August 2024 Edition

A Letter from CEO Micheal Burch


I am looking forward to a great turn out for our Worldwide Meeting in Tokyo in October. The planning for this event is going well. It should be both educational and informative. We will continue to develop on our theme of “Building Capacity.”


In our efforts to move to “One BKR,” you will note that the billing and collection process has moved to our Central Services group in New York. This is the start of a process wherein we can ensure that the benefits of membership apply to all regions.


We have received numerous positive responses to our new website, and our new look and feel. We will be building on that with a global marketing and communications program we hope to roll out this fall. The goal of our campaign is to connect with potential new member firms and to encourage the use of BKR firms throughout the world. We will also be rolling out a new CRM product built specifically for associations like ours. This software will work with our new website to greatly enhance our back-office capabilities and our interface with our members. Stay tuned for more on that shortly.


We are always looking for ways by which we can better assist our members. Please reach out to me or our regional directors about anything you think we can add to our organization or that we could do better.

Reserve Your Hotel Room for BKR's 2024 Annual Worldwide Meeting


BKR's event of the year, the 2024 Annual Worldwide Meeting, will be held at the Hilton Tokyo from October 26-29.


You can make your hotel reservations here.


For members who would like to reserve special room types or book outside of the reservation dates of BKR's block of rooms, please email Hilton Tokyo's reservation team at TYOHI_TourCoordinator@hilton.com.


For information about pre- and post-meeting tour offerings, contact Geraint Holt at misterg@thejteam.jp.


If you need a letter of request for a Visa, please contact us at info@bkr.com.


Watch the promo video, "Tokyo: Awaken Your Senses," here.


Keep checking the event page for updates on our exciting agenda!

Notice of Annual General Meeting


Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of BKR International will be held at the Hilton Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, on Monday, October 28, 2024.

Mark Your Calendars for BKR's August Meetings


August 21: LATAM IFRS Practice Group Meeting

August 28: Americas Technology Practice Group Meeting

August 29: Canadian Indirect Tax Practice Group Meeting


View all of BKR's upcoming events here.

Catch Up with BKR's Regions


Be sure to check out the latest Regional E-Updates:



Iulia Lascau (Bucharest) Attends Eurus Leaders’ Convention


Iulia Lascau, of Member Firm Argus Audit SRL and chair of BKR's EMEA Regional Board, recently attended Paris member Eurus' Leaders' Convention in Bordeaux, France.


The convention focused on such key areas as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), best practice sharing, and customer experience enhancement.


At the event, Iulia highlighted strengthening global partnerships and exploring new opportunities for Eurus members for cross-border collaboration through BKR International.


Iulia engaged in in-depth discussions on integrating sustainability into business strategies to foster a positive impact. Valuable exchanges on innovative strategies to enhance operations and services were also a highlight, reflecting a commitment to excellence in all aspects of work.


Iulia expressed gratitude to all participants and organizers for making the convention a success, emphasizing the value of networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities. The event further solidified a commitment to excel in business practices and drive towards new adventures and successes in the future.

BKR’s LATAM IFRS Practice Group Holds Multinational Meeting


BKR’s LATAM IFRS Practice Group held a virtual meeting on July 24, with representation from fellow members in Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Uruguay, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, and Chile.



The group discussed the changes that IFRS 19 will generate, and scheduled additional practice group meetings for the next several months as follows: August 21, September 25, October 23, and November 20 at 12:00 PM ET.


Keep checking BKR's Events page for more details about the group's future meetings.

Alexander Advisory Solutions Limited Publishes Inaugural Sustainability Report


BKR Bermuda Member Alexander Advisory Solutions Limited (Pembroke) is proud to announce the release of its inaugural Sustainability Report. The firm takes great pride in this achievement, which represents a first step in the right direction.


View highlights from the report on the BKR website here.


Please contact Belaid Jheengoor at bj@alexanders.bm for more details and to view the report in its entirety.

