Meet Sybrand

Sybrand is an expert tax adviser with over 20 years of accounting, law and taxation experience.  He holds a Bachelor and Master of Laws with Honours, a Bachelor in Commerce and an Advanced Diploma In International Tax and is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

Sybrand started his career with a big four accounting firm in Auckland in 2000.  He went on to work as a senior policy analyst at the IRD, being a junior member of the team that designed the portfolio FIF and Portfolio Investment Entity (“PIE”) rules, and serving as a member of the international tax team for three years.

Since then he has amassed a wealth of experience, working in both law firms and accounting firms.  He has international experience having worked for a big four accounting firm in Jersey, Channel Islands, and more recently has significant local experience working for a pre-eminent Tauranga mid-tier accounting firm for the past 10 years, with the last four years as the Tax Director.

Sybrand founded SVS Tax with the aim of providing expert, quality, and independent tax advice to clients: individuals, small and medium sized enterprises, high net worth families, and accounting and law firms.

Outside of work, Sybrand enjoys time with his wife and children, doing all things active and outdoors, including a new-found love of pickle ball.

Sybrand enjoys all things tax related and is expert in:

  • Taxation of land for dealers, developers and builders, or anyone with bright-line tax issues;
  • GST, especially where the zero rating of land is concerned;
  • Taxation of trusts and charitable trusts;
  • Advice to new migrants and high net worth individuals moving to NZ;
  • Advice to privately owned retirement village owners;
  • Tax specialist advice to businesses seeking to structure their affairs in a tax efficient manner; and
  • Resolving disputes with the IRD or making voluntary disclosures to fix past errors, where required.

Qualifications and Memberships

Sybrand holds the following qualifications:

  • LLB(Hons) – Bachelor of Laws with honours, second class division one – Canterbury University – 1999
  • BCom – Bachelor of Commerce – Canterbury University – 1999
  • LLM(Hons) – Master of Laws with first class honours – Victoria University of Wellington – 2003
  • ADIT – Advanced Diploma in International Tax – Chartered Institute of Tax – United Kingdom – 2008
  • CA (CPP) – Chartered Accountant with a certificate of public practice – Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
  • Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand – admitted in 2002, but not practicing at present.

For tax specialist advice

Sybrand welcomes accounting and law firm clients, as well as direct contact from individual clients.

Contact Sybrand for expert tax advice and solutions.

Contact Sybrand