John Giannakopoulos - Senior Tax Advisor

email - john.giannakopoulos@nuwaru.com
mobile - +61 416 017 817

What John brings to clients

John brings a wealth of experience having served multi-national clients predominantly in the financial services sector for over 30 years.
 
He provides strong and direct counsel to his clients as they navigate through complex tax issues, often working with multiple stakeholders, to deliver the best possible outcomes.
 
John has over the years built and led large teams to serve multiple clients. 
 
He is proactive and always on the lookout for opportunities for his clients within their tax risk framework.
 
History

John was a Tax Partner at Deloitte (Australia), in the Financial Services Industry Group, for 21 years until he retired on 31 May 2019. He commenced his career with Price Waterhouse in 1988 and then moved across to Ernst and Young in 1993 prior to joining Deloitte.

Expertise

John has broad tax advisory skills including assisting clients with acquisitions and divestments, internal reorganisations, listings/privatisations, demutualisation, structuring transactions and tax governance/disputes. 
 
At Deloitte he led the firms response to tax reform, and drafted submissions on behalf of the firm, clients and the financial services industry resulting in many tax law changes.
 
John has also acted as tax agent for a mix of financial and non-financial services providers as well as signing off tax accounts for statutory reporting purpose.
 
As a result of his client experience, he has built very strong risk management and financial statement skills which include communication with senior management and boards. 
 
John has also held many management positions within Deloitte whilst continuing to serve his clients. They include 2IC for the tax practice (nationally), leader of the NSW tax practice, leader of the financial services tax group (nationally), Chief Operating Officer for the tax practice (nationally) and Chief Risk Officer for the tax practice (nationally).

Since retirement from Deloitte, he has also taken on select Board positions including:

• Chair of a large Australian commercial bakery business which also has an export market
• Director of an international (regulated) infrastructure fund focused on projects in Africa and South East Asia.

Typical clients

John’s areas of primary (sector) experience, from serving large taxpayers, are general and life insurance, bank and non-bank lending, funds management, energy and mining, infrastructure and private equity. He has also served public sector clients under the National Tax Equivalence Regime. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Economics (Australian National University) 
• Bachelor of Laws (Australian National University) 
• Master of Laws (University of Sydney)
• Taxation Institute of Australia (Chartered Tax Advisor)
• Institute of Australian Chartered Accountants (Member) – retired on 31 May 2019
• Australian Institute of Company Directors (Member)
• Registered tax agent

What do I do when not in suit

John enjoys gardening and is a keen golfer and skier. He has been active in local community outcomes, having served for many years on the executive (including as Chair) of the Coogee Precinct for Randwick City Council, such as the overhaul of Planning Laws, the impact of the Light Rail proposal and curbing alcohol fuelled violence at Coogee beach.