Our People

Managing Director and Head of International Tax

Mr. Balazs Karacsony

Balázs has graduated from the Budapest Business School, College of Finance and Accountancy is a Certified Tax Expert. He has widespread experiences in the Hungarian tax matters of companies with special regard (but not limited) to those active in the manufacturing, financial, pharma, real estate, IT services and sport sector.

Balász started as a tax advisor with PWC and later a senior tax advisor with EY, after which he moved on to Crystal Worldwide Ltd as an international tax manager. Before joining Zerafa Trustees as Managing Director, he was a tax director and private client services leader with BDO in Budapest, Hungary.

His experiences extend from direct taxation matters (e.g. corporate income tax, local business tax) through indirect taxation (e.g. value added tax).

Balázs has been actively involved in due diligence reviews, international tax structuring projects, tax advisory engagements as well as in communicating with the Hungarian authorities (the ministry in charge for tax matters and the state and local tax authorities).

He has a solid understanding of the Hungarian and International Financial Accounting Standards.

He gained substantial experience in international tax advisory and tax compliance matters. Balázs has gained extensive knowledge in the fields of corporate taxation as well as international taxation and he has proven his project management skills in a number of complex and intricate engagements to the utmost satisfaction of his clients.

He is full member of STEP since 2016 and dealing with wealth planning and management for private clients.

Director

Dr. Omar Zerafa

Dr. Zerafa has obtained the degree of Doctor of Laws from the University of Malta, following which he has also graduated from the University of Leicester with a Masters in European Union Law specialising in Commercial Law.

Prior to establishing Zerafa Advocates, Dr. Zerafa has worked as an associate with one of the leading financial services law firms in Malta where he was also admitted to partnership, responsible for the structuring and licensing of collective investment schemes, investment vehicles, investment services licence holders including asset management companies and financial institutions.

Moreover, Dr. Zerafa has extensive experience in the corporate and trusts sectors as he serves as a Director and Compliance Officer for multiple Company Service Providers and Trustee entities. Dr. Zerafa is actively involved in providing clients with corporate structuring and regulatory advice, ensuring that the specific demands of each client are met accordingly.

Dr. Zerafa has a Foundation Certificate in Trust Law and Management awarded by the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners and is a member of the Chamber of Advocates, the International Bar Association, the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners, and the Financial Services Lawyers Association (UK).

Compliance Officer

Dr. Celine Dalli

Director and Company Secretary

Dr. Silvio Vella

Dr. Silvio Vella graduated from the University of Malta with a Bachelor of Laws and a Masters in Advocacy.

In his term paper entitled: “Is the Virtual Financial Assets Act satisfactory in creating a regulatory framework for Initial Virtual Financial Asset Offerings and in providing protection for investors?”, Silvio focused on the regulatory regime provided for ICOs in Malta. Notably, he received the Best Consumer Dissertation Award from the Faculty of Laws for his work on the 12th December 2019.

As an associate, Silvio is primarily focusing on investment services, financial institutions and collective investment schemes.