Dallas firm will buy WTP Advisors

Ryan LLC, a global tax services firm headquartered in Dallas, has inked an agreement to acquire White Plains-based WTP Advisors, which formerly operated as Worldwide Trade Partners LLC. The deal is expected to close by the end of this month.

No purchase price was disclosed in the announcement from Ryan.

The Dallas firm said it has the largest indirect tax and property tax practices in North America and the sixth largest corporate tax practice in the U.S. Ryan employs more than 1,900 professionals and associates serving more than 9,000 clients in more than 40 countries, including many of the world”™s Global 5000 companies. The company is a three-time recipient of the International Service Excellence Award from the Customer Service Institute of America for its client service.

Michael Minihan and Ian Boccaccio, former colleagues in international tax law at PricewaterhouseCoopers who launched Worldwide Trade Partners in 2005, will join Ryan”™s executive leadership team as principals to support the companies”™ integration and international expansion, the Texas firm said. Boccaccio also will serve as principal and practice leader of Ryan”™s international tax practice.

Ryan executives said WTP”™s core capabilities in international tax compliance and tax provision services will drive growth in Ryan”™s rapidly expanding international tax practice. The acquisition also adds a large complement of respected companies to Ryan”™s international portfolio of clients, they said.

Ryan officials said the pending deal will give WTP clients additional access to the Dallas firm”™s integrated, single-source solution of more than 45 global tax practices for improving cash flow and minimizing tax liabilities. The acquisition will add a team of experienced tax professionals to provide additional knowledge and client support across multiple practice areas, including international tax, credits and incentives, state and local tax, and federal tax, they said.

Boccaccio in the announcement said the deal “will support a new phase of international growth and expansion for Ryan, and the legacy professionals of WTP will play a key role in our future success.”

G. Brint Ryan, chairman and CEO of Ryan, said the acquisition “represents another key milestone in the successful execution of our global growth strategy.”

Certain assets associated with WTP, including the WTP Exchange and Worldwide Trade Partners LLC entities, will remain independent and are not included in the acquisition.