BKR International Worldwide Bulletin January/February 2022

Letter from the Worldwide Chair Happy New Year to all BKR Members.   What a year it has been! I feel we have been nearly there, and then COVID has intervened again. Looking ahead to 2022, I do believe that we will become much more adept to living and working with COVID. At least there has been a return to in-person meetings at last. Our Toronto meeting put down a marker to show how important our face-to-face meetings are. With the support of Welch LLP (Ottawa and Toronto), the Worldwide Meeting was a great success. It was good to catch up after so long.   One area that I believe will be key to BKR International in 2022 is the strategy review that the Worldwide Board has decided to carry out. The outcome of this work later in 2022 will enable all members to know where BKR International wants to head in the future. We have engaged Business Vision Consultancy to assist us in developing the strategy, and I hope all members will provide input to this process to allow us to develop together.   Looking ahead, I want to point out the dates of the regional and worldwide meetings. These events are the cornerstone of what BKR offers its members, and I hope to see you at one or more of these events. The theme for our meetings this year is “Your People, Your Future,” which, after the last two years, is a really pertinent topic for all members.   Americas Regional Meeting, Memphis, Tennessee, May 21-24, 2022 EMEA & Asia-Pacific Joint Regional Meeting, Athens, Greece, June 10-13, 2022 Worldwide Meeting, Amsterdam, Netherlands, October 22-25, 2022   BKR’s 2022 Annual Report is due out shortly, and I urge you to take the time to review it. In addition to our main meetings, there are a range of activities and practice groups available to members that will allow them to maximise the value of their BKR membership. I am really looking forward to seeing you at our meetings. In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, do not hesitate to contact either me or the CEO, Tim Morris. Best regards, Graeme Boake Boake Incorporated  Johannesburg, South Africa

Read BKR's 2022 Annual Report BKR's 2022 Annual Report is now available to download here.

Download BKR's Updated Members' Manual BKR has updated its Members' Manual. Download your copy here.

Toronto Meeting Material Now Available The minutes, presentations, photos, and videos from BKR's 2021 Annual Worldwide Meeting in Toronto are available on the BKR website here.

The Return of In-Person Managing Partner Roundtables in the Americas Region Thanks to the partners and firm participants who attended our recent Managing Partner Roundtables in sunny Orlando, Florida. More than 30 firms came together to network, share ideas, and attend a special bonus session on Talent Management led by Sandra Wiley of Boomer Consulting. A great time was had by all, and we look forward to seeing everyone again next year!

BKR Italian and French Member Firm Meeting Held in Paris On Thursday, November 18, Isabelle Bridelle and Thierry Quentin from Exponens Avocats, the law firm associated with Exponens (Paris), met their counterpart, Maria Adele de Luca Partner at B&C Legal, the law firm associated with B&C Tax (Milan). Also present were Arcangelo Agogliati, Partner at B&C Tax, and David Dana, Partner at Exponens. The meeting was held on the premises of Exponens near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The practices of each firm (including Commercial Law, Corporate, M&A, Employment, Litigation, Retail Real Estate, and IP/IT) were presented, as well as their respective approaches to their profession. All commented on how much the firms were aligned, and, in particular, that they appeared to share the same vision of the profession and the same values.  After the presentations, Arcangelo and David commented on how confident they were in the ability of the two law firms to work and develop together, and that they look forward to a successful relationship similar to that of the two accounting and audit firms.  As is the tradition within BKR International of convivial exchanges, discussions continued during lunch in a most pleasant restaurant.

IFRS-ISAS Latam Group Holds Successful Seminar The seminar, “Tools to Address Challenges in Accounting and Compliance in the Private and Government Sector,” organized by the IFRS-ISAS Latam Group, was successfully held on December 2-3, 2021. BKR Americas Regional Board Member Francisco Perdomo (San Juan) gave the welcoming address to open the seminar, and member firms from Peru, Chile, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic participated in giving presentations on various topics: Principal IFRS Differences Full vs. IFRS SME The Seven Pillars of Compliance Convergence to International Public Sector Standards NIC SP Accounting Considerations to Close the Year 2021 On both days, there was an average attendance of 100 participants, including clients from the different firms representing BKR International and their professionals. The group is proud to end the year with an event of this magnitude that reinforces them as an international association in Latam.

