BKR International Worldwide Bulletin
November/December 2021
Letter from the Worldwide Chair

I feel suitably exhilarated having just returned home from BKR International’s first meeting for 18 months. Our Worldwide Meeting in Toronto has been a great chance to meet fellow members in person as business begins to return to normality (or some form of normality!), as we get used to living with the COVID crisis.

My thanks go to members and companions who were able to make the trip to the Fairmont Royal York Hotel to look at the future of the global accounting industry. It was impressive, given the circumstances, that 60 participants were in attendance. Our theme of “Driven by Innovation...Sustainability for All,” was really brought out by our speakers. The requirements for non-financial reporting are growing worldwide. The challenges and opportunities this service line offers were really highlighted.

As you are all aware, due to the pandemic, the meeting had to be moved from Washington, DC, to Toronto at short notice. The plan is to return to Washington, DC, for the Worldwide Meeting in 2023, as we will meet in Amsterdam next year. I would like to thank all of the team that made the switch possible, especially Jeanine Kelly (New York), our new meeting manager, and Welch LLP (Toronto). The meeting was a great success, and Kathy Steffan, Jim McConnery, and all at Welch in Toronto made us feel most welcome. This meeting also gave me the opportunity to meet and welcome in person our new EMEA Executive Director, Alistair Bryant (London). Having connected with him on several occasions during the year, it was marvelous to finally meet him properly. Please click here to see all the presentations and photographs.

It’s never too early to update you on the 2022 regional meetings. We begin in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, for the Americas Regional Meeting, May 21-24, followed by the joint Asia-Pacific and EMEA Regional Meeting in Athens, Greece, June 10-13. For the 2022 Worldwide Meeting, we will all meet at the Movenpick Hotel, Amsterdam City Centre, in the Netherlands!

If you go onto the BKR website Events page here, you can see all of the upcoming meetings planned. There are Audit, Tax, and Leadership Meetings in Amsterdam for the EMEA Region; the Americas Managing Partner Roundtables in Orlando, and the Asia-Pacific Region are planning their leadership training for next year. These are great opportunities to connect with fellow members, especially if you could not make Toronto.

With the challenges of the global pandemic over the last 18 months, it has been a demanding time for independent, public accounting firms globally. I hope that things will improve, and together we can meet what the future holds for us all. Thank you for your continued efforts to grow your firms, develop your professionals, and support BKR. Together we can make a difference.

I wish you all a happy and safe year-end to 2021 and every success in 2022. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions during my time as your Chair as to how BKR can help you and your firm be more successful. 


Kind regards,

Graeme Boake
Boake Incorporated 
Johannesburg, South Africa 
BKR Returns to In-Person Meetings in Toronto!

Members from around the world gathered for BKR's 2021 Annual Worldwide Meeting at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, from October 30 - November 2.

Approximately 60 BKR members and companions attended the four-day event, which marked a long-anticipated return to in-person meetings.

Look for photos and presentations from the meeting to be posted here.
Harris & Trotter LLP Becomes BKR International’s London Member

BKR International is proud to announce Harris & Trotter LLP as its exclusive London member firm. A dynamic firm whose reputation is founded on quality and personal relationships, Harris & Trotter LLP brings more than 80 years of experience focused on client-centric solutions.  

“I am delighted to see Harris & Trotter LLP join our association as our pivotal London Member,” comments Alistair Bryant, executive director of BKR’s EMEA Region. “Harris & Trotter LLP’s excellent credentials and growth culture are a perfect fit for BKR International. Their enthusiasm, innovation, and desire to form strong business relationships will benefit the whole of the association and, in turn, our clients."

Harris & Trotter LLP Partner Nicholas Newman comments, “Harris & Trotter LLP has a large client base both in the UK and overseas. Our network is continually growing and, therefore, BKR is a perfect fit for the firm as we look to expand our reach." 

“BKR allows us to gain both technical and strategic information from members worldwide and work hand-in-hand to assist our international client base."

“Whilst COVID has created difficult times, our clients are open for business and are looking forward to joining us on this international adventure.”
BKR Held Successful Africa Sub-Regional Meeting in October

The latest Africa Sub-Regional Meeting was held on October 11, with a good turn out from Nigeria, South Africa, and Mauritius, as well as members from BKR's new London firm, Harris & Trotter LLP

It was a useful meeting, which shared a more optimistic and upbeat view on business across the continent; it was a chance to catch up, albeit virtually, with members. It also allowed Harris & Trotter LLP to brief members on their activities in London and internationally. 

