Indirect tax compliance firm strengthens European team expertise with new senior appointment

Avalara, Inc., (www.avalara.com), a leading provider of cloud-based software that delivers a broad array of compliance solutions related to VAT, sales tax and other transactional taxes announced Mehrdad Talaifar as VP of Professional Services for EMEA.

Mr Talaifar will lead Avalara’s UK professional services team assuming responsibility for business growth and management of strategic relationships with implementation partners across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. He brings more than 30 years’ industry experience supporting the design, implementation and management of global tax compliance automation and process improvement for multinational companies, as well as re-engineering projects for indirect tax, direct tax, and transfer pricing.

Prior to joining Avalara, Mr Talaifar was a Principal for Ryan LLC’s global tax technology services in London, leading sales and engagement management and providing expertise and support for multiple service and solution offerings. Mr Talaifar also has held executive positions at other leading international tax compliance firms including Thomson Reuters Tax & Accounting, Sabrix Inc., and Arthur Andersen.

Avalara’s hiring of Mr Talaifar represents the company’s latest move to broaden and deepen its international transactional tax compliance expertise, capability, and leadership, following a year in which the company grew its European team substantially. In January, the company announced the hiring of Stewart Nivison as VP Sales and Operations for EMEA, alongside Kid Misso as Director of Pre-Sales – both well-established experts in European tax automation. In November 2014, the company also appointed international compliance leader Richard Asquith to the role of VP, Global Compliance.

Matt Tormollen, EVP and general manager of Avalara’s Excise Tax Division, said, “We are delighted to have Mehrdad join Avalara. Mehrdad is a recognised expert in VAT and other indirect tax management and brings a wealth of global indirect tax compliance automation experience to our team. He will play an important role in growing Avalara’s professional tax services to our client base worldwide.”