Read the Latest from BKR's EMEA Region The December edition of BKR's EMEA Regional E-Update is now available for download here.

Catch up with BKR's Asia-Pacific Region The latest issue of BKR's Asia-Pacific E-Newsletter is now available for download here.

BKR International and the AICPA Foundation Form Partnership BKR International is proud to announce a partnership with the AICPA Foundation to promote the foundation’s centennial anniversary and capital campaign. The AICPA Foundation will mark 100 years in 2022, and its leaders are calling on all industry professionals to focus on the future of the profession.  Read the announcement here.

Louis Plung & Company (Pittsburgh) (LPC) Merges in Love, Scherle & Bauer (LSB) Louis Plung & Company is pleased to announce the addition of Love, Scherle & Bauer, P.C. (LSB). LSB will officially join LPC on January 1, 2022. However, the two firms have already merged workforces. While LSB Partner Joseph Scherle is retiring, the remaining eight-person LSB team is moving from the Grant Building, where they have been based since 1939, into the LPC offices in One Gateway. LPC Managing Partner Louis Plung explains, “LSB is a great addition to LPC. Their standards on client service and how you treat people matches very much with our practice beliefs. We are very happy to be able to continue the LSB tradition.“ Our younger generation of leaders also shares those values, and we are intent on remaining a Pittsburgh firm committed to our clients’ success.” Partner Carl Bauer echoes those sentiments, “This is the ideal merger. Clients won’t get lost in the shuffle because Louis Plung is a local firm dedicated to great client service like we have been.”

Walker Wayland Australasia Limited Achieves Top 15 in the Nation's Top Accounting Firms for 2021 Congratulations to Walker Wayland Australasia Limited for achieving number 15 in the recently announced Australian Financial Review's top 100 Accounting Firms List in Australia. The data show just how much the businesses, especially smaller companies, rely on their accountants during the pandemic period. Smaller firms, particularly those with a focus on taxation-related advice, grew at a faster rate than firms with a broader advisory offering. For the complete list, click here.

Ashok Maheshwary & Associates LLP (New Delhi) (AKM Global) Ranked in World Tax and World Transfer Pricing Guides for 2022 Congratulations to Ashok Maheshwary & Associates LLP (AKM Global) for being ranked for the sixth consecutive time in World Tax and World Transfer Pricing Guides for 2022. For the complete list, click here.

Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP's (New York) Financial Services Practice Awarded "Best Tax Advisory" at Hedgeweek Americas Awards 2021 Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP is pleased to share that it has been named Best Tax Advisory by Hedgeweek in their 2021 Americas Awards. This is the tenth year Anchin has been recognized by Hedgeweek, a key international publication covering hedge fund industry news for investors and fund managers. Such awards recognize the continuing quality of Anchin’s Financial Services Practice and distinguish the firm from industry competitors. “It is such an honor to win Hedgeweek's award for Best Tax Advisory firm,” said Jeffrey I. Rosenthal, CPA, Partner-in-Charge of the Firm’s Financial Services Practice. "We pride ourselves on the excellent service and added value we provide to clients, and we are immensely proud to accept such awards, which result directly from the efforts of our team.” "We pride ourselves on being more than just tax preparers and look to add value with timely tax planning whenever possible," said E. George Teixeira, CPA, Tax Leader of the firm’s Financial Services Practice. "We are happy to accept this award as it highlights what Anchin is all about and also could not have been possible without the efforts of our team.” With decades of experience supporting the Financial Services community, Anchin earns such honors by delivering financial reporting, tax, and advisory guidance to investment partnerships, hedge funds, funds-of-funds, private equity funds, off-shore funds, master-feeder structures, broker/dealers, mutual funds, and investment advisers. Anchin has also established an affiliate in the Cayman Islands, Anchin, Block & Anchin (Cayman) Ltd., to provide audit services to funds registered there. In addition to this esteemed award from Hedgeweek, over the last several years, the firm have also been honored to win the following awards: Named "Best Auditor for Start-Ups" (HFM Global, 2021) Named "Best Accounting Firm for Start-Up and Emerging Funds" (Hedgeweek, 2020) Named "Best Accounting Firm for Start-Up Funds" (Hedgeweek, 2019) Named "Best North American Accounting Firm" (Hedgeweek, 2011-2016, 2018) Named "Best Audit Services-Smaller Managers" (Hedge Fund Manager US, 2018) Named "Top 100 Firms" in the United States (INSIDE Public Accounting, 2009-2013, 2015, 2019-2021) Named "Best U.S. Hedge Fund Accountancy Firm" (Acquisition International, 2015-2018) Named "U.S. Overall Accountancy Firm of the Year" (Acquisition International, 2013-2014) Named "Best Companies to Work For" in New York State (Society for Human Resources Management, 2007-2021) Named "Best Place to Work" in New York City (Crain's New York Business, 2009-2011, 2013-2021)

