6th Cyprus International Tax Conference

Kyriakos Iordanou is the General Manager of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC) since January 2012. Prior to that, he served as a Council member between 2002 to 2011, rising to the position of the Vice President (2009-2011). Kyriakos is a Fellow of ACCA, member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CPFA) and a Fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (FCIS), as well as a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (MCIM). He also served as a board member of the Cyprus Institute of Internal Auditors (2006-2011). In 2019, Kyriakos was elected as the President of the Parallel Parliament for Research, Innovation and Digital Governance.

Reinhard Biebel is German and studied Economics at the University of Regensburg (Bavaria). He passed the professional qualifications of chartered auditor, US CPA and tax advisor and he worked for more than 10 years in the field of international financial reporting and taxation in the private sector. In 2006, Reinhard joined the European Commission in DG MARKT in charge of international financial reporting standards IFRS in the EU. In September 2014 he joined DG TAXUD and became responsible for the unit dealing with direct tax policy and administrative cooperation including transfer pricing, dispute resolution and follows the OECD discussions on Pillar 1.

Irene Piki holds a BSc on Economics and Human Geography from Reading University and a Master on Environmental and Resource Economics from University College London (UCL). She is the Economic Director of the Directorate on Economic Policy and European Affairs. Since joining the government in 1997, she has worked on EU Cohesion Policy for the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2012, the Unit for Administrative Reform and as Head of the Minister's Office at the Ministry of Finance, as well as serving on the Board on a number of state-owned enterprises.

Paul Gisby, after studying psychology at Manchester University, qualified as a chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser and spent 20 years in the North West of England working in private practice. As a general practice partner, he gained a wide experience of accounting, auditing, and providing financial advice. After moving to Brussels, he joined Accountancy Europe - an international organisation representing nearly 1 million professional accountants through its 50 member bodies, in all sectors of the profession. His primary focus is on tax, and he is a frequent speaker on tax policy and VAT issues. He represents Accountancy Europe’s at the European Commission’s VAT Expert Group and has been a member of the EU Platform for Tax Good Governance. He leads Accountancy Europe’s work on public sector accounting standards and is a member of the Consultative Advisory Group of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board. He also supervises Accountancy Europe’s SME related activities.

Jan Maarten Slagter is the CEO of IBFD since January 2017. He started his career as a corporate lawyer, having read law at Leiden University (graduating in 1993). After spending more than four years as an attorney, he switched to financial journalism, joining the newsroom of the Dutch daily Het Financieele Dagblad and serving as the paper’s correspondent in London from 2004 to 2007. From 2007 to 2014, he lead the VEB, the Dutch association of investors, representing the interests of (mainly retail) investors vis-à-vis listed companies, financial institutions, political institutions and financial regulators. Mr Slagter writes a regular column on financial and economic issues in De Telegraaf.

Christos S. Christodoulou is the Managing Director of CSC Christodoulou Ltd, an award winning firm in Cyprus, since Y2004. He is also the CEO of Delphi Alliance, a newly established multi-practice global professional Association. Christos holds the professional title of Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). He is practicing audit, tax and advisory since 1997 and he is credited with a number of successful cases. Christos is currently the President of the V.A.T. committee of (ICPAC) (previously served as a member, secretary and president, for the last 20 years). He participates in a number of meetings at the Ministry of Finance of Cyprus and the House of Representatives for the formulation of tax laws, circulars and tax policies. Under his capacity as the CEO of Delphi Alliance, he participated in International Forums either as a Panelist and Key Speaker. He journals frequently in economic magazines and newspapers.

Ioanna Stylianidou is a Fellow Member of the Institute of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (FCA) and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC). She holds a Masters degree in Economics (University of Cyprus) and a Bachelor degree in Accountancy (University of East Anglia, UK). Ioanna is currently the Head of Transfer Pricing Services in PwC Cyprus and has extensive experience in advising prominent multinational and regional companies on (amongst others) setting up/developing their TP models and policies, assisting in the preparation of TP documentation (TP studies, Master/Local Files, CbC reports) for intercompany transactions and dispute resolution.

