Alvarez & Marsal launches Tax practice in Saudi Arabia with senior team

Global professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal has expanded its footprint in Saudi Arabia with the launch of its Tax practice.

Headquartered in the US, Alvarez & Marsal’s Tax practice has in recent years been on an international spree, setting up in several countries across Europe, Asia and Oceania, with Saudi Arabia now following the launch in the UAE late 2023.

“The launch of our Tax practice in Saudi Arabia represents a pivotal milestone in supporting our clients’ evolving domestic and international needs in the region,” said Marvin Rust, Managing Director and Head of A&M Tax for the EMEA region.

The new Tax practice supports clients with a range of areas, including zakat, direct and indirect taxes, and transfer pricing. The practice also supports on tax policy, dispute resolution, M&A tax support, cross-border structuring, and tax function transformation through technology.

The launching team

The Saudi-based team launching the practice has extensive local tax knowledge with experience in the public sector, tax authorities, and global advisory firms.

The team is led by Craig McAree, the former Head of Tax at the Public Investment Fund (PIF), and previously a partner at EY in both the UK and Saudi Arabia. He has over 30 years of experience advising clients across all areas of tax, with a strong focus on transactions and international tax issues.

Other members of the leadership team include Yusef Alyusef, Fahad Bin Fares, and Faisal Tanvir.

Alyusef has more than 20 years of global experience in law, policy, and taxation, including 13 years focused on international tax, tax policy, and tax controversy. Prior to joining Alvarez & Marsal, he worked as Head of Tax at Riyadh Air, Executive Director of Tax and Customs at the Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority (ECZA), and as an Associate Director at KPMG.

Bin Fares previously held roles within the ZATCA, and also advised and represented major companies in tax and Zakat matters. Prior to joining Alvarez & Marsal, he established and served as Managing Partner of AlFares Chartered Public Accountants in Saudi Arabia, providing audit, tax, accounting, and advisory services.

Tanvir brings over two decades of experience leading tax advisory and compliance projects across Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East, having worked with clients in various industries, including financial services, manufacturing, construction, and real estate. Before Alvarez & Marsal, Tanvir spent 18 years with Big Four firms in Saudi Arabia, most recently serving as a partner at KPMG.

Commenting on the ambitions, McAree said: “Alvarez & Marsal’s Tax practice in Saudi Arabia is designed to be a refreshing alternative to traditional advisory models. We combine deep domestic knowledge, local senior-led execution, audit independence, and global insight to deliver advice that is reliable, high-quality and solutions-focused. This gives us a unique edge.”