In 1939, Willem Meijburg started a small tax advice office under the name of Meijburg & Co. By 2009, this small office had grown into KPMG Meijburg & Co, one of the most reputable advisory organizations on tax and tax-related matters in the Netherlands. It is only natural that we do not let our rich history go uncelebrated on this 70th anniversary year.
The theme for this anniversary year is The Taste of Meijburg, and our choice of a culinary theme should not come as a surprise. You could easily compare our organization with a recipe for an exquisite dish, which has been handed down through the years and perfected with new ingredients along the way.
Slow cooking
To capture the essence of a company seventy years in the making, we must look back at its rich history. It starts with Willem Meijburg, the chef who concocted the basic broth of Meijburg & Co. Originally a Dutch tax inspector, Willem Meijburg started one of the first tax advisory bureaus in the Netherlands. He was encouraged to do so by his good friend and accountant Pieter Klynveld, a co-founder of the accountants Klynveld Kraayenhof & Co. In setting up Meijburg & Co, these two men provided a fine example of “experimental cooking,” particularly for the times, and together they provided the basis for the successful recipe that is Meijburg & Co.
Willem Meijburg and Pieter Klynveld chose one main ingredient for their tasty creation: knowledge. Willem Meijburg's close contacts within the Dutch Revenue led many former tax inspectors to find their way to this new organization. These experienced tax professionals brought with them a treasury of experience, which added flavor to the dish. Thus, Meijburg’s renowned knowledge bank, offering high-quality advice to its clients, came into being. The dish was steadily gaining substance, and yet, to avoid becoming bland, the chefs kept searching for new ways to spice things up.
KPMG Meijburg & Co:
Story of the recipe for success
Fusion cooking
The 1988 merger with the American tax advisors Peat Marwick heralded the new age of “fusion cooking.” The respected, conservative Meijburg flavor was mixed with Peat Marwick's commercial American flavor. This taste explosion was new for all, but the seemingly contradictory styles complemented each other wonderfully. The results stimulated the taste buds and offered refreshing new management techniques and a new approach to tax matters. The Meijburg recipe took further shape after the merger with the independent office of Wisselink & Co in 1989. The recipe was inching closer to perfection, and many tax professionals wanted to sink their teeth into the dish.
Serving Suggestion
When the list of ingredients and preparation instructions had finally been worked out, the dish simply required a few finishing touches and a serving suggestion for both staff and clients. As early as advances in technology allowed, computers were introduced into the workplace, which enabled faster processing of tax information. We then formed Knowledge Groups, to bring out the full flavor of our main ingredient: knowledge. As our company continued its organic growth, we appointed a full-time Chairman and a Works' Council. The pots on the stove bubbled over with new initiatives, and more and more changes were implemented. To ensure that these changes would not overpower our original flavors, we introduced Meijburg's three pillars of policy: People, Knowledge, and the Market. Meijburg is clearly on the menu and, for years, has been the favorite dish for many.
Recipe for success
After that short trip down memory lane, we are almost ready for dessert. The only remaining question is: What exactly is the flavor of Meijburg now? There is no simple answer to that question – and that is exactly where KPMG Meijburg & Co's strength lies. There is a place for everyone in this organization, from the lovers of basic home-cooking to the gourmets who crave haute cuisine. The binding agent keeping the dish together is tax, and the way in which all members of staff – from secretaries to support staff to partners – serve it up. This attitude is what has made KPMG Meijburg & Co the recipe for success of which we may all be proud.