K. Kelly Nottage

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Leaders in Law endorses K. Kelly Nottage as our exclusively recommended Company Formation expert in the Bahamas. If you wish to get in touch with K. Kelly, please use the contact information provided above.

Mr. Nottage is a Barrister-at-law and a founding Partner of Sovereign Advisors Bahamas. Prior to forming Sovereign Advisors, Mr. Nottage was manager and head of the LATAM Desk at one of the oldest trust companies in The Bahamas. During his six years as a trust officer and manager, Mr. Nottage was responsible for the structuring and administration of trusts, foundations, funds and other fiduciary products primarily for Latin American clients. Drawing from his legal training and practical experiences applying the law to real life situations, Mr. Nottage is well versed in financial and corporate services law. He advises Family Offices, Trustees, Broker Dealers, Developers and Others on licensing, tax, operational substance and structuring matters within The Bahamas. 

Mr. Nottage currently serves as a Director of the Central Bank of the Bahamas and he is a former Director of Bahamasair Holdings Ltd., the national airline of The Bahamas. He also serves as the CEO and Director of Sovereign Advisors & Partners Limited, a regulated and licensed multi family office and financial services firm.  

 A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Canada and Worcester College, University of Oxford, Mr. Nottage began his legal career as a pupil and Associate at a top tier Bahamian law firm where he practiced in its Litigation, Banking and Trust practice groups. He is admitted to the Bars of England and Wales and The Bahamas and he is a member of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple. 

Education

  • Lakefield College School; Ontario, Canada, 2000
  • University of Western Ontario, (BA Hons. Political Science & Philosophy) 2004
  • Worcester College, University of Oxford (BA Theology) 2006
  • Oxford Brookes University (PGDip Law) 2007
  • BPP Law School, (Bar Vocational Course – Very Competent) 2008
  • Worcester College, University of Oxford (MA Theology) 2017

Admissions

  • The Bahamas, 2008
  • England and Wales, 2008

Memberships

  • Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
  • The Bahamas Bar Association
  • International Bar Association

Firm Description:

Mission Statement

At Sovereign Advisors we are dedicated to providing you, the Client, with incomparable service aimed at directly meeting your needs and helping you to achieve your ultimate goal(s). In this way we are “Service Driven”.

What does it mean to be ‘Service Driven’?

Our service driven approach means that we put a premium on understanding the Client’s end goals and offer the best solutions tailored to each Client’s specific needs. We do not believe that ours is a “one size fits all” business and eschew cookie cutter solutions to problems. While the root of a problem may be common to many Clients, our experience has taught us that its effects on each are almost never exactly the same. Our small size, experience, and network of service partners allow us the flexibility and agility to offer high value tailored solutions in a timely and cost effective manner. This is the essence of being “Service Driven”.

How are we different?

We value being a consistent and reliable source of advice and service to our Clients. We will never take on a project we are ill equipped to handle. Our size allows for us to be nimble and flexible in service and our relationships allow us to tap into high quality professional expertise in areas that we may not have specific competency. We do not claim to have a monopoly on solutions but we do have the relationships, experience and competency to create and implement the best ones for you. If ever there were a matter that was outside of the scope of our particular expertise we are happy to refer you to and/or assemble and work with the best team possible to meet your goals and needs. This is how being service driven differentiates us.

History

Sovereign Advisors was founded to provide families, small businesses and individuals with the hands on, time valued services and assistance that larger, less nimble and volume driven service providers are unable to provide. With combined experience in excess of 20 years in legal practice, financial services and corporate structuring, we found that there was an appetite for an egoless, service driven, and solution focused approach to legal advice and financial and corporate services in The Bahamas. Our clients are individuals, family offices, financial service providers, and small businesses that place a premium on relationships, integrity and quality solutions. 

In a short period of time we have partnered and established relationships with like-minded service providers to provide a broad spectrum of services to our clientele. Through Twenty One  Corporate Management, an independent and licensed corporate service provider, we cater to clients who require personalized asset and corporate structuring services.  As we grow and develop, we will seek to add further strategic partnerships and relationships in order to ensure that the best products and services are available to our clients. 

