Andersen Tax Celebrates 15 Years

By Mark Vorsatz, Alumnus Arthur Andersen & Co. (1979-2002,) Andersen Tax CEO

Andersen Global is an international association of member firms founded by Andersen Tax in 2014. Andersen Global is comprised of over 2,000 professionals in more than 55 locations worldwide

2017 is a special year for Andersen Tax. On July 9th, we celebrated 15 years as a firm – a milestone for Andersen Tax as we continue our journey in becoming the firm known for the quality of its services.

Our firm was established in 2002 by 23 former Andersen partners. We had about 180 people in six locations at the time. When we launched the firm, we made a personal decision not to be part of an audit firm, ensuring our clients received independent and objective advice. Each year we added additional headcount and locations, and by quantitative measures, the firm grew by three to four times in every category over eight years. However, growth was never our goal – it is merely a byproduct of our longstanding history and consistently providing best-in-class client solutions. In 2006, the firm became a top 15 tax practice in the nation according to Accounting Today, and by 2012, we had quadrupled in size since inception.

In 2013, our global expansion began in support of meeting the needs of our clients, which were increasingly international in nature. I spoke of this as “the next frontier” for our firm. We evaluated a number of alternatives and networks, but ultimately decided that, to be successful in providing quality, seamless service to our clients around the globe, we needed to build our global platform one location at a time. We subsequently established locations in Switzerland, France, Netherlands, Italy, and Russia. This was a true turning point for our firm and culminated in September 2014 when, with a presence in 26 locations around the world, we adopted the name Andersen Tax. We selected the Andersen name because it best represents our history and our core values: Best-In-Class, Stewardship, Seamless, Transparency and Independence. These values are the foundation upon which our firm and our global organization are built.

As new groups and individuals join our organization, we focus on chemistry and bringing in member firms that embody these same values and represent the high quality that is consistent with our firm. Each and every one of the partners that joins us shares our objectives of stewardship, independence and seamless service. We aim to be the benchmark for quality and this starts with the partners and member firms that become a part of Andersen Global.

In the months following our adoption of the Andersen name, we added a presence in 11 new locations. Member firms joined us in Poland, Germany and Spain, and we debuted the Andersen name in Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil and Chile. By December 2015, we had a presence in 45 locations worldwide. At the end of 2016, we had 55 locations and had established a presence in Canada, Ireland and Panama.

2017 marks another inflection point for our firm. This year, the Andersen name debuted in Europe as member firms in Spain, Italy, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Netherlands adopted the names Andersen Tax and Andersen Tax & Legal. We also initiated expansion in Africa and the Middle East. More importantly, our global partners have come together in an unbelievable way. I continue to be impressed by the level of commitment they have to both our clients and to our vision of developing a seamless professional services model providing outstanding tax and legal services around the world. When we evaluated this leading up to 2013, we knew that building our organization location by location was essential to our success. We recognized that the quality of the partners and firms that joined us was critical. We understood that finding like-minded firms and partners that embraced our commitment to premier client solutions was paramount. As we evaluate this, 15 years after Arthur Andersen and four years after initiating our global expansion, it is clear that this vision is becoming a reality.

Now we have more than 2,000 professionals worldwide and a presence in 70 locations. In the next month alone, we will make announcements about new locations in Egypt, Turkey, Greece and Cyprus. In mid-July, Andersen Tax will debut in Israel as Beneli Tax will officially adopt the Andersen name and become a member firm of Andersen Global. Our footprint will continue to grow as we focus on key markets. We expect to add another eight locations by the end of this year and we continue to have discussions with groups around the world that would like to join our firm. It has been a pleasure to connect and reconnect with Andersen Alumni as part of this process.

Our Arthur Andersen roots are an important part of our firm’s culture. In the coming months we will be holding several launch events for firms that have adopted the Andersen name, and we look forward to connecting with Andersen alumni from around the globe. Stay tuned for more information about events in Spain and Israel. Like many of our locations, our offices in Spain and Israel are led by former Arthur Andersen partners and these events present a great opportunity to reconnect with our Andersen “family.”

This year is undoubtedly an important milestone in our firm’s future. As our current trajectory continues, with additional international expansion and more firms adopting the Andersen name, one thing remains constant—maintaining a culture rooted in Andersen values by providing quality solutions and best-in-class service to clients. I’m proud of where we are as a firm and I look forward to where this path will lead us in the coming years.

If you would like additional information about Andersen Global, please contact me directly or connect with us on our LinkedIn page or at www.andersen.com.