Former Microsoft tax counsel Mike Bernard joins Vertex

International Tax Review is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Garden, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Former Microsoft tax counsel Mike Bernard joins Vertex

Mike Bernard Vertex Microsoft 100 x 90

Mike Bernard, former Microsoft tax counsel, has joined Vertex as chief tax officer, replacing Peggi Rockefeller, who is retiring.

As a member of the Vertex chief tax office, Bernard will continue the focus on improved collaboration, products and services for Vertex customers faced with the implications of tax reform and other global tax management complexities.

At Microsoft, Bernard, managed tax risks and opportunities on behalf of Microsoft business groups, senior executives, attest auditors and the audit committee. He brings 35 years of experience in corporate tax, administration and finance, including a substantive knowledge of US and international tax laws to his new role.

In addition, Bernard has an extensive network of relationships with government policy groups and tax administrations and is a widely sought-after expert in the corporate tax industry.

more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

An OECD report has uncovered a lack of public trust in politicians as a source for tax information. Banning them from owning shares in companies could boost confidence
‘We did not expect to carve out big economies from the minimum tax system’, Estonia’s finance minister said; in other news, Blick Rothenberg has acquired The Vat Consultancy
The proposal seeks to regulate compulsory TP documentation in line with the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines and simplify filing requirements
Despite the decline in profitability, the firm’s tax advisory business delivered a 3.4% revenue growth
Firms are making use of inventories and ample profit margins to avoid or absorb the initial impact of higher tariffs, an OECD report said
While UN proposals to shift airline taxation from a residence-based system to a source-state one are not set in stone, ex-British Airways CEO Willie Walsh warns they would increase costs and complexity
Von Wobeser y Sierra’s head of tax shares best practices for resolving tax controversy and touts his firm’s founding partner as an exemplar of legal practice
ITR concludes its analysis of World Tax’s rankings for 2026 by highlighting the firms that stood out most on a global scale
Experts from law firm Kennedys outline the key tax disputes trends set to define 2026, ranging from increased enforcement to continued tariff drama and AI usage
They also warned against an ‘unnecessary duplication of efforts’ in UN tax convention negotiations; in other news, White & Case has hired Freshfields’ former French tax head
Gift this article