• With more than 30 years of international experience, Mr Whitehouse was instrumental in drafting GCC countries’ indirect tax laws ahead of the 2018 VAT introduction

Dubai, 28^th May 2024 – Alvarez & Marsal Tax LLP (A&M Tax), an affiliate of global professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has continued the expansion of its Middle East based capabilities with the appointment of Justin Whitehouse as a Managing Director.

A recognised VAT and international indirect tax expert, involved in the drafting of the indirect tax laws in more than one of the GCC countries ahead of the 2018 VAT introduction, Mr Whitehouse brings more than 30 years of experience in the UK, Europe and across the GCC.

Working closely with A&M Tax’s Managing Director, Vishal Sharma, Mr Whitehouse’s primary role is to lead and build the firm’s Middle East Indirect Tax practice. He will also focus on building new global indirect tax service offerings and executing complementary alliances with third-party vendors to help A&M’s clients address the increasingly complex indirect tax regulatory landscape. He supports clients across industries, from real estate, travel and tourism, to consumer products, ecommerce, private equity and the public sector.

Marvin Rust, Managing Director of A&M Tax UK and Head of A&M Tax Europe, noted: “The GCC tax landscape has significantly evolved in recent years. Increasingly complex regulatory and indirect tax considerations are now front of mind for many clients – but few of their advisers can claim to have helped write the laws. We’re delighted to welcome Justin to our fast-growing team in the Middle East.”

Ernesto Perez, Managing Director and Global Practice Leader of A&M Tax, added: "As we continue to advance our global growth plans, we are keen on having market makers, like Justin, join our team. With decades of experience designing and implementing intricate indirect tax frameworks, an innovative mindset, and the ability to leverage cutting-edge technology, he is uniquely positioned to bolster our capabilities and create value for our clients. Justin will be an integral leader in the Middle East and is truly committed to looking at our clients’ businesses as a strategic advisor. His passion complements our commitment as an organization to continue to explore state-of-the-art solutions that will have the greatest impact within the tax realm as well as placing a lens on our clients’ needs more holistically."

Mr Whitehouse explained: “While the global complexities of indirect tax fascinate me, my focus remains on serving as an adviser for clients – offering them the guidance they need, so that they can get on with running their business. This pragmatic, straightforward approach chimes with A&M’s practical, results-oriented ethos. I look forward to helping our dynamic Middle East tax team add value.”

Prior to joining A&M, Mr Whitehouse spent five years with EY, where he led the London region VAT practice, focused on advising mid-market and large corporates on cross-border indirect tax affairs. Before that he worked at Deloitte for 15 years in a variety of leadership roles, serving as London VAT practice lead, Middle East VAT practice lead, and Global Public Sector leader for tax. Mr Whitehouse is a Chartered Tax Adviser.

ENDS

About Alvarez & Marsal

Companies, investors and government entities around the world turn to Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) for leadership, action and results. Privately held since its founding in 1983, A&M is a leading global professional services firm that provides advisory, business performance improvement and turnaround management services. When conventional approaches are not enough to create transformation and drive change, clients seek our deep expertise and ability to deliver practical solutions to their unique problems.

With more than 9,000 people providing services across six continents, we deliver tangible results for corporates, boards, private equity firms, law firms and government agencies facing complex challenges. Our senior leaders, and their teams, leverage A&M’s restructuring heritage to help companies act decisively, catapult growth and accelerate results. We are experienced operators, world-class consultants, former regulators and industry authorities with a shared commitment to telling clients what’s really needed for turning change into a strategic business asset, managing risk and unlocking value at every stage of growth.

To learn more, visit: AlvarezandMarsal.com.

About Alvarez & Marsal Tax

Alvarez & Marsal Tax, part of Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), a global professional services firm, is an independent tax group made up of experienced tax professionals dedicated to providing customised tax advice to clients and investors across a broad range of industries. Its professionals extend A&M's commitment to offering clients a choice of advisers who are free from audit-based conflicts of interest and bring an unyielding commitment to delivering responsive client service. A&M Tax has offices in major metropolitan markets throughout the US, Latin America, APAC and EMEA.