Christos A. Theophilou is specialised in corporate tax issues with an international dimension, such as private equity structuring, cross-border investments, structured finance and international trade. Christos is a contributor to international tax publications such as IBFD, Tax Notes International, Bloomberg Tax and IFA as a national reporter. Furthermore, Christos is currently a member of ICPAC (Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus) Tax Planning & Policy committee. Christos is also a freelance lecturer for IBFD and Tolley's in Greece and Cyprus, where his main areas are Transfer Pricing and ADIT Paper 1 Principles of International Tax.

Nikolas Chatziavraam is the CEO of Softline Computer Systems. Nikolas holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and obtained his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Cyprus (UCy). Through his technical expertise he has been serving as a technology and operations optimization consultant for some of the largest professional service companies around the island such as law firms, accounting firms and fiduciary service providers. Nikolas is a firm believer that technology is the only way forward for the professional services industry, disrupting the current mode of operation and becoming a given asset to the companies that invest in it.

Charalambos Meivatzis holds a BSc in Accounting and Finance and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB). In 2005 he obtained his professional qualification as a Chartered Accountant and in 2016 he was admitted to the Cyprus Bar Association. Combining Accounting and Law, Charalambos has an in-depth knowledge on both sectors that has not only provided him with experiences in a variety of settings in his professional career, but has also given him a well-rounded insight and perspective in both fields. Charalambos deals with International Tax Planning and the provision of Tax Advisory Services.

Costas Markides is a Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and a Member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC). He is also a Member of the Tax Policy and Strategy committee of ICPAC and a Member of the advisory team supporting the Ministry of Finance during tax treaty negotiations. He is the president of the Cyprus/Kazakhstan business association operating under the auspices of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Costas is heading the International Tax practice of KPMG in Cyprus. He is a frequent speaker on topics related to International Tax and has published many articles on the subject, in Cyprus and the US.

Michael A. Michaelides is a partner at Deloitte Cyprus, specialising in local and international taxation. He offers tax advisory services to a diverse portfolio of clients which includes high net worth individuals, private companies and multinational enterprises. He commenced his career with Deloitte UK in London, where he qualified as a chartered accountant and transferred to Deloitte Cyprus in 2011. Michael has wide experience in advising his clients on tax compliance matters and corporate restructurings. Michael holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics with Economics from UCL and an M.Phil in Finance from the University of Cambridge. He is a fellow member of the ICAEW and holds the Advanced Diploma in International Taxation, awarded with distinction. He is a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus and appointed on its tax policy and strategy committee.

George Themistocleous is the CEO and the Managing Partner of RSM Cyprus. He also leads RSM Cyprus’ Tax Services. He is a Fellow member of the Association of International Accountants (FAIA) and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC). He started his career more than 30 years ago, during which, among others, he was involved with audits and tax advisory services of numerous multinational groups in different industry sectors. He focuses on international tax developments, and he served a global accountants’ association as a vice-chairman for five years.

Juan has over 19 years of tax and consulting experience and a long track record of serving international companies. He is the head of the Technology Consulting Team of RSM Netherlands and is currently based in Hoofdorp. With strong transfer pricing and tax technology knowledge, he serves many corporate clients based in Europe or the US with global operations. As an active member of the Tax Technology Team for RSM, which develops and implements automation, predictive and assessments solutions for multinationals, he has a broad industry focus with target areas in Life Science, Manufacturing, Consumer Products, Logistics and Technology. Juan is a tax attorney and graduated from the University of Leiden, LLM, a member of the International Fiscal Association, a regular speaker at international conferences and a member of the RSM International Centre of Excellence (COE) of Taxation for Europe. Moreover, he is an active member of the RSM International Innovation team and is involved in larger transformation projects at internationally active companies aiming to transform their global tax departments.

