Belgium

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Bastion Tower
Place du Champ de Mars/
Marsveldplein 5
B-1050 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: +32 2 504 7260
Email: axel.haelterman@freshfields.com
Website: www.freshfields.com

Axel Haelterman is a partner in Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's Brussels office and a member of the tax practice group. Axel is a leading tax practitioner in Belgium and has a broad ranging practice, advising corporate clients and financial institutions on Belgian and international tax issues. His practice focuses on financial instruments, bank taxation, international acquisition structures, structured finance and stock options. He also has renowned expertise in high-profile tax litigation. Axel is regularly consulted by the federal and regional governments in Belgium on a variety of issues, including drafting new tax legislation.

He is listed as a leading individual in legal directories such as Chambers, The Legal 500 and International Tax Review's World Tax.

Axel obtained a law degree and a business degree from the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium), a law degree from Columbia University in New York, as well as a PhD on tax transparency from the Catholic University of Leuven. He is a professor in tax law at the Catholic University of Leuven.

Mayer Brown
Avenue des Arts 52
1000 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: +32 2 551 5968
Email: apieron@mayerbrown.com
Website: www.mayerbrown.com

Astrid Pieron is a partner with more than 30 years of tax experience, which includes 25-plus years of focus on international taxation.

Astrid launched the Mayer Brown European Transfer Pricing Centre (ETPC) in 2008, which is part of the firm's global transfer pricing practice covering US, Asia and Europe.

As head of the ETPC, Astrid counsels on the transactional aspects of transfer pricing, such as structuring European transfer pricing policy for European groups or US groups operating in Europe. Her related work involves advising on tax aspects of changes in business models as well as on the fiscal optimisation of financial vehicles within multinational enterprises (such as captive insurance companies, treasury centres and investment funds). She also assists clients in deploying transfer pricing documentation that conforms with EU guidelines.

Astrid has also a substantial background in tax controversy matters, including assistance with tax litigation and negotiation of rulings with the tax authorities in Belgium and Luxembourg. Her experience in transfer pricing controversy includes examination, appeals and advanced pricing agreements.

At the policy level, Astrid has been closely involved in the OECD intangibles scoping project (for example, submitting comments, and presenting the matter to Working Party No 6), focusing on post-tax/pre-tax valuation issues and the need for reliable but balanced benchmarking to support transfer pricing considerations. She is also involved with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) providing input on convergence efforts between Customs valuation and transfer pricing. Astrid spoke on those aspects at the Open Day for Trade organised in June 2011 by WCO.

Before joining Mayer Brown's Brussels office in 2007, Astrid practised in Brussels and Luxembourg with two of the world's leading tax and accounting firms: Deloitte (2002 to 2006) and Arthur Andersen (1981 to 2002). Reflecting her multinational practice, she is fluent in French, Dutch and English.