Alvarez & Marsal, leading global professional services firm, has today announced a major new hire, appointing David Hicks as Global Co-Leader of Disputes and Investigations and as Financial Crime Practice Leader. Mr. Hicks will be based in Dubai until 28 February 2026 and will relocate to London in March of 2026.

Despite global uncertainties, India remains fundamentally strong with long-term potential. To explore emerging M&A trends in Indian financial services, VCCircle caught up with Bhavik Hathi, managing director at Alvarez & Marsal's Global Transaction Advisory Group. In the interview, Hathi shared insights on private equity activity in the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector, the firm’s expansion strategy, and more.

UAE Excise Tax Update: Key Changes for Sweetened Drinks
Discover the latest updates on the UAE Excise Tax as the FTA introduces a tiered volumetric model for sweetened drinks, effective January 1, 2026. Learn how the shift from a flat 50% rate to a sugar-content-based system impacts businesses, with new compliance requirements, product testing, and registration obligations. Discover how businesses can navigate these updates and ensure readiness.

Thailand's latest tax ruling on outbound software payments introduces a rights-based approach to classify payments as business profits or royalties. This shift aligns with international tax standards and impacts cross-border technology transactions, including cloud computing and custom software development. Learn how to optimize withholding tax exposure under this new interpretation.

The old playbook for multinational companies (MNCs) in China no longer works. Five years ago, MNCs could translate superior technology, products, and management models into easy profits in the world’s second-largest economy. Today, the competitive landscape has shifted.

Generative AI (GenAI) is transforming how competition-related cases, including merger control and investigations, are handled. Its ability to analyse vast amounts of data quickly and accurately is proving to be a game-changer.

The Federal real estate has long operated out of sync with the natural boom-and-bust cycles that shape the commercial real estate market. With 11.4 million square feet of leases set to expire, the federal government has an incredible opportunity to realign it’s real estate holdings to the market.

A&M Tax Managing Director Kevin M. Jacobs was recently featured in The Wall Street Journal in an article highlighting the cash savings companies are benefiting from under the new tax law.

In May 2025, Washington enacted multiple tax bills into law, including Senate Bill 5814 (SB 5814), which takes effect on October 1st and will broaden the sales and use tax base and the Business and Occupation (B&O) tax retailing classification to include several new services.

Survey highlights value creation strategies emerging trends like AI and ESG as key levers for success amid tariff and trade challenges.

The Ascent Group - A&M AUS Insolvency Portal

Griffin Coal - A&M AUS Insolvency Portal

Entyr Group - A&M AUS Insolvency Portal

The Australian private equity market is set to play a pivotal role in shaping the country’s economic future. In our inaugural Australia Private Equity Value Creation report, we deep dive into how Australian-focused PE funds and operators are performing and how their strategies compare globally.