Speakers

  • Robert Willock (Director, MENA of The Economist Corporate Network)

    Robert Willock

    Director, MENA of The Economist Corporate Network

    Robert is the Director of the Economist Corporate Network based in Dubai and covering the MENA region. Robert works closely with network members to help inform their business strategies through political, economic and operational insight and to connect them with their senior leadership peers.
    Robert is a business journalist, editor and publisher with nearly 25 years of experience covering a wide variety of sectors, including hospitality, retail, construction, energy and transport, and a particular interest in human capital management.
    He is an accomplished event chairman, moderator and speaker.
    Robert completed an MBA at the University of Leicester School of Business in 2012 and holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Nottingham.

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  • Steven Ireland (Head of International Tax at Grant Thornton UAE)

    Steven Ireland

    Head of International Tax at Grant Thornton UAE

    Steven has over 20 years of experience predominantly in the areas of M&A and international taxation. He relocated to the Middle East in 2010, working in the tax teams of the Big 4 in the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, prior to joining Grant Thornton in 2020. Steven has been involved in a range of deals on behalf of international and regional clients ranging from owner-managed businesses to listed companies (including the world’s biggest initial public offering). He has undertaken in excess of 200 due diligence projects (both buy side and vendor due diligence) and structuring assignments. He has also assisted multinational clients with the introduction and amendments of the UAE Economic Substance Regulations and Country-by-Country Reporting across the region.

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  • Steve Kitching (Tax Partner at Grant Thornton)

    Steve Kitching

    Tax Partner at Grant Thornton

    Steve is a senior tax professional, with over 34 years of industry and indirect tax experience, who has previously worked at the UK government's HM Revenue & Customs authority, as well as Ernst & Young, Deloitte and BDO in the United Kingdom and GCC markets. He specialises in the communications, land & construction, retail and leisure sectors. In addition, for the past 6 years, he has been engaged within the oil & gas industry. Steve has a wealth of VAT knowledge, performing VAT reviews and implementation projects for his clients, which have resulted in cash-flow savings and greater VAT controls and procedures. He has strong negotiation skills which have aided with settling compliance matters between clients and the relevant tax authorities.

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