Nathalie Aymé, Partner, specializes in domestic and international tax law. She regularly advises French and international companies especially in the manufacturing and the telecom & technology sectors. She assists her clients in their day-to-day transactions, advising them on the most complex technical issues or providing them with the support needed to fulfil their reporting and filing obligations. Nathalie has over 20 years’ experience in managing and coordinating cross-border investment and/or restructuring transactions. Nathalie has developed a mutual cooperation with the worldwide Deloitte network. Her experience includes advising group clients designing and implementing their acquisition structures or new operating structures at the international level, but also assisting clients during field investigations and tax audit procedures. Nathalie first started with the firm in 1998. She was appointed Partner in 2008.

Petros P. Krasaris is a Partner at EY Cyprus and heads the International Tax and Transaction Services. He joined EY Cyprus in 2001 and also worked at EY New York as the Cyprus and Malta Foreign Tax Desk. His main areas of practice are international tax, transaction tax, and MDR/DAC6 advisory services. Petros has extensive experience in international tax planning advising US and European clients in structuring their operations and investments, improving tax efficiency of multinational operations, advising on earnings repatriation strategies, and other areas such as family office tax structuring. Petros is a member of the Tax Policy Committee of the local Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and CFA Charter-holder.

Chrysilios Pelekanos is the leader of the Indirect Tax Advisory practice of the firm and is the Head of East Market & Deputy COO at PwC Cyprus. He also chairs the tax policy panel of PwC Cyprus. Chrysilios is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and is a graduate of the University of Manchester BA Economics. Chrysilios also has a Masters in Law with specialisation in Tax. Chrysilios is currently a Member of the VAT Committee of ICPAC, of which he has also served as the President. He has been actively liaising with the VAT authorities and providing recommendations on development and implementation of new legislative measures. He has extensive experience as a conference Chairman and speaker.

Raluca Enache is a member of KPMG's EU Tax Centre and is based in Bucharest. Raluca has over 15 years experience in EU and international direct tax law, more recently with a focus on anti-abuse measures and transparency initiatives, including the EU Mandatory Disclosure Rules, the OECD BEPS 2.0 initiative, EU anti-abuse legislation and state aid issues. Before joining the EU Tax Centre, Raluca worked in KPMG’s financial services tax practice and spent three years in London advising institutional investors as part of the global operational taxes team of a large banking and financial services group.

George Liasis is the Vice Chairperson, VAT Committee, Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus and a Partner leading the Indirect Tax team of EY Cyprus. He specializes in VAT and other indirect tax matters such as customs and excise matters, with specific specialization in the VAT issues of the Banking and Financial sector.

Andreas Karaolis is a Certified Public Accountant and Registered Auditor, FCCA, managing partner of Ecovis Cyprus, Vice Chairman of the Tax Compliance Committee of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus, member of the Supervisory Board of Ecovis International, Chairman of the Ecovis International Quality Development Board and member of Ecovis International Tax Task Force. His primary focus over the last 25 years has been on tax compliance and advisory, with special emphasis on SMEs.

Antonis Taliotis is the Tax & Legal Services Leader of Deloitte and the chairman of the Tax Planning & Policy Committee of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus. He holds a B.A. degree in Accounting and has trained and qualified as a chartered accountant in the United Kingdom. Before joining Deloitte, Antonis worked for the Cyprus Tax Authorities as a Principal Tax Assessor, accumulating extensive experience in many areas of national and international taxation. Back in 2002, Antonis was actively involved with the team of experts advising the Cyprus Government on the latest major tax reform, which harmonized the Cyprus tax system with EU law and the OECD requirements. In addition to offering tax compliance and tax advisory services to his portfolio of clients, Antonis is also a tax consultant to the Cyprus Shipping Chamber and a regular speaker in conferences and seminars. Antonis is a member of the ICAEW, ICPAC and International Fiscal Association (IFA).

Altis Compliance & Practice Management was launched in 2021 by Softline Computer Systems, the company behind Zygos, the leading legal practice management software of the island. Altis is the one-stop software solution for the professional services industry. With Altis you can manage every aspect of your daily routine, from Tasks & Deadlines, to Contacts & Document Management, End-to-end Corporate Compliance & Entity management to Timesheet & Billing.

