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Key contacts
Senior Manager Tax: Matthias Mitterlehner
Quick facts
Number of advisers

25

Network memberships

WTS Global, Automobil Cluster Upper Austria, BIAC (OECD), KSW, Industriellenvereinigung, International Fiscal Association (IFA), VDMA

Languages

German, English

Key practice areas
General corporate tax
Indirect tax
Tax
Tax controversy
Transfer pricing
Firm overview

Over the last 30 years, ICON has developed a renowned reputation for providing personalized high-quality services in the field of international tax law. Our service portfolio comprises all-in-one solutions and tailor-made solutions based on very specific client needs.

ICON´s core competencies include:

  • International Tax & Permanent Establishments
  • Corporate Tax
  • M&A
  • Indirect Tax & Customs
  • Transfer Pricing
  • Private Clients
  • Tax Controversy
  • Global Employment Services
  • Auditing & Accounting

We are focussed on consulting industrial and medium-sized companies. A key client group of ICON are companies of the plant and machinery manufacturing industry.

What our clients can expect from us:

  • responsive and high-quality service
  • reliability, consistency and personal attention

Awards:

2022 – Tax Advisor of the Year “Private Clients” to ICON Partner Stefan Bendlinger (DiePresse & ifa AG)
2019 - Austria Tax Firm of the Year (ITR)
2019 - Tax Advisor of the Year "Mergers & Acquisitions" to ICON Partner Max Panholzer (DiePresse & ifa AG)
2018 – Austria Tax Firm of the Year (ITR)
2018 – European Indirect Tax Firm of the Year (ITR)
2018 – Austria Tax Firm of the Year "Allrounder Upper Austria" (DiePresse & ifa AG)
2015 – Tax Advisor of the Year "International Tax Law" to ICON Partner Stefan Bendlinger (DiePresse & ifa AG)

Connect with us
Key practice areas

Corporate tax matters:

  • Cross-border project management
  • Restructuring
  • Cost-sharing arrangements
  • APAs
  • Transactions
  • M&A
  • Environmental
  • Corporate taxes
  • Technology
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Value chains

Dispute resolution:

  • Audit defence
  • Audit support
  • Dispute resolution
  • Pre-litigation
  • MAPs/ADRs
  • Litigation
  • Arbitration
  • Controversy management

Tax advisory:

  • Tax consulting
  • International tax advisory

Indirect tax:

  • VAT
  • Customs
  • Supply chains
Key practice contacts and recent matter highlights

Auditing & Accounting
Maria Vrba
Partner
maria.vrba@icon.at

Corporate Tax
Karl Mitterlehner
CEO, Senior Partner
karl.mitterlehner@icon.at

Andreas Mitterlehner
Partner
andreas.mitterlehner@icon.at

Global Employment Services
Karl Waser
Partner
karl.waser@icon.at

Indirect Tax & Customs
Günther Platzer
Partner
guenther.platzer@icon.at

International Tax & Permanent Establishments
Matthias Mitterlehner
Partner
matthias.mitterlehner@icon.at

M&A
Max Panholzer
Senior Partner
max.panholzer@icon.at

Gerhard Heidrich
Senior Manager Tax
gerhard.heidrich@icon.at

Private Clients
Stefan Bendlinger
Senior Partner
stefan.bendlinger@icon.at

Tax Controversy
Harald Winkler
Senior Manager Tax
harald.winkler@icon.at

Transfer Pricing
Martin Hummer
Senior Manager Tax
martin.hummer@icon.at

Sector expertise
  • Accounting
  • Automotive
  • Construction and materials
  • Energy
  • Government and public policy
  • Healthcare
  • Industrials
  • Mining
  • Natural resources
  • Tech and telecoms
  • Transport
Address:
ICON Wirtschaftstreuhand GmbH
Stahlstrasse 14
4020 Linz
Tel:+43 (0) 732 69412-9274 Email:Contact Us Web Address:https://www.icon.at/en/
2026 Edition
General corporate tax
Tier 2
23 firms ranked
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Tier 1

Binder Grösswang
5 practice areas
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Deloitte Tax
6 practice areas
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Ernst & Young
5 practice areas
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KPMG Austria
3 practice areas
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LeitnerLeitner
5 practice areas
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PwC
7 practice areas
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TPA Steuerberatung
7 practice areas
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bpv Hügel
6 practice areas
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Tier 2

CERHA HEMPEL
4 practice areas
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Dorda
3 practice areas
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Freshfields
5 practice areas
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Grant Thornton Austria
6 practice areas
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ICON
5 practice areas
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Schönherr
4 practice areas
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Wolf Theiss
4 practice areas
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Tier 3

BDO Austria
2 practice areas
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Kinstellar
4 practice areas
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Schindler Attorneys
5 practice areas
View profile

Tier 4

Aigner Buzanich
3 practice areas
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Althuber Spornberger & Partner
3 practice areas
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DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach
2 practice areas
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Diwok Hermann Petsche
2 practice areas
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PHH Tax
2 practice areas
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Indirect tax
Tier 2
11 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

