Andrew is an experienced international tax practitioner who advises on all aspects of international and UK domestic corporate tax law.
He advises ultra-high-net-worth individuals on trust and foundation structures, and the businesses underlying such structures. Andrew also assists with the creation of offshore trusts and provides UK personal tax planning advice to private individuals and families based outside the UK.
Andrew’s corporate tax work also involves advising on the restructuring of international groups of companies including prior to an IPO, debt capital issue, private equity investment or trade sale. In addition, he considers tax issues in relation to intellectual property.
His clients come from a range of sectors including mining, oil and gas, construction, shipping, mobile telecoms, food distribution and pharmaceuticals and span a wide range of jurisdictions including Asia, Africa, Australia and South America.
Expertise
- Corporate tax
- Personal tax planning
- Offshore trusts
- Trust and foundation structures
- VAT
- Company restructurings
- International tax and bilateral investment treaties
Experience
Energy & Natural Resources
- Advised Kazakh clients on the tax aspects of a joint venture with the Iranian National Oil Company.
- Advised Kazakh clients on the creation of an oil broking company in Kazakhstan using a foreign holding company and trust structure.
- Advised the owners of a Siberian oil company on its potential sale to a Chinese state company.
- Advised US interests on the sale of interests in a North Sea oil field situated on the UK Continental Shelf.
- Advised the subsidiary of a major Russian oil group on a revised corporate structure involving the use of Spanish holding companies.
- Advised a French investor on a project relating to oil freight wagons in Russia and tax structuring using a Swedish holding company.
- Acted for China National Petroleum on the tax aspects of the acquisition of various target oil production companies in Syria, Russia, Kazakhstan and Africa.
Technology & Telecoms
- Advising Russian telecom interests on the tax structuring of a corporate group supplying excess call capacity.
- Advising Russian interests on the structuring and ultimate sale of an Internet connection business in provincial Russia.
- Advised the founding members of BITEL LLC (the then largest Kyrgyz mobile phone provider) on an Isle of Man-based corporate and trust ownership structure.
- Advised a US-based electronic games provider on the implications of the new digital services tax in the UK.
- Advised Rambler Media Group of Russia (an ISP group) on the tax aspects of its IPO in the UK.
Entrepreneurs and Personal Tax
- Advised the founder shareholders of Kazakhgold on the various corporate and personal tax issues arising on the listing of the company’s shares on the main market of the London Stock Exchange.
- Advised an ultra-high-net-worth Ukrainian individual in connection with the expropriation of a shipyard in Crimea by Russian interests and possible remedies under bilateral investment treaties.
- Advised a French investor regarding the tax implications of an investment into forestry in the Scottish Highlands.
- Advising numerous ultra-high-net-worth clients from the Russia/CIS region on the creation of offshore structures involving trusts and foundations including the creation of private trust companies.
- Advised a UK-based investor on the development of the first project to stage Formula One racing in Moscow.
- Provided specialist international tax advice to a company in the setup of a new structure relating to the metaverse
Banking & Financial Services
- Advised a major US high-frequency trader regarding UK and EU tax implications and specifically with regard to the scope of the UK’s diverted profits tax.
- Advised Bank of Georgia on various matters prior to its IPO on the London Stock Exchange including the establishment of an employee remuneration trust in Jersey.
- Advised VTB Bank on the tax implications of a project to refurbish the Russian Embassy in London.
- Advised the largest Kazakh-based pharma company on a restructuring to enable the introduction of Western bank finance.
- Advised a large Indian bank in connection with a syndicated loan arranged by one of the largest banks in Russia.
Pre- IPO and Capital Markets Advice
- Advised a substantial Russian engineering company on the international tax aspects of its group restructuring prior to IPO.
- Advised the shareholders of Base MK on the tax aspects of the company’s potential listing on the main market of the London Stock Exchange including the creation of a Netherlands holding company as the listing vehicle.
- Advised Kazakh clients on the creation of a Hungarian holding company structure prior to a listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
- Advised a Ukrainian company on a bond issue on the Channel Island stock exchange.
- Advised Bank of Georgia on various matters prior to its IPO on the London Stock Exchange including the establishment of an employee benefit trust.
- Advised the founder shareholders of Kazakhgold on the various corporate and personal tax issues arising on the listing of the company’s shares on the main market of the London Stock Exchange.
Transport
- Advised a major international freight transporter on the VAT implications of freight container movements and repairs.
- Advised a Georgian client on the structuring of a project to develop a substantial new port and other facilities.
- Advising a Swedish shipping group on its restructuring through the use of new Netherlands holding companies.
Other
- Advised on the structuring and international tax implications of the establishment of the first national lottery in Kazakhstan.
- Advised on a project to establish the first 5* hotel in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Hyatt Regency (formerly the Nanchivan).
- Advising Russian clients on the creation of a corporate structure for the manufacture and distribution of ‘Double Blow’ vodka in Russia.
- Advising on the tax implications of the share acquisition of a substantial care home group.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recommended in the Citywealth Leaders List
Career
Andrew qualified as a solicitor in 1984. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2021, he worked at the following firms:
- Edwin Coe
- Withers
- TLT
- Watson Farley & Williams