The meeting closed with the promise of a repeat on March 22, 2022, this time in-person on the continent of Africa.
Download the Latest Asia-Pacific Regional E-Newsletter

Take a look at the most recent edition of BKR's Asia-Pacific Regional E-Newsletter here.
BKR Social Media Update

Exciting news about our social media accounts. All BKR social media accounts have been merged. There will no longer be separate regional accounts. BKR Worldwide and all three regions will now post on the same sites.

As a reminder, our accounts are:


Do follow us, and look at following your fellow members. Details can be found on members' websites.

Our main hashtag is #BKRelationships, and other ones are used for individual meetings.
Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP (New York) Recognized in Top 50 Construction Accounting Firms

Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP is pleased to share that it has once again been recognized by Construction Executive as one of The Top 50 Construction Accounting Firms. 

“Anchin is excited to be included among the most respected construction accounting firms. We pride ourselves on being recognized as a leader in the construction industry and an advisor to our clients in areas, such as developing effective tax strategies and plans; available tax credits, incentives and relief programs; and budgeting and cash flow planning. We work closely with our clients to help them deal with their most pressing issues and achieve their goals,” said Phillip Ross, Anchin partner, and leader of the Architecture & Engineering and Construction Industry Groups.
Louis Plung & Company (Pittsburgh) Named a Top Workplace of 2021

Louis Plung & Company (LPC) is pleased to announce that the firm has been named one of the Greater Pittsburgh Top Workplaces of 2021 by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“This recognition is a big deal, because it indicates so much about a business,” said Louis Plung, CPA and managing partner of LPC. “Here at Louis Plung, we are working very hard to put our people first and provide a superlative work environment for our team members. It’s an ongoing journey. As our business keeps growing, we know that, to stay the best, we need to keep evolving also. So, while we are proud of this achievement, we are moving ahead with more enhancements to our workplace environment, culture, and policies. We want to keep being the place people want to come to, stay, and tell their peers to join.”

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s annual list honors Pittsburgh-area organizations with 50 or more employees that offer workplaces with top-notch culture, management, and structure.

“The fact is that, as a professional service firm, you are only as good as your people. I am so proud of the people who have chosen to be a part of our team. They are the reason we are growing and are able to achieve fantastic results for our clients every day.” Continued Louis, “I consider it a great honor to be included on this list of distinguished organizations.”
UNW LLP (Newcastle upon Tyne) Awarded Top Cyber Security Certification

Newcastle-based chartered accountancy and business advisory firm UNW LLP has been awarded the Cyber Essentials Plus certification.

Cyber Essentials is a two-tier, government-backed scheme that helps organizations protect themselves against the burgeoning threat of cyber-attacks.

The award is a clear sign of the firm’s commitment to maintaining the highest degrees of cyber security and, therefore, the safety and security of the data it holds. As well as enabling UNW to confirm its cyber security credentials, it adds the business to the list of certified companies on the IASME (Information Assurance for Small and Medium Enterprises) consortium website.

To achieve the accreditation, the firm worked with Richmond-based IT Security and Information Governance consultancy Evolve North, who have recently launched their Cyber Toolkit platform, providing a streamlined system to support organizations in achieving Cyber Essentials Plus certification.

To gain the higher “Plus” accreditation, organizations are subject to a series of onsite assessments, differentiating it from the more fundamental Cyber Essentials certificate. As part of the process, UNW underwent internal and external vulnerability scans. A vulnerability scan is performed against internal or external networks identifying devices on those networks and the operating systems, software, and services they are running. This information is then compared to a catalogue of known vulnerabilities to determine whether any of the discovered software and operating systems are vulnerable to hackers.

Asked about attaining the accreditation, UNW’s Head of Operations, Jacqui Brown, said, “We are delighted to have achieved Cyber Essentials Plus status with the diligent assistance of Evolve North. In the face of a growing threat of cyber-attacks, we are committed to ensuring the safety and security of the data we hold. Our focus is always on looking after our clients and providing them with the best possible service, and this certification reflects our continued investment in the most robust processes of protection to provide reassurance to them.”

Evolve North’s Technical Director, David Moffatt, said, “It was a pleasure to support UNW working through our new Cyber Toolkit platform. By completing the process of certification, UNW has helped protect their IT against cyber-attacks, providing a clear picture of their organization’s cyber security level, which assures both clients and stakeholders. Cyber Essentials Plus provides greater peace of mind to organizations, as it confirms that the controls the organization have in place are working correctly.”
ARTUS (Vienna) Welcomes Michael Obernberger as New Partner

ARTUS is delighted to announce that Michael Obernberger has been appointed a partner.

Before joining ARTUS, Michael worked for the Big 4 in national and international consulting for many years. His focus is on international tax law, group taxation, and group tax law. In addition, he specializes in advising lawyers and advises companies on cryptocurrencies. Michael has written numerous posts on the ARTUS blog on the topics mentioned above.