Deloitte Tax
6 practice areas
View full profile
Ernst & Young
5 practice areas
View profile
LeitnerLeitner
5 practice areas
View full profile
TPA Steuerberatung
7 practice areas
View profile

Tier 2

Binder Grösswang
5 practice areas
View profile
Grant Thornton Austria
6 practice areas
View full profile
ICON
5 practice areas
View full profile
Schindler Attorneys
5 practice areas
View profile

Tier 3

Kinstellar
4 practice areas
View profile
bpv Hügel
6 practice areas
View profile

Other notable

CERHA HEMPEL
4 practice areas
View profile
Tax controversy
Tier 3
14 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

Althuber Spornberger & Partner
3 practice areas
View profile
Binder Grösswang
5 practice areas
View profile
Deloitte Tax
6 practice areas
View full profile
Freshfields
5 practice areas
View profile
LeitnerLeitner
5 practice areas
View full profile
Schönherr
4 practice areas
View profile
bpv Hügel
6 practice areas
View profile

Tier 2

CERHA HEMPEL
4 practice areas
View profile
Grant Thornton Austria
6 practice areas
View full profile
Schindler Attorneys
5 practice areas
View profile
Wolf Theiss
4 practice areas
View profile

Tier 3

Aigner Buzanich
3 practice areas
View profile
ICON
5 practice areas
View full profile
Kinstellar
4 practice areas
View profile
Transfer pricing
Tier 2
14 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

Deloitte Tax
6 practice areas
View full profile
Ernst & Young
5 practice areas
View profile
Grant Thornton Austria
6 practice areas
View full profile
KPMG Austria
3 practice areas
View profile
PwC
7 practice areas
View profile

Tier 2

Freshfields
5 practice areas
View profile
ICON
5 practice areas
View full profile
LeitnerLeitner
5 practice areas
View full profile
TPA Steuerberatung
7 practice areas
View profile
bpv Hügel
6 practice areas
View profile

Tier 3

Kinstellar
4 practice areas
View profile
Wolf Theiss
4 practice areas
View profile

Tier 4

Binder Grösswang
5 practice areas
View profile

Other notable

Schindler Attorneys
5 practice areas
View profile
Overview

ICON, founded in 1993 after a management buyout from voestalpine AG, is a specialized tax advisory firm with over 100 employees, including 24 certified tax advisors. It offers services across 9 areas such as International Tax, Indirect Tax & Customs, and M&A. Partners Andreas and Matthias Mitterlehner lead the international tax team, while Günther Platzer heads Indirect Tax & Customs. The Vienna office has grown to 23 staff following a recent expansion, reflecting strong regional success and employer appeal. 

During the research period, the firm successfully argued that all Polish and Croatian employees on a UK project were subject to UK payroll tax under OECD rules, requiring retrospective payroll for 150 employees and filing tax returns within 60 days using automated processes and cloud collaboration. In addition, the team assessed that a tax-neutral asset transfer in Poland triggered a taxable gain in Austria due to entity classification differences, raising the question of treaty relief under Article 24(2) of the Austrian-Polish tax treaty. 

Client Feedback 

“ICON is a responsive and well-connected team of experienced professionals who explain complex matters clearly and pragmatically, offering business-minded advice you can rely on.” 

Linked Reviews
Tax

ICON was founded in 1993 as a highly specialised tax boutique after the tax division of voestalpine was acquired by management. ICON currently employs more than 95 people, 24 of whom are certified tax advisors, and offers services across nine service lines including audit, corporate tax, global employment services, indirect tax and customs, international tax, M&A, transfer pricing, tax controversy and private client. Stefan Bendlinger, senior partner, and Matthias Mitterlehner, partner, lead the international tax team. The indirect tax and customs practice is directed by partner Günther Platzer and has a staff of 15 individuals. Martin Hummer, a tax expert, leads the transfer pricing service line.

During the research period, the firm assisted a private client in the dissolution of a fiscally questionable Cyprus-based tax structure. In addition, the team developed a concept for several large Austrian companies located in the border region to Germany that employers can offer to their employees based in Germany. The model clearly outlines the tax and social security implications of the selected model for both employees and employers.

2 results2 results
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ITR sat down for a pre-event interview with Tim Zech, WTS Germany, and Jeff Soar, WTS UK, keynote speaker at next week’s ITR AI in Tax Forum 2026 in London
While pillar two has been enacted on paper in Brazil, companies are encountering a range of practical compliance issues, ITR has heard
The firm’s eye-catching UK launch is a major statement of intent, but it will face stern opposition in its quest to be the top global tax player
Under Jeff Soar’s leadership, WTS UK aims to scale to 100 partners within five years and challenge the big four
One year after Nuwaru joined the WTS network, leaders James Jobson and Matthew Missaghi reflect on the firm’s mission to offer mid-tier pricing but deliver top-tier results
Increasingly, clients are looking for different advisers to the established players, Ryan’s president for European and Asia Pacific operations tells ITR
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