KPMG International appoints David Linke as Global Head of Tax and Legal

KPMG International has announced that David Linke has been selected as the next Global Head of Tax & Legal services, effective 1 October 2020. He succeeds Jane McCormick who has led the Global Tax & Legal network since 2016.

David is currently the Asia Pacific Regional Leader for Tax, as well as the Head of Tax, Deals and Legal for KPMG Australia, serving on the International Tax Steering Group and on the KPMG regional board in the Asia Pacific. As a part of this new appointment, David will serve on the KPMG Global Management Team led by KPMG International Chairman, Bill Thomas.                                                                                                            

“In his remarkable career, David has built a well-deserved reputation in market for taking a creative approach to complex business challenges, and helping clients to do the same,” said Bill Thomas. “This is precisely the kind of leadership needed today, especially in the wake of Covid-19, and I am confident that David will be able to build successfully on the momentum gained for the practice under Jane McCormick’s leadership in recent years.”

“I am pleased to pass the torch to David, a valued leader whose relentless focus on and knowledge of the global tax landscape, as well as the new realities facing the profession, will yield meaningful results for our global network and member firm clients,” said Jane McCormick.

Having first joined KPMG’s Tax practice in 1993, David brings to the global role extensive experience working with multinational organizations around the world on a range of tax and legal matters, with deep expertise in structuring and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and a passion for technology and innovation within the tax department.

David has also been a strong advocate and proponent for KPMG’s Global Legal Service offerings, having helped to build one of the most successful practices in the KPMG network through his time as Head of Global Tax & Legal for KPMG Australia. In addition, he has been a leader in tax technology, leading the build out of a significant and a market-leading tax technology and innovation team in Australia.

“I have always been proud to be a part of a network of more than 30,000 colleagues around the world who are passionate about what they do, and it is humbling and exciting to be preparing to lead that network globally,” said David. “The tax and legal professions face significant challenges in the need to transform and evolve, especially in these testing times. For me, my role will be all about bringing people together with different points of view and empowering them to work together towards solutions for our clients, our profession and the communities we serve.”