Marc André Gaudreau Duval - Co-Chair of WLG’s International Tax & Private Wealth Group
Marc André Gaudreau Duval
Partner at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Co-Chair of WLG’s International Tax & Private Wealth Group
My practice includes all aspects of Canadian income tax law with an emphasis on international tax planning and domestic and international mergers and acquisitions. I have recently worked closely with several investment fund and family office managers. We have worked on structuring investment funds and portfolio investments and reviewing financial models to minimize costs and maximize return on investment.
I have also had the pleasure of structuring the Canadian affairs of some of the wealthiest families in the world, working on major global mining and renewable energy deals (including work in Africa, Asia, and Oceania), and assisting in the formation of venture capital funds that are kick-starting the next stage of the innovation life cycle.
2) Share with us something new and interesting about your firm (new practice area, implementation of new technology, etc.)
We have seen an interesting trend in our Family Office practice whereby family offices are becoming the "new private equity" because they are increasingly managing their own investments and investing directly in private companies. From a practice perspective, it's exciting to be a part of this new direction. Family offices don't answer directly to the same stakeholders that private equity or corporations do, and the different tax planning opportunities available to family offices create a unique dynamic. We're also witnessing other important trends, including a growing interest in ESG-type investments.
3) What are you looking forward to as the new Co-Chair for WLG's International Tax & Private Wealth Group?
I am looking forward to building new relationships and getting to know the other members of the International Tax & Private Wealth Group. My goal is to work closely with my co-chair to organize and host events to ensure members benefit fully from their WLG membership.
I hope to see many of our members in Berlin at the International Fiscal Association Congress starting on September 4 and at the WLG luncheon with CMS Germany on September 6.
4) What is something you like to do in your free time?
It may sound cliché for a Canadian, but I am a big hockey fan. Hockey is Canada's national winter sport, played on skates with a puck in the winter or on foot with a ball in the summer. I have played on several teams since I was seven and still play all year.
My wife and I are also avid travelers, continually visiting different locations around the world to experience different cultures.