Mark Agnew
Biography
Mark Agnew heads Baker McKenzie's UK Tax Practice and also leads the Firm’s financial services tax practice in the UK.
As an experienced VAT practitioner, Mark advises a large number of clients across the financial services industry, with a particular emphasis on banks, fintech and payments businesses, with a deep specialism in card and electronic payments. Mark works with the wider financial services tax practice in addition to Baker McKenzie's financial regulatory and reorganisations teams to advise on structuring and restructurings for financial services groups, particularly as a result of regulatory change or European expansion plans.
In addition, Mark advises clients with tax authority disputes where he helps to defend positions taken, reach settlements or to litigate where necessary.
He also advises on the tax treatment of new products and markets, and also M&A and real estate transactions.
Practice Focus
Representative Legal Matters
Example work experience includes:
- A number of European restructurings for financial services clients in the context of Brexit, both outbound and inbound to the UK;
- Leading a test case for the financial services industry on the scope of VAT exemption for outsourced services in the context of trading financial products;
- Advising a number of US headquartered fintech businesses on the implementation of their UK and European expansion plans;
- Carrying out pan-European VAT risk reviews for a number of large banks;
- Involvement in policy matters such as the VAT split payments initiative in the UK.
Professional Honors
- Ranked Tier 1 for VAT/Indirect Tax, UK Legal 500, 2013-2022
- Indirect Tax Leaders, International Tax Review, 2012-2022
- Victor Durkacz medal for the best indirect tax paper, Chartered Institute of Taxation Exams, 2003