WTS on expansion course with new brand

With operations in over 100 countries, WTS has taken the opportunity to define its brand, refining its tailor-made products and solutions

Within the scope of its continuous expansion course, WTS has adapted a new brand strategy. The consulting group has developed a new logo and corporate design, under which the firm has united its tax, legal and consulting divisions. Furthermore, WTS is concentrating on expanding its service portfolio, in order to enhance its profile as an integrated consulting group.

A consistent level of service
Since its foundation in 2000, WTS has achieved double-digit growth rates every year, developing from a mere tax consulting firm to an international consulting group, with more than 400 employees and its own global network. Having successfully integrated its new fields of service, WTS today offers a comprehensive portfolio through its tax, legal and consulting divisions, always operating in close cooperation with renowned law firms to maximise the capability of its legal consulting services.

In order to continue down the consulting group’s path to success, WTS has distinguished its corporate brand strategy, uniting all of its business interests – which previously presented themselves with  their own individual public images – under the umbrella brand WTS. The new corporate identity guarantees a homogeneous level of service, and gives clients a clear picture of the firm’s portfolio.

The international network of WTS
WTS’ entire public image is subject to the new branding – from its improved website to its original marketing materials in print media and online publications.

The key element is perhaps the new logo, which now presents WTS in vibrant red, used throughout all of its business units and in conjunction with its international business partners. In addition to the new branding, WTS will persistently expand its service portfolio, together with its partners, to enhance its appeal on the consulting market. Besides a full-service approach in tax advisory, the firm has intensified its focus on the expansion of their legal and consulting units.

The service portfolio does not, however, include typical auditing services in order to avoid conflicts of interest. Nevertheless, the consulting unit has strengthened its audit-related services like financial advisory, financial due diligence, accounting services and risk management. Furthermore, WTS will extensively expand its restructuring and compliance advisory unit.

Additional growth driver
It’s not only corporate clients that play a major roll for WTS, private clients are equally important. In this regard, the consulting group will push the expansion of its ‘Private Clients and HR Tax Services’ division. In light of this, the firm has recently increased its private client team.

In order to stand out from the competition and to provide the best possible consulting services, WTS will continue to rely on well-educated employees, with broad expertise and practical experience from their work in international consulting firms, as well as the industry and financial administration sector.

This enables the consulting group to provide a very practical approach with tailor-made products and client solutions. WTS’ services are procured internationally. Through its global network – founded in 2003 – the consulting group now operates in more than 100 countries. To become a partner, advisory firms have to comply with strict quality guidelines, coordinated from the WTS headquarters in Munich.

The consulting firm will continue to promote its global expansion strategy in order to guarantee – also with regard to cross-border issues – a uniform scope of top-quality consulting services in all important countries throughout the world.

About the author
Alexander Hemmelrath
Member of the executive board, WTS
Prof. Dr. Alexander Hemmelrath, Dipl.-Kaufmann, Tax Advisor and Certified Public Accountant, became a Member of the Executive Board of WTS on February 1, 2011. He is one of the most renowned German tax law experts and provides comprehensive consulting services for owner-managed businesses, as well as advice to entrepreneurial families and private clients in all tax and legal matters.

Within WTS’ tax unit, Hemmelrath leads the ‘Private Clients & HR Tax Services’ division.

This two-part practice area encompasses a wide range of services in the fields of tax-optimised wealth and income organisation, succession topics, non-profit organisations and executive advice to private clients, as well as global expatriate services and payroll tax advice.

For more information email: alexander.hemmelrath@wts.de; tel: +49 (0) 89 28 646 1801

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The May – June 2013 Issue

Highest corporate tax
rates in Europe

European countries are scrambling to raise every last penny of funds through taxes. But some countries may have gone too far...

Belgium

Though all business taxes in Belgium can be paid online with little effort and preparation, the rates are still sky-high at 57.7 percent, including a staggering 50.8 percent total rate on profits only in social security contributions.

Belarus

In Belarus, a company spends up to 338 hours annually preparing for and paying ten different taxes and duties. The total tax rate has incredibly been lowered to 60.7 percent, from 117.5 percent in 2008.