UNW Bucks Downsizing Trend with Office Expansion


BKR's Newcastle-based Member Firm UNW LLP has significantly increased its office space in Newcastle’s prominent Citygate II building in a move that is set to provide the business with more space to grow.


The expansion, which comes as a result of continued success in the marketplace and a need to accommodate its growing team, sees the firm increase its office footprint at the site on St James’ Boulevard by over 35%.


Moving from its original 7,200 square foot office space on the third floor, which it has occupied since 2008, UNW now occupies the entire 11,000 square foot second floor. This is in addition to its existing 3,200 square foot reception and client meeting suite on the ground floor.


In contrast with the post-pandemic downsizing trend in the market, the move to a larger office at Citygate II will accommodate UNW’s 185-strong team across one open plan space and allow for the creation of more jobs at the firm, including a further 15 graduate and apprentice roles in September 2024.


The newly acquired space has been transformed into a modern, open plan working environment and includes over a dozen internal meeting rooms and collaborative spaces, a state-of-the-art video conference room, as well as a large contemporary kitchen and social space.


Chris Wilson, Partner and Head of Corporate Finance at UNW, said, "This substantial investment in our facilities not only reflects our dedication to meeting the needs of our growing team but also ensures that we can continue to build on our success in recent years. We’re creating a great place to work here at UNW. From the supportive, transparent, and inclusive culture that exists, right through to the high-quality training and development opportunities we provide. We know that providing our people, and those we plan to hire, with a first-class office environment where they can really thrive, will enable us to continue to recruit and retain some of the brightest and best talent in the region."

Eurofast Explains: Cyprus' IP Box Regime as an Ideal Solution for Non-Dom Investors


Discover why savvy investors are turning to Cyprus for intellectual property investments amidst the UK's upcoming Non-Dom rule changes with Eurofast tax experts. As the UK prepares to implement new rules affecting Non-Doms in 2025, insightful investors are seeking alternative jurisdictions for their intellectual property (IP) investments. Cyprus stands out as an appealing option with its attractive IP Box Regime, which promotes innovation, safeguards assets, and reduces tax liabilities.

As the UK's tax landscape changes, Non-Doms should consider Cyprus as a strategic location for IP investment. The IP Box Regime, coupled with Cyprus' business-friendly environment, legal framework, and tax benefits, makes the island a compelling choice for forward-thinking investors.


Feel free to consult with Eurofast Ltd (Lefkosia [Nicosia]) legal and tax professionals in Cyprus to customize your IP strategy to your specific needs at nicosia@eurofast.eu.


Eurofast in Cyprus is ready to help you maximize tax efficiency and foster innovation.

Yair Holtzman Publishes Article on Requirements for Supporting Research Credit Refund Claims


Yair Holtzman of BKR Member Firm Anchin Accountants and Advisors (New York) has published the article, "IRS Simplifies Requirements for Supporting Research Credit Refund Claims."


Read the article in full here.

Get Involved in Your Region's Recruitment/Retention Committee


In order to meet one of our strategic objectives, we are creating Recruitment/Retention Committees for each region. These committees will be chaired by each respective regional director. We are requesting 3-4 volunteer members from each region to join these committees.


Our goal will be to determine the specific locations where we need to focus, determine potential targets in those areas, look for warm introductions into these firms by existing members or contacts, and employ a couple of members in the actual recruitment phase, including meetings with prospects.


Ultimately, we want to create a Business Development Officer position (budgets allowing). The research we pull together in these committees will be of great assistance to this individual. 


Don't wait...Email the Executive Office to join!

Promote Your Firm and BKR on Social Media


In an effort to promote BKR and our members, we request that member firms share their social media handles with BKR's Executive Office so we may easily tag your firm in our posts. Send your LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook handles to info@bkr.com. We also encourage you to tag BKR in your posts, and be sure to use #BKRelationships when promoting your BKR membership.

Catch up with all of the latest Member News on the BKR website.


Submit your firm's news and updates to info@bkr.com.

Volume 46 | Number 8

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