Entreprenuers, Business Establishment & Regulation

At Sovereign, we assist both local and foreign entrepreneurs and established businesses navigate the regulatory hurdles in setting up and operating a business in the Bahamas. These services and advice include:

Foreign Investors:

  • Bahamas Investment Authority Approval
  • Central Bank of the Bahamas designation
  • Department of Immigration approvals and permits

Local Operators:

  • National Insurance Board – Registration, Monthly filing and Monthly payments
  • Business License – Obtaining New Business License and License Renewals
  • Value Added Tax – Registration and Related Tax Advice

 

Hendrik-Jan van Duijn

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Leaders in Law endorses Hendrik-Jan van Duijn as our exclusively recommended Company Formation expert in Netherlands. If you wish to get in touch with Hendrik please use the contact information provided above.

Education

In 1998, Hendrik-Jan was awarded a fully-certified Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting Administration Consultancy. He subsequently studied Tax Law in Leiden. Since 2002, Hendrik-Jan has been a member of the Nederlandse Orde van Belastingsadviseurs.

Career

Hendrik-Jan specializes in Partnership and Dividend Taxation, particularly in cross-border investments, mergers and take-overs, partnerships and industrial restructurings. In 2002, he began working with BDO. 4 years later, in 2006, he moved to PwC. In 2008, he moved to New York to work as a tax consultant. While there, he gave advice to US and Canadian businesses wishing to expand or streamline investments, either in or via the Netherlands, as well as to Dutch companies investing in the US and Canada.

Experience

Working as a tax adviser, Hendrik set up DTS in Amsterdam, in 2012. DTS specialises in Dutch tax advice and provides compliance to Dutch companies. With over 10 years of experience, Hendrik has a proven track record of delivering results when it comes to Dutch corporate income tax and Dutch dividend withholding tax advice. In 1998, at the tender age of 23, Hendrik received his Bachelor degree in accounting, which made him one of the youngest fully certified auditors in the Netherlands. In 2001 Hendrik was awarded his Master degree in Dutch direct taxation at the University of Leiden. Since 2002, Hendrik is a member of the Dutch association of tax advisers in Amsterdam.

With more than 15 years’ experience in the area of Dutch Corporate and Dividend Taxation, Hendrik-Jan has built up an impressive record of service. In 2011, he set up Duijn’s Tax Solutions and has seen it grow into a successful taxation consultancy. Hendrik-Jan is also behind the creation of many networks. He is, among other things, co-founder of Doing Business in, a network of specialists in the Netherlands and abroad, and of Pro-tp, through which he, along with his partners, offers international transfer-pricing advice. As a specialist in international Tax Law, he also writes for the IBFD.

Firm Description:

Why Company NL?

Starting a Dutch business can be challenging…

Starting a new business comes with several challenges. Having an idea alone does not translate into a successful business. If you are a beginner, looking to incorporate your own Dutch company, you may feel somewhat lost and confused, and not have the faintest idea of where to start. After all, there is so much to do when it comes to establishing your own business, and only a professional advisor can help with this.

Do you know that there are several types of Dutch companies? Here is an overview of the types of Dutch companies.

Type of Dutch companies

Many of you may get confused when deciding which type of business you should register in the Netherlands to operate efficiently. Most entrepreneurs like to set up a BV in the Netherlands, as it does not require the owner to be a resident in the Netherlands. However, it may be interesting to know that there are other options too. We can help you easily set up the following company types:

  • Private company as self-employed individual (Eenmanszaak)
  • Private partnerships (Vennootschap onder Firma)
  • Limited Partnership – Dutch CV (LLP)
  • Private Limited company – Dutch BV (Ltd. or Inc.)

How will CompanyNL help you?

As you can see there are many steps involved when you set up a BV. CompanyNL can help you in the following ways:

Meeting Legal Compliance Requirements

You have to get your company formation done, along with registration at the Dutch Tax and Chamber of Commerce. Signing papers for loans, deciding liability, and getting permits may sound hectic. CompanyNL has contacts with local authorities, so you do not end up struggling, and each step will be taken care of.