France

A company in France pays seven different taxes and duties, the sum of which can amount to 65.7 percent of profits; though President François Hollande has announced a wave of business tax rate cuts coming up.

Estonia

A business in Estonia pays 67.3 percent of profits in tax, 37.2 percent exclusively in social security contributions. The country has gone against the grain in Europe by raising businesses taxes from 48.6 percent in 2008 to the current rates.

Italy

While corporate income tax (IRES) in Italy is limited to 38 percent of taxable profit, a company operating in Italy can expect to pay 14 other taxes and duties, including social security contributions, bringing their total payable tax to 68.7 percent of profits, according to the World Bank.

Norway

Norway taxes motor fuels twice, with a road use tax and a CO2 emissions tax. Combined with strikes in the energy sector that have curbed output, the price of gas at a local pump has soared to $10.12 per gallon.

Turkey

Though Turkey sits on the Suez Canal and neighbours many oil rich countries, the price of a gallon of average gas clocks in at $9.41 in Turkish pumps, because of a 60 percent share of taxes. 

Israel

Like Turkey, Israel is surrounded by oil-rich neighbours, but drills very little itself. Gas prices are controlled by the government, so about half of the $9.28 per gallon goes to taxes.

Hong Kong

There are few gas stations in Hong Kong, but the ones available charge up to 76 percent more per gallon than mainland China, where the government caps the cost of fuel. A gallon at the pumps will cost around $8.61 on the island.

Netherlands

Expensive labour costs make the Dutch petrol prices the dearest in Europe, at $8.26 per gallon; though the 57 percent tax add-ons don’t help.

The credit crisis

8 February 2007
HSBC warns of subprime mortgage losses

2 April 2007
New Century goes bus

14 September 2007
Wholesale markets have dried up

17 March 2008
Rescue of Bear Stearns

7 September 2008
Rescue of Fannie Mae

15 September 2008
Lehman Brothers file for bankruptcy

3 October 2008
US congress approves $700bn bailout

14 February 2009
$787bn stimulus approved by congress

 

The effects of the current financial crisis are global and irrefutable. With the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the domino effect of irresponsible public monetary policies, huge levels of unsustainable debt, and a deregulated financial sector, has escalated to the point where no corner of the globe has been left untouched.

1973 oil crisis

October 1973
Syria and Egypt launch an attack on Israel on Yom Kippur and set off a twenty day war;

1977
US President Carter creates Department of Energy, which develops the US strategic petroleum reserve

 

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) used their oil reserves as a weapon with the Arab Oil Embargo against those who supported Israel. By January 1974, world oil prices were four times higher than they were at the start of the crisis, especially in the US, and the shock led to a huge drop in the stock market with NYSE losing $97bn in just six weeks.  The embargo lasted five months, and the effects are still seen today.

German hyperinflation

1922-1923

Hyperinflation
1923 – 1924
Stabilisation

 

The trouble began when Germany missed a repatriation payment, worth about one third of the German deficit in this period. Inflation was already high but by 1923 it was raging. Prices doubled within hours, and by late 1923, it cost 200bn marks to buy a single loaf of bread. People burned money as it was cheaper than buying firewood. Germany eventually regained control of its economy when it introduced the Rentenmark into circulation in 1923, and then the Reichmark in 1924.

The Great Depression

1929-1933
The Great Crash
1934-1939
Recovery and Recession

 

After the decadence of the Roaring Twenties, the 1930s saw the biggest economic slump of all time. The stock market crashed on 29 October 1929, and optimism and decadent living tumbled along with the figures. The GDP fell from $103.6bn in 1929, to $66bn in 1934 and the subsequent years of recovery were the most dramatic in US history.

1907 bankers’ panic

1907
Otto Heinze and his brother Augustus Heinze bought shares of United Copper.

 

The stock market was already cautious over the tight money supply, but the US was thrown into a depression after the stock market fell nearly 50 percent from its peak in 1906. The Heinze brothers thought they could influence market shares but ended up bankrupting lenders that provided the financing to buy the stock. A chain reaction left nine institutions bankrupt. By February 1908, the panic was over and the government created the Federal Reserve system, to prevent banks from exercising too much control over the economy.