Tabacks has become a full member firm of Andersen Global, an international association of legally separate, independent member firms with a presence in 45 countries in Africa. With this move, Tabacks will be known as Andersen in South Africa from 24 February 2021.
This development sees the local firm cement its position as a hybrid tax advisory and law firm, now able to offer multinational clients a single port of call for advisory services from more than 7,000 professionals in 253 locations worldwide via the member and collaborating firms of Andersen Global.
At the same time, Andersen Global member firms in Nigeria and Kenya, previously operating under the brand 'Andersen Tax', will also transition to the common brand. Former collaborating firms in Tunisia (Jelil Bouraoui & Associates), and Mauritius and Seychelles (ATax Advisors) will also adopt the Andersen brand. Andersen Global also welcomes member firms in Ivory Coast (Mondon Conseil) and Mozambique (Isálcio Mahanjane Advogado & Associados).
Through its expansion efforts and unification of member firms under a common brand, Andersen now has the largest legal footprint on the African continent, offering its clients the power of a single touch point to manage legal and tax advisory matters as they invest and grow in the region.
"The synergy between legal and tax is critical, with most corporate transactions driven by tax imperatives," says Derrick Kaufmann, head of Corporate and Commercial for Andersen in South Africa, and co-Managing Partner for Andersen in Africa, along with Olaleye Adebiyi, his counterpart in Nigeria.
"Andersen now offers a global footprint of quality services and solutions in tax and legal, and the firm can also offer its services, through Andersen Global's collaborating and member firms in countries that appear to have challenging legal frameworks. Being part of Andersen Global means that we can call on trusted, knowledgeable partners in key markets, making it possible for clients to have a strong relationship with one brand for their tax and legal services, wherever they may need them."
This full association follows Tabacks' initial collaboration with Andersen Global which began in 2019 when the firm was identified as an important partner for the global consultancy's expansion into Africa. Its practices in the disciplines of Competition, Corporate Mergers and Acquisitions, Employment, Environmental, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Tax, and Regulatory Compliance aligned with Andersen Global's growth strategy in Africa, with many of its key executives recognised for their industry-leading acumen in these fields.
"Our relationship with Andersen Global was founded on our common values of best-in-class, commitment to client relationships and service excellence, transparency, and independence," says David Woodhouse, Chairman of the member firm in South Africa. "Its approach to value-added and cost-effective services for its clients places emphasis on the needs of each client – whether individual or business – and we look forward to offering this shared ethos to companies seeking a single, trusted corporate legal and tax advisory firm that can respond quickly and effectively to their needs, wherever those may be."