The Toy Association’s Board of Directors Nominating Committee, chaired by John Gessert, president and CEO of American Plastic Toys, today announced the final slate of nominees to serve on the Association’s Board of Directors for two-year terms beginning in February. The new board members will participate in their first formal board meeting in June.  The Committee chose to fill four of a total five open board seats.  The 2019-2021 nominees, all representing manufacturers are: John Frascotti, president and COO, Hasbro; ...

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By Philip Nolan | Mason Hayes & Curran The rise of internet-based communications has complicated the ability of law enforcement to gather evidence in criminal investigations. Compounding the problem is the fact that technology companies often store users’ data at a great distance from the physical location of their customers. As a result, when law enforcement is investigating crimes with a cross-border element, their powers are often curtailed by outdated or prolonged cooperation mechanisms. With many technology companies’ EU or EMEA headquarters located...

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VULCAN VIEW - KEY EVENTS THIS WEEK: May holds on to her Brexit DealIt took all of thirteen minutes for Theresa May to present her Plan B to the House of Commons on Monday and there was little evidence of a change of approach from her government. The PM made it very clear that she wouldn’t allow for the option of a second referendum to be held. Throughout the week there have been cross-party talks to find a consensus with members...

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The EACC, in partnership with the International Property Tax Institute (IPTI), wants to keep its members up to date with the latest developments in property taxes in the USA and Europe. IPTI has put together a selection of brief reports from articles contained in IPTI Xtracts which can be found on its website (www.ipti.org).   USA New York: Understanding NY’s Property Taxes Whether people like it or not, taxes are necessary, and it is particularly true in the case of property tax. Local...

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By  BRUNO GASPAROTTO | SOPHIE WEYTEN | NICOLAS CONRAD | CLAIRE SCHMITT On 18 January 2019, the Luxembourg VAT authorities published a new Circular (N°790), which clarifies the provisions of article 28, §3, of the VAT Law on transfer pricing and VAT. In this respect, in a supply between closely related parties, for which the agreed or charged fee value is different from the normal value of the operation, the VAT base will be constituted by the normal value of the operation (fair market...

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Recruiters are so plentiful these days, it can seem like they’re a dime a dozen. Hiring managers the world over are inundated with a ceaseless stream of voicemails from recruiting firms eager to provide their services. Not all recruiters are created equal, and with so many competing firms it can be hard to discern whether you have the right staffing partners at your side. If you have found yourself questioning the relevance of your current recruiting partners, there are a...

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The misappropriation of a trade secret can come at a significant cost to its owner. In 2014, research published by PwC and the Center for Responsible Enterprise and Trade estimated the total value of misappropriated trade secrets in the US at between 1% and 3% of GDP – the equivalent of up to $550 billion per annum. If unlawful disclosures allow a third party to compete, this can affect customer retention, profits and brand reputation on a global basis. The...

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Companies undertaking M&A transactions come up against three key financial compliance challenges. In TMF Group’s work with companies undertaking merger or acquisition transactions across the globe, we see the same three financial compliance mistakes time and time again.  1. Not putting the right deal structure in place The structure of your M&A deal is an important one to get right, because it influences a myriad of factors from the type of setup you need to put in place, to the type of entities...

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By David Bassuk & Joel Bines | AlixPartners The consumer has never been more important, or opinionated, than now. Not only are there unending buying choices available, but the explosion of digitally native business models, unprecedented speed of delivery, and personalized experiences have changed the game. Meanwhile, retailers are also trying to navigate a tricky political and economic climate. Here is our annual crystal ball on the state of the industry: 1. Digital natives continue to win share from traditional retailers Brands that were born on the...

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