Alvarez & Marsal Tax announced the appointment of UAE-based Vishal Sharma as a Managing Director. Mr. Sharma’s appointment represents the next phase of A&M Tax’s geographic growth strategy, following recent appointments across the UK, the Netherlands and Germany, along with bolstering its digital tax strategies and fund taxation capabilities.
Sharma helps investors to understand and comply with the complex and ever-changing tax landscape across the UAE and the wider Middle East. His clients include regional/global sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms, state-owned entities (including national oil companies), large global multinational corporations, and family wealth offices.
Sharma advises clients on inbound, outbound, and cross border tax advisory concerns. He has in-depth mergers and acquisitions (M&A) tax due diligence, corporate restructuring, financial modeling, and transaction document review expertise. Additionally, Mr. Sharma has extensive knowledge of the attractive and emerging Middle East investment sectors including technology, financial institutions, and renewable energy.
Ernie Perez, Managing Director and Global Practice Leader of A&M Tax, pointed to the success of the expansion strategy, “Our Global Tax practice’s recent double-digit growth demonstrates the success of our multi-pronged growth strategy which includes global expansion. A&M’s global boots-on-the-ground network of tax professionals, combined with its multi-disciplinary expertise and freedom from audit conflicts, differentiates us in the market and allows us to better serve our global clients. Our Middle East market entry, spearheaded by Vishal, will include 10 Tax professionals by the end of 2023. Vishal’s joining underscores our commitment to meeting clients’ cross-border tax challenges and tax advisory needs worldwide.”
Marvin Rust, Managing Director of A&M Tax U.K. and Head of A&M Tax Europe, said, “Multinational clients with UAE operations are grappling with increasingly complex regulatory and tax considerations. With growing stability in the Middle East market, we anticipate that more US and UK-based corporates will explore and evaluate investments in the region, concurrent with local investors’ outbound considerations. Vishal’s deep market knowledge and operational mindset aligns with our clients’ needs and our approach to maximizing value.”
Prior to joining A&M, Sharma spent nine years in Deloitte’s Middle East International Tax Services group in Dubai, where he most recently served as an M&A Tax Partner. In addition, Mr. Sharma was also the lead tax partner in charge of two large global multinationals, providing regional tax compliance and reporting services relating to their Middle East operations.
Sharma noted, “The Middle East’s tax landscape is continuing to evolve at unprecedented pace, with both the reform of existing tax regimes and introduction of new taxes. A&M’s integrated platform and global network provide competitive advantages that help clients realize their growth objectives while managing market complexities.”
Sharma earned an LLB from Northampton University in the U.K. He is a Certified Tax Advisor and a member of The Association of Taxation Technicians.