John Kaburu

Highlights of Expertise

• Tax Compliance Review
• Tax training and guidance
• Transfer Pricing & Cost allocation and recharges
• Tax Reporting under IFRS and US GAAP
• Collaboration with external tax advisors and auditors
• Tax controversies and tax audits

Key responsibilities

• Business tax partner for AECOM Group for all investments and projects into Africa
• Advising the business regarding projects in Africa, Middle East and Europe and the application and claiming treaty benefits, permanent establishment issues, entity set up and human capital tax issues
• Managed group rationalization for Africa and Middle East region to achieve tax efficiency, reduce operation costs and improved transparency
• Prepared and reviewed tax provisions for reporting under US GAAP and IFRS
• Promoted tax education and arranged workshops for South Africa and Ghana teams regarding tax considerations in Africa and the importance of thinking about taxes for all transactions. This strengthened tax controls and awareness within businesses to reduce non-compliance risks.
• Tracked and analyzed organizational expenditure, identifying possible improvements in line with business objectives
• Prepared tax provisions for US GAAP reporting including assisting the Africa and Middle East tax team to book the required journals
• Collaborate with Africa and Middle East finance team to draft income tax disclosures for financial statements and ensure tax disclosures in Oracle are calculated accurately
• Monitoring local and global tax developments impacting AECOM Group business in the relevant jurisdiction and sharing it with the various stakeholders.
• Reviewing the group operations, set up and transactions to establish tax saving opportunities in line with the AECOM global tax strategy
• Leading tax risk management framework for Africa and Middle East ensuring we are operating within the internal policies
• Engaging various tax authorities in Africa and Middle East to resolve tax enquiries such as Uganda Revenue Authority, the Ghana Revenue Authority, ZATCA in Saudi Arabia
• Overseeing and ensuring the AECOM the group operations in Africa and Middle East follow the AECOM Global transfer pricing policy
• Ensuring Country by Country Report for Africa and Middle East AECOM entities in prepared and submitted to the respective tax authorities
• Collaborated with outsourcing firms to review tax returns and resolve detected problems.
• Maintained tax compliance calendar to meet filing deadlines and requirements for different taxes.
• Reconciled taxes provisions booked in Oracle with tax returns filed and ensure prior period provisions are correctly booked.
• Assisted accounting teams in preparing tax cash projections for financial forecasts on a quarterly basis.

• Headed a team of three members at the Abu Dhabi office to assist businesses in Abu Dhabi to prepare for the VAT roll out.
• Prepared business impact assessment for purposes of implement the new VAT requirements in the UAE
• Prepared and facilitated VAT training for businesses in Abu Dhabi to ensure to help them understand the new VAT laws, its impact to their businesses and how the law will be implemented.
• Generated over $100k of professional fees for the company arising from assisting the customers with VAT impact assessment and training
• Advising the businesses carrying business or intending to set operations in the UAE about the application and claiming treaty benefits, permanent establishment issues, entity set up and human capital tax issues
• Assisted Etisalat to resolve tax issues with Tanzania Revenue Authority regarding disposal of its subsidiary in Zanzibar
• Performed tax due diligence for Etihad Airways and produced a report to the management to decide on the acquisition.
• Assisted clients in preparing cash projections for financial forecasts that included taxes especially on cash repatriations (dividends, management fees and interest) .
• Assisted to audit tax provisions included in the financial statements by reconciling tax accounts with balance sheets and current and prior year provisions
• Reviewed tax legislative changes and prepared summaries of the rules for distribution to the clients.
• Identified and tracked tax-related risks and opportunities for clients in the UAE that assisted them to drive investment decisions.

• Supervised a team of 10 consultants to deliver tax services to various clients in Uganda and East Africa market.
• Reviewed corporate tax computations prepared by the junior staff and ensured they were correctly prepared and that management report on the tax returns is properly prepared for the client.
• Supported clients in tax reporting and consolidation under IFRS 12, producing tax provisions estimates and disclosures to be included in the financial statements
• Supported clients with corporate tax enquiries raised by Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) to achieve a favorable outcome. In particular, I assisted WIPRO to respond to URA tax enquiries of withholding taxes and cross border recharges saving the company more than $50k in taxes.
• Coordinated the preparation of tax estimates for clients to enable them make instalment/final corporation tax payments.
• Prepared transfer pricing documentation for clients in Uganda in accordance with the local and OECD guidelines
• Reviewed tax law changes during the national budgets by the Minister of Finance and prepared summaries for the clients to understand the implications to their businesses
• Organized and facilitated client trainings on various tax heads to derive more revenue for the firm and educate the clients on tax matters.

• Managed a team of three tax professionals including allocating them tasks, reviewing their work, training them and undertaking performance reviews for them.
• Prepared and reviewed corporation tax returns and tax disclosure notes, also computed deferred tax and quarterly instalment/final tax liability
• Managed QI compliance including reviewing W8BEN forms, ensuring correct treaty rates are applied to payments, completing, and submitting forms 1042s, 1042 and 1099 to the IRS
• Spearheaded the team that established operational procedures for gathering precise information at on boarding stage for QI processes.
• Ensuring SDLT is correctly applied to transactions and all returns are submitted on time
• FATCA registration and setting FATCA compliance programs for SociGen Group
• Facilitated the preparation, review, filing, and timely submission process of VAT returns in accordance with HMRC requirements
• Mapped the VAT codes to automate VAT return preparation processes to improve input VAT recovery thus making VAT compliance efficient
• Managed the transfer pricing processes including ensuring the allocations and recharges are correctly done.
• Worked with SociGen tax team to ensure proper integration of the acquired Newedge Brokerage Business with the rest of the business ensuring tax process are aligned.
• Resolved tax issues with HMRC touching on VAT and corporate taxes for the company by undertaking research on the issues and responding to HMRC enquiries.

• Prepared annual and monthly tax returns and tax compliance documents.
• Devised and implemented consolidated global tax risk structure in accord with the Tullett Prebon's corporate governance and reporting requirements, while improving tax oversight of tax risks
• Supported during partial exemption method and swiftly responding to HMRC's VAT audit queries
• Decreased overhead expenses by £150k and reduced labour costs via rationalising tax reporting cycle for organising year-end accruals
• Reduced reporting cycle via four days and increased region's effective tax rate by re-structuring tax policies and cultivating excellent relationships across jurisdictions.
• Supported proactive tax planning, anticipating possible needs or changes specific to clients.
• Maintained professionalism and high attention to detail when working under pressure to deadlines.
• Created tax reports and transaction step plans aligned to business goals.
• Monitored and anticipated tax legislation changes, adapting accounting processes to suit.
• Generated and documented formal correspondence with HMRC on behalf of client.
• Adapted tax advice to suit business needs across various industry sectors.
• Identified opportunities for strategic and tax planning to guide future activities.
• Undertook technical research supporting tax advisory projects.
• Worked to prepare high-quality draft corporation tax computations adhering to government regulations.

• Prepared tax returns for clients
• Responded to tax-related queries with the assistance of the tax manager
• Undertook technical research supporting tax advisory projects.
• Monitored and anticipated tax legislation changes, and shared it with the rest of the tax team
• Responded to client requests for information with target timeframes for reliable service.
• Submitted tax returns for the clients after they had been reviewed by the partner and approved by the client.
• Participated in tax healthcheck for clients to review whether they have any tax exposures.