Laurent leads the firm's tax practice in Brussels, advising Belgian and international clients on the full spectrum of Belgian and international tax law. He brings more than fifteen years of experience, including a decade at Magic Circle firms and a senior leadership role at a Big Four firm.
He specialises in the Asset Management & Investment Funds, Financial Institutions, Insurance, Real Estate, and Healthcare & Life Sciences sectors, advising on M&A, fund structuring, management incentive and carried interest arrangements, capital markets and structured finance, securitisation, real estate investment, derivatives and securities lending, equity incentive plans, and the tax treatment of crypto-assets (such as tokenised real world assets) and NFTs.
Laurent has a strong track record in research and development (R&D) and innovation tax incentives, securing tax rulings that confirm eligibility and sustainability of R&D structures for innovative corporates, financial institutions, and life sciences groups.
He is a leading authority on Belgian implementation of European direct tax initiatives - Pillar 2, ATAD and DAC reporting - and fiscal State aid, advising on Belgian Excess Profit Rulings before the EU Courts, with a strong track record in tax controversy before Belgian Courts, including the Supreme Court.
He champions integration of technology, automation and AI-assisted workflows into the firm's tax offering and shapes the firm's tax innovation strategy in Belgium and across the Simmons network.
Laurent is a regular speaker at tax conferences, contributes to professional publications, and maintains close relations with the Belgian Tax Ruling Commission and Central Tax Administration.