Welch LLP’s Cody Sorensen (Ottawa) Competes to Qualify for Olympic Games Cody Sorensen, director of M&A at BKR Member Firm Welch LLP (Ottawa), has been competing on the World Cup circuit with the intent of qualifying for the Olympic games in Beijing this winter.  The Ottawa Business Journal covered Cody's journey in a recent article here.

Ronalds LLP (Nairobi) Managing Partner Named in Top 40 Under 40 Congratulations to Managing Partner Ronald Bwosi of Ronalds LLP for being listed among the top 40 under 40, 2021, and featured in Business Daily Newspaper. Learn more here.

Manu Chadha (Mumbai) Featured on India’s NewsX Channel The program, Legally Speaking, on India’s NewsX television channel featured Manu Chadha of M/s T R Chadha & Co LLP (Mumbai). Manu provided financial input on a panel hosted by Tarun Nangia, where they discussed the Adani Group application for an ARC license. Watch the program here.

BKR's Concerns/Questions Faced While Outsourcing to India Video and Presentation Now Available The video and presentation of BKR International’s recent "Concerns/Questions Faced While Outsourcing to India," with Member Firm Ashok Maheshwary & Associates LLP (AKM Global) (New Delhi), are now available here.

Read Walker Wayland NSW's (Sydney) "Managing Conflict in the Workplace" Walker Wayland NSW's Wellbeing Series presents "Managing Conflict in the Workplace," with helpful tips to resolve workplace conflicts. When dealt with quickly and in the right way, such conflict can bring certain issues to light, lead to positive change, and even strengthen relationships between co-workers. Read the full article here.

Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP's (New York) Announces New Partner Promotions Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP is excited to announce the following partner promotions: David Bechman in the Litigation, Forensic and Valuation Services Group; Vincent Gatto to tax partner and member of Anchin Private Client; Brent Lessey to tax partner in the Consumer Products Group and the Transaction Advisory Services Practice; and Adam Pizzo to assurance partner in the Technology Group.

Louis Plung & Company (Pittsburgh) Announces New Partner Thomas Bakaitus, Jr. Thomas Bakaitus, Jr. joins Louis Plung & Company (LPC) as partner and member of the executive team. He’ll be leveraging his 35 years of tax advisory and transactional experience, as well as focusing on enhancing the LPC client service experience.

Barry O’Donnell Joins Harbinson Mulholland's (Belfast) Forensic Team Senior Manager Barry O’Donnell, who has been with Harbinson Mulholland since 2003, is formally joining the HM Criminal and Commercial Forensic Team. During his 19 years at the firm, Barry has been involved in numerous forensic assignments involving commercial disputes, private company valuations, and matrimonial matters. He has also acted as an expert witness with a focus on commercial and matrimonial cases and company valuations, and will now be working alongside Vincent Bradley and Callum Coulter. Barry, a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, is also one of the firm's two licensed insolvency practitioners, and will continue to act in a wide range of corporate and personal insolvency matters, corporate restructuring, solvent liquidations, and complex group restructuring. He also acts as liquidator, receiver, administrator, and trustee in formal insolvency assignments. Vincent, director of Forensic Services, commented, “Barry is an invaluable member of the wider HM team. His experience and expertise is a natural fit for the forensic team, and we are delighted to have Barry working alongside us.”

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Reminder! Submissions for the March/April 2022 issue of the BKR International Worldwide Bulletin are due by Wednesday, February 9, 2022.

Volume 44 | Number 1

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