Taxand is your global tax partner and the world's largest independent tax organisation (with more than 550 tax partners and over 2,500 tax advisors in 50 countries), offering practical, expert-led advice. We do tax and only tax. No audit or attest issues. That's why we can focus entirely on advising and supporting you to adopt best practices, become more cost-efficient and reduce the burden that tax issues bring. Taxand Cyprus is an independent tax firm, and we counsel in all areas of taxes. Our specialisations are international tax, transfer pricing, M&A transactions, Financial Services, VAT, and tax disputes.

Baker Tilly South East Europe, an independent member of Baker Tilly International, is a full-service accounting and advisory firm, that offers industry specialised services in assurance, tax and advisory. Baker Tilly South East Europe operates under a unified structure, with 16 offices in 5 countries (Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova), 44 directors and 500 professionals. At Baker Tilly, we are ready now, for tomorrow’s challenges. We believe in the power of great relationships. We lead and listen for great conversations.

Deloitte Limited is among the leading professional services firms in Cyprus, providing audit & assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax and related services, as well as a complete range of services to international business, through over 750 people in Nicosia and Limassol. Deloitte Limited, is the sub-licensed affiliate for Cyprus of Deloitte NSE LLP, a UK limited liability partnership and member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. Please visit www.deloitte.com/cy to find out how Deloitte in Cyprus is making an impact that matters. As part of the Deloitte global network, with approximately 345,000 people in over 150 countries and territories, Deloitte Cyprus has the advantage of global sharing of knowledge with local adaptation and personal approach, built on the solid foundations of over 60 years of successful operations on the island.

EY is a globally connected, multidisciplinary professional services organization driven by our purpose: building a better working world – for our clients, our people and communities. With over 300,000 people in over 150 countries, we ask the better questions that unlock new approaches to the working world’s toughest challenges. For over 80 years, the Cyprus practice has been a trusted business advisor and auditor to a broad range of clients and is ideally placed to cater to the needs of our clients in a wider geographic span.

KPMG has been operating in Cyprus since 1948 and currently employs more than 800 professionals working from 6 offices across the island. It is a member of KPMG International Limited, a global organisation of independent profes[1]sional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. KPMG operates in 143 countries and territories and has approximately 265,000 people working in member firms around the world. Clients look to KPMG for a consistent standard of service based on high-order professional capabilities, industry insight, local knowledge and expertise.

RSM Cyprus, with offices in Limassol, Paphos and Nicosia, provides a comprehensive range of audit, assurance, tax, and consulting services. With our worldwide strong collaborative approach, deep insights, world-class technology, and real-world experience, we deliver personalised solutions that shield business operations and address today’s challenges. RSM Cyprus is a member firm of RSM International, the 6th largest international assurance, tax, and consulting network, with firms in 120 countries, including the world’s top 40 major business centres. RSM has 57.000 people and 830 offices across Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, MENA, Latin and North America.

Through its representation of ten member banks, that hold more than 90% market share and provide a full range of banking services, the Association of Cyprus Banks (ACB) is the voice of the Cyprus banking system. Its primary aim is to promote best practices for the interest of the banking sector and the local economy as a whole. The ACB is a non-profit organization through which common positions are formulated and promoted on banking and financial issues, when local legislative and governmental policies are determined.

Being one of the 190+ chapters of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the Cyprus Chapter of the ACFE is an anti-fraud organization that serves professionals, students and communities in Cyprus. The objective of the Cyprus Chapter of the ACFE is to promote improved fraud detection and deterrence. This is achieved through enhancement of knowledge, promotion of networking opportunities and support for its members and the business, academic and government community.

