David O'Keeffe Joins Ryan as Director; Will Extend Tax Services Offering into Research and Development

LONDON, Feb. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Ryan, a leading global tax services firm serving more than 9,000 clients in over 40 countries, today announced that David O'Keeffe has joined the Firm as Director of Research and Development. Mr. O'Keeffe will be based in Ryan's London office and specialises in helping companies maximise the benefits of their Research and Development (R&D) tax relief claims. His appointment extends Ryan's international income tax capabilities and positions it across the growing R&D markets within the UK and Europe. The UK is considered one of the great global innovation centres, and the UK government is actively promoting innovation through grants, R&D tax allowances, and beneficial patent and intellectual property incentives.

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Prior to joining Ryan, Mr. O'Keeffe was a partner at a major national accounting firm, where he established a specialist R&D tax team. He was also a founding member of its Global R&D Tax Incentives Group and a member of the Steering Group, with responsibility for coordinating the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region. He has been involved with the UK's R&D tax relief regimes since the initial consultations on the introduction of the Small and Medium Sized Enterprises relief and enjoys a strong reputation with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC); Her Majesty's Treasury; and the Department of Business, Innovation, and Skills. Over the years, he has provided input and consultation to several industry organisations and trade bodies. He has been a member of HMRC's R&D Consultative Committee since its inception. In addition, he sits on the Chartered Institute of Taxation's Corporate Tax Technical Sub-Committee and chairs the R&D Working Group of that sub-committee. Mr. O'Keeffe was the only R&D tax specialist to have input into Sir James Dyson's influential report, "Ingenious Britain: Making the UK the leading high tech exporter in Europe." This report is now seen as the catalyst for the recent reform of the UK's R&D Tax Relief regimes. Mr. O'Keeffe continues to play a prominent role in many aspects of the taxation of innovation and intangibles, having been involved in the recent consultation on the new Patent Box regime in the UK, the Intellectual Property aspects of the Controlled Foreign Companies reform, and the new above-the-line R&D Expenditure Credit.

"David is an internationally recognized R&D tax specialist, and we are delighted that he has joined our team of London-based international tax professionals," said Jilly McCullagh, Ryan Principal, United Kingdom Operations. "He has played a key role in the evolving structure of UK tax credits on R&D and will add tremendous value for our clients."

"Ryan already provides tax services to many of the world's leading global companies, and the addition of David O'Keeffe will deliver tremendous value through additional international tax strategies and best practices," said Brendan F. Moore, Ryan President of Europe, Asia, and Latin America Operations. "The trust that Ryan has earned by delivering superior results for these multinational clients drives our commitment to continue the rapid expansion of our Firm's international tax presence."

"David O'Keeffe is an industry-recognized European R&D specialist, and his leadership will ensure that our global clients have direct access to the most innovative suite of tax services for improving profitability and cash flow," said G. Brint Ryan, Chairman and CEO of Ryan. "We will continue to acquire the very best international tax talent to support our premier global clients in countries all over the world."

About Ryan
Ryan is an award-winning global tax services firm, with the largest indirect and property tax practices in North America and the seventh largest corporate tax practice in the United States. The Firm's United Kingdom operations, located in London, provides value added tax automation, advisory, and recovery services for multinational corporations across Europe. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Ryan provides a comprehensive range of state, local, federal, and international tax advisory and consulting services on a multi-jurisdictional basis, including audit defence, tax recovery, credits and incentives, tax process improvement and automation, tax appeals, tax compliance, and strategic planning. Ryan is a three-time recipient of the International Service Excellence Award from the Customer Service Institute of America (CSIA) for its commitment to world-class client service. Empowered by the dynamic myRyan work environment, which is widely recognised as the most innovative in the tax services industry, Ryan's multi-disciplinary team of more than 1,700 professionals and associates serves over 9,000 clients in 40 countries, including many of the world's most prominent Global 5000 companies. More information about Ryan can be found at www.ryanco.co.uk.

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