Picture combining the skillsets of a master problem solver, an expert-level mathematician and a seasoned diplomat who can process and distil international regulations.
These are the traits embodied in everything the staff at Baker Tilly WM LLP does.
Through its independent member firms, the Baker Tilly Canada Cooperative provides a full complement of financial services across every major industry sector through an established platform, deep local expertise and access to the highest quality resources in the international marketplace.
As an independent member of Baker Tilly International, Baker Tilly Canada operates as a top 10 global firm. Its member firms are part of a worldwide network of 706 offices, with 39,000 people in 148 territories.
In the local context, Baker Tilly WM LLP is one of over 50 independent firms in the Canadian cooperative, with offices in both Vancouver and Toronto. About 300 employees across those two firms offer a full spectrum of business services, including audit and accounting, tax, business valuations, litigation support, corporate finance and information technology.
Baker Tilly WM LLP serves domestic and foreign corporate groups, professionals and not-for-profit organizations across a diverse collection of industries. A snapshot of some of the sectors Baker Tilly WM LLP works with includes those in the automotive and real estate business, mining, oil and gas firms, and public companies, among many others.
The firm is also experiencing growth in its Family Office Practice, which helps families execute wealth strategies, including assisting with tax plans that help minimize taxes at the corporate and personal level.
“Because of geography, most of our clients are in Vancouver and Toronto, but with the specialty areas that we have, we have a lot of cross-border clients. We have a lot of clients in L.A. and New York, several in Europe and all across the country,” explains Baker Tilly WM LLP managing partner Paul Websdale. “We focus on a lot of business consulting – helping clients succeed is part of our mission statement.”
Most chartered professional accountancy (CPA) firms stick to their bread and butter: filing tax returns and ensuring audits are filed. However, the value added that Baker Tilly WM LLP offers allows its clientele to explore beyond the here and now, with a sustained focus on the future.
“Filing tax returns is an important part of making sure a business succeeds, but that’s only one aspect of it,” Websdale says. “Another aspect is actually spending the time with clients and asking them, ‘where do you want to go?’ You have to make sure that you identify where it is they want to go and then identify how to get there.”
The market volatility seen throughout 2022 can seem daunting - high interest rates, record-setting inflation or talk of a recession – but the expert team at Baker Tilly WM LLP has the experience and knowledge to weather whatever storm may approach.
“Whether there’s a recession, whether there’s inflation, or whether everyone is making a ton of money, it doesn’t matter what the issue is,” Websdale describes. “We have to understand that issue, and we take the time to understand what that issue is to become our clients’ trusted advisors and to provide them with the best opportunities and best options for their business.”
As times get tougher, banks and regulators are likely going to increase the need for audits. Baker Tilly WM LLP has a vast understanding in that area, regardless of the industry or the locale of where that audit is triggered.
“We have experience in the audits required for banks, for public companies, for companies involved in entertainment. We have the breadth to help not just the local clients but the global clients, which everyone needs to be focusing on even if there’s a recession or if there is inflation,” Websdale continues.
The tax advisory facet of Baker Tilly WM LLP reaches across borders. Compliance, growth and consulting are central tenets of Baker Tilly WM LLP, helping businesses grow towards what they want to be regardless of their location. Baker Tilly WM LLP also has a network of partners in the U.S. who are experts on state tax legislation and other applicable laws across all American states.
“We have the local, national and international reach,” Websdale states. “In this global world, a lot of our clients are becoming, or ought to be becoming, more global in terms of what they’re trying to do.”
To learn more about Baker Tilly WM LLP, its domestic and international cross-industry knowledge, or how its team of financial experts can help you, visit bakertilly.ca.
