Bastiaan Kats helps organizations improve their working capital by making optimal use of tax relief facilities – through valuation of and taxes on real estate on the one hand, and by providing support for making real estate and business processes more sustainable on the other.
He studied Dutch law at Utrecht University, followed by tax law at Leiden University. Has worked for EY since 2000, and was previously tax and legal adviser to a large engineering firm. In addition to his work at EY, he is a deputy judge at the District Court of Overijssel and chairman of the Local and Environmental Tax section of the Dutch Association of Tax Advisors (NOB).
“Sustainability is an issue of growing importance. The greening of real estate for example, through solar panels, wind energy or insulation. And this applies to business processes as well. Consider a beer brewery that wants to switch from natural gas to biogas obtained from the raw materials in its own beer. There are often tax incentives available, such as exemptions or reduced rates. We help you analyze the options, preferably in advance of course. That way you avoid improper use of the tax relief facilities. After all, the regulations are tricky and complex.”
How Bastiaan is building a better working world
“Fiscal opportunities for sustainable initiatives sometimes fail to keep pace. Or don't always make sense. This is why we also provide support for lobbying processes - with politicians, legislators or the Tax and Customs Administration, for example. Our goal? That more emphasis be placed on incentives rather than on punitive measures. The spirit of the times requires a more accommodating stance. What is also nice is that we as a consultancy are involved in pioneering social initiatives. Like on the South Holland island of Goeree-Overflakkee, which wants to switch completely to hydrogen. Or the development of processes for making biofuels, bioplastics and biotextiles from seaweed.”
