Andersen Global’s Continued Growth

By Mark Vorsatz, Global Chairman and Andersen Tax LLC, CEO, former Partner Arthur Andersen LLP (1979-2002)

As the new year begins, I am excited to share some of the astounding international growth Andersen Global experienced in 2017, as well as the outlook for 2018. In 2017 alone, we added over 30 new locations, and both the size and quality of the firms joining us has been remarkable. Andersen Global’s continued growth, integration of services, and strategic build-out with like-minded, synergistic individuals and firms has allowed us to truly become a global firm.

Our expansion of legal services and our combined tax and legal capabilities put us in the top 100 based on the number of lawyers in our global organization and has been a game changer for our firm. Thanks to our progression, we’ve been able to build a competitive platform and complement our deep bench of practitioners with expertise from across the globe, including Latin America, Europe, Africa, North America and the Middle East. This means that both our commercial and individual clients are afforded seamless service in the more than 84 locations where we now have a presence. At the end of 2016, Andersen Global had a presence in 51 locations worldwide. Needless to say, 2017 was a busy year.

Since Andersen Tax’s 15-year anniversary in July, the global organization has added an additional 19 locations in the places where our clients are investing, operating and exploring opportunities. Collaborating firms joined us in Uganda, Tanzania, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Canada, Ecuador, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Uruguay, Brazil, and Egypt; and we debuted the Andersen name in Ireland, Turkey, Canada, and Israel. This tremendous growth positions us to better serve our clients now and in the future, and already we are seeing the impact. We are better able to provide a seamless experience for our clients and collaborate effectively across the globe. Even more significant, the law firms that we are adding to the organization are in the top few in their respective countries. Providing best-in-class legal services is a real differentiator for our firm and our clients. This enhances the scope and depth of the services that we provide, and allows us to complement our proactive tax advice with legal solutions to effectively address the issues facing our clients today. With legal services in about 25 countries now, we are moving forward on all fronts and addressing key markets while continuing to focus on the quality of the practices, not the quantity.

It is important to provide balance to our growth, such that we can absorb and digest as a global firm. With that goal in mind, we are working on putting a global management structure in place with quality individuals who can help lead our firm. A Senior Advisory Council and a global Advisory Council were announced in the fall, and we recently put regional leaders in place for Europe, North America, and Latin America. Additionally, we recently appointed regional global boards, including a North America Board and a Latin America Board. This new structure demonstrates a significant step in our development as a global firm, and will continue to evolve as we increase our global footprint with a strong focus on Africa and the Middle East in 2018.

Today, Andersen Global announces the appointment of two global committees which for the first time include Partners and Managing Directors from all over the world. Please join me in congratulating our Compensation Committee (Joseph Karczewski-Chair, Ilan Ben Eli, Rubens Branco, Jerry DesRoches, Pablo Ibáñez, Sid Luckenbach, Francesco Marconi, Paolo Mondia, Jaime Olleros, Dorice Pepin and Joe Toce) and our Board and CEO Nominating Committee (Ellen MacNeil-Chair, Bill Amon, Delphine Bariani, Pierre Bouley, Andrea De Vecchi, Dan DePaoli, Mary Duffy, Leonardo Mesquita and José Luis Montes).

The professionals in these committees bring real value to the organization and embody the Andersen culture. As we continue to collaborate globally and expand, it is becoming more important to receive input from a diverse set of backgrounds and perspectives to support the global organization. We are doing something special and these leadership groups will play a key role in that process. Our global management structure has really come together over the last year and I continue to be impressed by the demonstrated commitment of our partners to building and supporting a truly global firm.

2017 was an extraordinary year for growth and we will remain measured in our approach as we continue to focus on best-in-class solutions, stewardship, and delivering a seamless experience for our clients. Andersen Global now has more than 2,500 professionals worldwide through its member firms and collaborating firms and we are positioned to add several locations in the first quarter of this year. I expect we will celebrate our 100th location before the end of 2018 – a tremendous milestone for the firm. However, as I have stated in the past, growth is not our goal – it is a byproduct of the quality of the services provided. I’m proud of where we are as a firm because of what our global growth means for our clients and our people.

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.