outgoing Board Member Nilesh Shah (London) for their many years of leadership to our association.

I welcome the opportunity to collaborate closely with our new Worldwide CEO, Tim Morris (London), the new EMEA Regional Chair, André Buijsman (Amersfoort), the new Asia-Pac Regional Chair, Subir Dutta (Kolkata), current Americas Regional Chair Raymi Mejia (Santo Domingo), as well as our current and new Worldwide Board members. I will be supported by a new Worldwide Vice Chair, Marycris Oplas (Manila), and I look forward to working closely with her. It is a challenging time, but it is also an exciting time to lead this organization.

The Worldwide Annual General Meeting Votes Are In!
Due to the pandemic, BKR cancelled the 2020 Worldwide Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held in Amsterdam. In lieu of an in-person meeting, the Worldwide Board asked BKR member firms to vote electronically on several key issues. 

At last year’s annual general meeting in Los Angeles, the membership passed a new legal structure for BKR International (BKRI). The intent of the reorganization is for BKRI to be the holding company for each of the regions. Each region would be separately incorporated in a country within that particular region. Members unanimously voted in favor of the new legal structure of each region as subsidiaries of BKRI.

Members also voted to approve the candidates nominated for BKR's Worldwide Board as follows:

  • Graeme Boake, Chair - Johannesburg (EMEA Region, 3rd term)
  • Manuel Rangel, Jr., Ex-Officio - Mexico City (Americas Region, non-voting)
  • Marycris Oplas, Vice Chair and Treasurer - Manila (Asia-Pacific Region, 2nd term)
  • David Davis - San Jose (Americas Region, 1st term)
  • Subir Dutta - Kolkata (Asia-Pacific Region, 1st term)
  • Manu Chadha - Mumbai (Asia-Pacific Region, 3rd term, non-voting)
  • André Buijsman - Amersfoort (EMEA Region, 1st term)
  • Ulrich Viefers - Düsseldorf (EMEA Region, 2nd term)
  • Arcangelo Agogliati - Milan (EMEA Region, 1st term)

Thank you to all of our members for your participation!
BKR Welcomes New Firm in Costa Rica
BKR is pleased to announce the acceptance of Despacho Murillo Marchini SRL (San Jose) into membership.

Since its inception, the firm's purpose has been to develop close relationships with its clients. Their three partners and staff of nine specialize in accounting, finance, IT, administration, legal, notary, tax, and outsourcing services. Despacho Murillo Marchini SRL also has expertise in urban development, nonprofits, tourism and hospitality, banking, transportation tax advice, and pharmaceutical products, among other areas.
Member Firm Profile:
Ronalds LLP (Nairobi)
Ronalds LLP is a modern accounting and advisory firm that specializes in audit, tax, outsourcing, and advisory services to various clients with different needs. The firm’s head office is based in Nairobi, Kenya, with branches in Uganda and Rwanda, and a presence and clientele in Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia, and Zambia, among other African countries. 

Established in 2010, the firm has developed as a leading firm in East Africa and is composed of a diverse team of professionals who offer supportive, friendly professional services.

Ronalds LLP has had the privilege of serving clients in the financial industry, manufacturing, oil and gas, real estate, not-for-profit entities, and state corporations, both with African establishments and global entities. 

What Does the BKR Advantage Mean to You?
We will be launching a marketing campaign that focuses on the BKR Advantage. Members are encouraged to submit a short video (maximum of two minutes in length) describing what one or more of the following BKR benefits mean to you and your firm:

  • Practice Management
  • Professional Development and CPE
  • Strategic Alliance Partners
  • Networking - How members are working with each other - #BKRelationships
  • Market exclusivity

Submit your video to bkr@bkr.com, and we will feature it on our website and social media.
Catch Up with the EMEA Region
The October 2020 edition of the EMEA Regional Tax Update is now available to download here.
Save the Date for the EMEA Tax and Future Leaders Meetings
BKR's EMEA Region will be holding its Tax and Future Leaders Meetings on November 23 and 24, respectively. For more information about each, please contact EMEA Regional Executive Director Tim Morris at tim.morris@bkremea.com.
Practice Group and Committee Updates
Download the recordings, presentations, and other documents from BKR's recent practice group and committee events by visiting the BKR Meeting Archive here.
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Reminder!
Submissions for the January/February 2021 issue of the BKR International Worldwide Bulletin are due by Wednesday, December 9, 2020.
Volume 42 | Number 5