Cyprus Bar Association is the professional body of lawyers with 4273 members. Cyprus Bar Association was established under the Advocates Law Chapter 2 in 1960 and it has been operating since then. It is the Regulatory Body and among its powers is to maintain the honour and independence of the Bar and its defence in relation to the judiciary and the executive and to regulate the practice and etiquette of the profession. It is the competent authority for lawyers under Cyprus legislation in accordance with section 59 (4) of the Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering of Money Laundering Activities Law of 2007 (L. 188 (I)/2007) as amended. Cyprus Bar Association is a member of the Council of the European Bar Association (CCBE) and a member of the International Bar Association (IBA).

Created in 2003, CFA Society Cyprus is dedicated to professional excellence, integrity, education, volunteer service and strength of community. CFA Society Cyprus has over 200 Members representing all major banks and investment firms in Cyprus. The CFA Society Cyprus Members have earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Awarded only to a select group of investment specialists, the CFA charter requires its candidates to master a rigorous curriculum including investment valuation, portfolio management, asset allocation, economic and market analysis and ethical practices. CFA Society Cyprus is a local Society for CFA Institute, Charlottesville, Virginia and a Member of the CFA Institute Global Network of Societies. www.cfainstitute.org

The Cyprus Fiduciary Association (CYFA), established in 2011, is the representative body of regulated Administrative Service Providers (ASP’s) in Cyprus. With a vision to assist in forming a solid international business sector in Cyprus operating on high professional standards, ethics and integrity, the Association aims to serve industry providers by promoting their interests, raising sector awareness, supporting their operations, contributing to new legislations and delivering valuable training to professionals. The Association’s commitment to its purpose has established it among the most reputable and recognised organisations within the country, before public and regulatory authorities, other associations, as well as the business community in Cyprus and overseas.

The Cyprus Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA Cyprus) was founded in 1998 and today has about 550 members. It is governed by an elected Board of Directors of ten members, which is supported by four committees. The vision of IIA Cyprus is to be the fundamental institution that represents, promotes and upgrades the Internal Audit profession in Cyprus. Its mission is the continuous promotion and recognition of the profession, as well as the enrichment of its members’ knowledge and skills by providing relevant educational and training courses.

The Cyprus Integrity Forum (CIF) was initiated in 2010, registered in the year 2011, and is today the leading institution in Cyprus for the fight against corruption and promotion of transparency. It is an independent, non-governmental, non-politically partisan, and non-profit organization. CIF collaborates with various organisations in Cyprus, Europe, and the USA. They effectively raise public awareness in all layers of society for combating corruption in their everyday lives. They aim to enhance the content and quality of public and corporate governance in all forms of business and ensure that the State and all Governmental Bodies act and behave in a manner that promotes transparency and ethics in all respects.

The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC), established in 1961, is the professional body for the accountancy profession in Cyprus, currently tallying more than 5.200 members and 3.500 students. It provides the organisational framework for all professional accountants, supports and promotes the activities and interests of the accountancy profession, safeguards the reputation of the profession and ensures adherence to the Code of Ethics and the continuous professional development of the members. Furthermore, ICPAC is a competent authority and has been delegated the relevant tasks under the Law for the regulation of the audit profession, for Anti-Money Laundering purposes, for the provision of administrative and insolvency services. ICPAC is a key and active stakeholder in the economic affairs and development of the country, cooperating with the government, the private and public sector.

GOLD was first published in 2011 as the first monthly English-language magazine in Cyprus. Today, it not only consistently promotes good business practices but has a unique and valuable readership, comprising High Net Worth Individ¬uals, executives of international companies, and English-speaking Cypriot and non-Cypriot busi¬nessmen and women. www.goldnews.com.cy

As the flagship publication within IMH’s media brands, IN Business magazine, has a 16-year history, during which thousands of examples of good business practices by businesses and businesspeople, brands, commercial practices and developments have been showcased. The aim of IN Business was – and continues to be – the promotion of good Cypriot business. www.inbusinessnews.com

Owned and operated by IMH, Super FM has been on air since 1998, broadcasting from Nicosia. It is the number one music radio station in Cyprus, focused on playing the latest and most popular tracks. With live radio shows and perfect playlists that specialize in contemporary mainstream Greek music, Super FM celebrates music at its annual Super Music Awards ceremony.