Michael is an alumnus of the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, specializing in investment banking and taxation, and has also successfully completed an Executive Sales Manager MBA program.
Eurofast Ltd (Lefkosia) Announces New Deputy Group CEO Antonis Gavrielides

Eurofast Ltd is excited to announce the promotion of Antonis Gavrielides to the position of deputy group CEO.
 
Antonis has been part of Eurofast for more than 11 years. He has contributed greatly in his current role as a country manager and as a member of the board of directors of Eurofast.
 
Antonis will oversee the strategic and operational direction of the organization, and exercise managerial responsibility for Eurofast’s operation as he goes through the transitional process to replace current CEO Christodoulos Damianou.
 
Antonis stated, “I feel honored for the opportunity of becoming the deputy group CEO, and the trust given on outlining my own insight and culture within the organization. I’m very proud of our team and the way we overcome difficulties and obstacles, especially during the pandemic, proving we work as a whole. I’m sure the future beholds many more innovative ideas and practices that will take Eurofast a step forward.”

I have great confidence that, under Antonis’ leadership and the rest of our dream team, Eurofast will continue to lead the market,” mentioned Christodoulos.

The Eurofast team would like to congratulate Antonis on his new promotion and wish him good luck in the future.
 
Antonis took office on September 1, 2021.
Ferax Treuhand AG (Zürich) Announces New Partners

Ferax Treuhand AG is pleased to have Stefanie Jaggi and Antonio Marin as new partners in its partnership beginning July 1, 2020.

Stefanie Jaggi, a long-time employee, studied at the law faculty of the University of Zurich and was admitted to the bar of the Canton of Zurich. She has broad expertise in the tax field and combines this with the legal context. She brings new and valuable perspective to the partnership.

Antonio Marin is a Swiss licensed audit expert and has also worked for Ferax for many years. He has extensive experience in auditing health insurance and insurance companies. In addition, Antonio is active as a representative of the firm in the health insurance subcommittee of the professional association, EXPERTsuisse. 
Louis Plung & Company (Pittsburgh) Welcomes New Partner Thomas Bakaitus, Jr.

Louis Plung & Company (LPC) is pleased to announce that the former regional managing partner/firmwide director of tax at Herbein + Company, Inc. has joined the LPC team. 

Thomas Bakaitus, Jr., CPA and MST, who exited Herbein in September, will be leveraging his 35 years of tax advisory and transactional experience as partner at LPC. Thomas adds, “I will also be focusing on enhancing the LPC client service experience." 

LPC Managing Partner Louis Plung states, “It is a real honor to welcome Tom. His experience, knowledge, and practice philosophy of extreme client service will be a wonderful addition for our team. At the same time, we’re excited to move forward with a fresh marketing plan and strategic vision." 
UNW LLP (Newcastle upon Tyne) Promotes Fern Rivett to Partner in Its Audit and Assurance Team

UNW LLP has announced the promotion of Fern Rivett to audit and assurance partner, bringing the total number of partners at the firm to 13.

Fern began her career training with KPMG in Newcastle before joining UNW in 2012, and was promoted to senior manager in the firm’s Audit and Assurance Department in 2017.

Acting for a wide range of clients, from start-up businesses to international groups, Fern works extensively with businesses across a broad range of sectors, including manufacturing, property, and construction. Some of her current clients include Leeds-based property investment and development company Evans Group; Gateshead subsea manufacturing specialist Express Engineering; and Thompsons of Prudhoe, the family-owned specialist demolition firm based in Northumberland.

Reflecting on Fern’s progression, UNW’s managing partner, Andrew Wilson said, “We are delighted to recognize Fern’s success and contribution to the team with her promotion to partner. She is an outstanding professional who can not only draw on a considerable breadth of experience and expertise, but who has a genuine passion for providing the highest standards of service and advice to her clients.

“She is highly respected by those clients and her colleagues, and has already made a significant contribution to what we are achieving as a business. Fern’s promotion demonstrates that there are some fantastic opportunities here at UNW for those with ambition, ability, and an appetite for constant development.”

Fern said, “I’m thrilled to be promoted to partner at such a progressive firm. The Audit Department and firm as a whole have grown consistently since I joined nine years ago, and I’m excited about the opportunities we have to expand our impressive client base and ensure we maintain the highest standards of client service.

BKR Memorial: José Martins Correia (Lisbon)

It is with deep regret that Mariquito, Correia & Associados Sociedade de Revisores Oficiais de Contas (Lisbon) has announced the death of firm Partner and Manager José Martins Correia on September 1, 2021.

Our condolences go out to José's friends and family. He will be truly missed.
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Reminder!
Submissions for the January/February 2022 issue of the BKR International Worldwide Bulletin are due by Wednesday, December 8, 2021.
Volume 43 | Number 6