Rafael Sayagués is the CEO of Deloitte’s Marketplace for Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic.
With over 30 years of professional and business experience, he specializes in local and international tax structuring, multi-jurisdictional transactions (including M&A), corporate reorganizations, and investment advisory for regional groups, multilatinas, and multinational corporations. Throughout his career, Rafael has led complex tax projects across multiple jurisdictions, providing strategic guidance to organizations navigating critical tax challenges and ensuring compliance with evolving global frameworks.
He has been recognized as an “Eminent Practitioner” by Chambers Latin America, a “Leading Individual” by The Legal 500, and “Highly Regarded” by International Tax Review for his expertise in tax matters.
Beyond his professional practice, Rafael is a strong advocate for the development of venture capital ecosystems, start-ups, and private investment in the region. He actively participates in business, trade, and professional organizations across strategic sectors, promoting initiatives in economic development, governance, public policy, and international investment attraction.
Compliance management:
- Business model optimisation
- Economic modelling
- Policy design
- IP management
- Technology services
Corporate tax matters:
- Cross-border project management
- Restructuring
- Cost-sharing arrangements
- APAs
- Transactions
- M&A
- Environmental
- Financial services
- Corporate taxes
- Technology
- Cryptocurrency
- Value chains
Dispute resolution:
- Audit defence
- Audit support
- Competition/anti-trust cases
- Dispute resolution
- Pre-litigation
- MAPs/ADRs
- Litigation
- Arbitration
- Controversy management
- State aid
Tax advisory:
- Tax consulting
- International tax advisory
- US Inbound
- US Outbound
Indirect tax:
- VAT
- GST
- Customs
- Supply chains
Family offices:
- Succession planning
- Asset protection
- International compliance
- Corporate governance
- Structuring of family organizations
- Accounting
- Agriculture
- Automotive
- Aviation
- Banking
- Construction and materials
- Consumer goods and services
- Energy
- Financial services
- Fisheries and aquaculture
- Food and beverage
- Forestry
- Gaming
- Government and public policy
- Healthcare
- Industrials
- Insurance
- Investment management
- Media
- Mining
- Natural resources
- Oil and gas
- Pharma and life sciences
- Real estate
- Shipping
- Social infrastructure
- Tech and telecoms
- Tourism
- Transport
- Utilities
- Latin American Business Center in NY
- Young Presidents Organization (YPO)
- Costa Ria Chapter
- Euro-Latam Chapter
- Master in Tax, University of Florida – Levin College of Law
- Bachelor in Law, University of Costa Rica