When you are in the process of setting up your BV in the Netherlands, you will often incur expenses even before the office is officially launched. Thus, CompanyNL can help in arranging annual filing accounts, which you need to maintain and retain for seven years.

For your Dutch BV in the Netherlands, you also need to perform the ‘payment test’, wherein you need to withdraw profits from your BV, which can only happen when the BV has enough funds. The pool of experts at CompanyNL guides on gathering and managing the finances in such a way that your BV business can maintain its financial security and that creditors are always paid.

Tax Compliance Requirements

The Dutch BV needs to file the financial statements yearly to the Chamber of Commerce. Of course, this is well taken care of by experienced advisers from CompanyNL. You are obliged to pay Dutch personal income tax if you own at least 5% of the company’s shares, as you are referred to as a substantial interest holder, or a major shareholder.

You have to pay tax on the dividend. Although it is expensive to pay yourself a salary from the BV, and dividend seems a better trade off, the Tax and Customs Administrations may not allow you to pay yourself a low or nihil salary.

The Dutch administration calls it a ‘customary salary scheme’ for directors and it has to be a minimum of 44.000 Euros annually for director shareholders. Our people at CompanyNL can help you understand these mandatory Dutch tax laws and how to abide by them. They will also help you in paying the corporate income tax on profits.

Why not get in touch with CompanyNL and ask for the quotation for their services?

  • Public Limited company – Dutch NV (PLC or Corp)
  • Cooperative and association
  • Foundations (Stiehting) and many others.

If you think that dreaming big is the first step to success, then you are absolutely right. A business can be big when it is earning higher profits for you; we believe that it is at its biggest, however, when you have an amazing business idea and plan by your side.

Balance sheets, profit distribution, remunerations, taxes and other important factors will already take up so much of you and your best employees’ time; hence, why not look for seamless solutions, in order to experience optimal ease while setting up the business you have always wanted to be involved in.

… But we are here to help

One stop solution

CompanyNL is your one-stop-solution when it comes to setting up a Dutch business in Amsterdam. If you are the owner of a new business in Amsterdam, you need to observe government rules and regulations, and tick off a comprehensive checklist which accompanies starting up a new Dutch company. CompanyNL not only familiarises you with the requirements when starting up a Dutch business in Amsterdam, but also guides you through the entire process.

Location plays a crucial role when it comes to the success of a business, as every amenity should be at arm’s length. CompanyNL will help in finding the right location for your company. We also have contacts with office providers that help in renting incredible spaces for you in which to work and conduct meetings.

Unique Approach

Every entrepreneur and business idea needs a unique approach and starting point. That’s where CompanyNL comes into the picture. We will inform you of the specific conditions that apply to your business.

Dedicate Your Time and Effort to Something Productive

Getting us involved will allow you to focus on important matters and factors that enable your business to be a front-runner in domestic, as well as international, markets. We will take care of all your taxes, legal matters and disputes, and even register your trademark to ensure your future.

We have a pool of tax advisers to keep you abreast of Dutch Tax Laws, and help you operate your business effectively and efficiently. In order to allow you to solely focus on your business goals, our Office Provider team will assist you in finding the right space for your business, and in completing all the on-site requirements.

Rely on Us to Set It up Right

It is imperative to have professionals on your side with years of experience and relationships built up with local authorities, so that you can get the necessary approval and documentation done easily and expeditiously. If you, as an entrepreneur, are not an EU citizen, you must fulfill certain conditions if you intend to stay in the Netherlands. CompanyNL can help you in applying for a temporary, or permanent, residence permit, as the case may be.

Our team of professionals can help to dissipate the stress that may arise when planning to set up your Dutch company in the Netherlands. We are quick, reliable, efficient, and can help in registering the company within two weeks, if you visit the country for the procedures.

On your behalf, we can think of unique and attractive business names that are suitable, and help you get to your company registered as quickly as possible. We will also take care of everything else, starting with drafting and notarising the incorporation documents of the new company, submitting them, registering your legal company, dealing with taxation, and many other procedures.

 

Georg Sapiano

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Georg has been practicing law for the past twenty years. Throughout much of that time he was also deeply involved in mass media and public affairs. In 1998, he founded Sapiano & Associates which was later re-branded into Aequitas Legal and which is now one of the principal providers of legal services in Malta. He is best known for combining legal expertise with a keen sense of strategy.

