Thomas Wirtz, the Mutation of Tax Professional

Commencing 2019 with a new entity, Thomas Wirtz has metamorphosed from previously Partner/Director of Ernst & Young (Management Consultant) to today`s owner of schütze & wirtz ; a tax consultant based in Jüchen near Düsseldorf, Germany. Briefly shared his thoughts to Anisa Kirana, Wirtz solidly talked about what`s simple but essential in the approach he`s got into business and consulting practice.

Inspired by Distinctions in Business Culture

It wasn`t a curtailed portion of his career at Ernst & Young (EY); Australia and Indonesia were two out of three mixes of Wirtz`s past experience. After such significant length of career, the embodiment eventually drove his German native identity to return to his land of origin and definitely with some bites of what he absorbed previously. Germans are by nature to often be particularly detailed at business practices, while his Australia learning taught him to also oversee the big picture on things or issues; here, certain balances could be adjoined as considerations should be viewed in any aspects. While Australia left Wirtz with core idea of business overview way, Indonesia shared slices on the spirit of entrepreneurship and ornament inside business culture to his understanding.

Indonesia is seen as a country of entrepreneurs, where it`s pretty normal to witness people`s ups and downs, or quick orientation changes in business practices and occurrence of failures doesn`t seem to be overly discussed. Failure isn`t a big deal as Indonesian entrepreneurs live in a country where more opportunities are seen, thus they keep on chasing to undergo what`s the next chance could be. Unlike when businesses are established in Germany, most practitioners in the country opt to highlight the risks and downsides – prior to any actions taken. Definitely there`s nothing right or wrong, or no judgement towards which one is better example; but to Wirtz it`s more of getting into thorough personification to obtain positivity from both.

Despite similarity like work dedication that Wirtz found between Germans and Indonesians; it was actually for some time an adaptation at meetings to recognise that Indonesians are fond of small talk about family before getting into business discussion. It`s totally different with Germans who normally go straightly to business and often with a relatively strict agenda. However, differences weren`t disturbing factors, to Wirtz the whole business culture experience has taken him to wiser present-time perspective.

“You would be surprised that Germans have not only soccer as their favorite sport but also saving taxes is among their favorite “sports”, like Indonesians. I think to improve the willingness to pay taxes in Indonesia, the government should provide better infrastructure and government services to justify the relatively high tax rates. Additionally, compliance of tax officers in Indonesia should be improved”.

Idiosyncrasy of Wirtz`s Consulting Way

On the approach to more captivating tax consulting service provided, this alumni of Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (Münster, Germany), highlighted the benefit of having collaboration between tax and business consulting once clients work with Wirtz. This concept comes up with deeper analysis to go through the business existence and situation – as well as essential understanding towards the tax obligation itself; making it extra complete consulting process when clients particularly choose Wirtz.

What`s more is that other than EY Australia and Indonesia, Wirtz was also once in-charge in EY Kazakhstan – which took him to embody precise understanding about Kazakh-Russian influenced culture. Overall, it could be said that Wirtz now runs schütze & wirtz with sufficient multi-cultural background; as schütze & wirtz`s practice doesn`t only serve Germans, but Asians, Russians and EU clients as well. In addition, experience in supervising Japanese clients becomes one other plus point.

Besides companies, schütze & wirtz serves SMEs, freelances and individual clients; however, there`s a focus on Asian clients; which to Wirtz the opportunities lie behind how such markets are rather wide and not too specific. Yet challenge stays there as well; it takes to acquire wide sectors and get into clients` experiences. And as a service provider for such market frames, Wirtz positions his stance not only as a tax consultant – but also as business and life consultant. Why? Because high level of trust in the profession stands crucially among German population, in particular. Thus thorough, profound and trusted connection between schütze & wirtz and the clientele becomes significant aspect that differentiates it to others.

 “To you starting your own businesses, be clear about your value added to the customers and markets you intend to serve. Develop a realistic business plan and put sufficient money aside for unforeseeable events that often come along starting a new business. Be flexible when it comes to execution and adapt to customer and market requirements”.

Get in contact: Thomas Wirtz |Tax consultant and German MBA | Owner of schütze & wirtz | schütze & wirtz Steuerberatung, Kölner Str. 2a, 41363 Jüchen, Germany |

| info@suw-steuerberatung.de | https://suw-steuerberatung.de |

| Anisa Kirana. Jakarta & Jüchen. 2019 |