Georg started his career by leading clients in a number of monopoly-busting actions starting with the deregulation of the insurance market in Malta in 1992. In other fields, principally corporate law, he has represented a number of the largest Maltese and International businesses and government agencies including banks, insurances and all the major car manufacturers.

He and his team have attracted a number of large internet-based businesses to Malta, where they have incorporated and set up operations. He sits on the board of a number of funds and has advised clients seeking to be regulated by the Maltese Financial Services Authority. He is the contact partner for Malta within Multilaw and has developed an extensive network of relationships with leading lawfirms in Europe, North America and Asia. The common theme of the service he has provided throughout is an ability to place the tools of Maltese law within the commercial and strategic context in which it is to be applied

Contact partner for the Global Alliance of Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance

galalaw.com

Aequitas Legal

Corporations and individuals who seek to enforce a claim or assert a right often find that they are encountering too many misty legal terms and concepts. This is the very opposite of the concrete results they seek. The experience turns out to be alien and numbing.

We have tried to build our business on the clarification of the abstract by always endeavouring to put forward practical and sensible legal options which we discuss with clients.

We are aware that knowledge and understanding of the law is what you require from us, but we also know that you want our legal work to respect your business strategies as far as possible.

Working together on a legal transaction can be far removed from one’s comfort zone but clear thinking can produce great results.

We invite you to engage with us and be part of the process.

 

Dr. Theodor Strohal

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Leaders in Law endorses Dr. Theodor Strohal as our exclusively recommended Company Formation Law expert in Myanmar, Singapore and the UAE. If you wish to get in touch with Dr. Strohal please use the contact information provided above.

Education and Experience:

  • Graduated from Theresianische Akademie in 1968, from Vienna University School of Law in 1974; twice awarded a scholarship for outstanding academic records
  • Admitted to the Bar in 1979 (cum laude)
  • Founder of the chamber in Vienna 1979
  • Admitted as foreign lawyer in Singapore 1994
  • Admitted as a legal consultant in the United Arab Emirates 2005
  • Opening a law firm in Yangon, Myanmar, 2011
  • Resident in the UAE and Thailand

Main Areas of Activity

  • Real Estate
  • Corporate Law
  • International Taxation

Lectures: 

  • Keynote speaker at seminars on property law, corporate taxation and international tax law
  • Retired lecturer at the post-graduate Academy of Journalism , Vienna
  • Lecturer at Dubai University for company formation and business setup
  • Professor at Modul Dubai University, teaching business law and intellectual property law

Languages: 

Fluent in German and English; knowledge of Spanish, French  and Indonesian

Strohal Legal Group:

Our Services

We are always up-to-date on all changes and developments in business and tax laws at each of our locations. We counsel our clients in any legal questions for their day-to-day business. We understand to analyze any individual case and aim to achieve our clients’ goals.

We offer a network of legal consultants, tax advisers and management consultants to support clients in finding the right solution of every individual query. We understand to work transparently and therefore guarantee an efficient and cost-effective investment. Here are the answers to your questions:

What to do when outside capital is required?

We have an efficient network that also comprises international financial advisors. In collaboration with our legal knowledge and investment counseling we understand to find the best solutions for your company. We understand to analyze our client’s needs and collaborate with advisors and investors.

What liabilities could be involved?

Did you know that owning a limited liability company doesn’t automatically exclude personal liability? Something as simple as a shareholder or associate liabilities can differ from contractual form and country. We counsel our clients to prevent personal damage. Our expertise lies in:

  • Business law
  • Corporate law
  • Business formation
  • Insolvency law
  • International tax law
  • Immigration law
  • Labor law
  • Real Estate law
  • Legacy law
  • International contract law
  • European law

Legal advice should be cost-effective. The fees for our legal consultation depend on the service. We believe that every individual case is to be financially adjusted – to the advisory and the client. Options include: billing by the hour, lump sum agreements or a combination of both. We are flexible in finding the appropriate billing method in the first consultation, which is free of charge.