At TPEQ, we blend expertise, innovation, and a personal approach to deliver clear, practical and defensible transfer pricing solutions. Our boutique structure ensures direct access to experienced partners, offering strategic, compliance-focused advice that works in the real world.
Meet the team
Richard McGill
About
Rich McGill brings over 20 years of transfer pricing expertise to TPEQ, combining deep technical knowledge with a commercially pragmatic, results-driven approach. Before joining TPEQ, he was a Partner at PwC and led the national transfer pricing team, advising some of Australasia’s largest multinational enterprises on complex transfer pricing issues. His unique background spans both Big Four consulting and corporate leadership, giving him firsthand insight into both advisory and in-house financial decision-making.
With extensive experience across Australia and New Zealand, Rich specialises in cross-border structuring, complex transactions and navigating high-stakes disputes. His ability to develop and execute transfer pricing strategies that withstand regulatory scrutiny while eliminating double taxation has helped numerous multinational organisations achieve certainty and compliance.
Expertise
Rich has a strong track record in:
- Negotiating Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) to provide long-term certainty for clients.
- Successfully resolving tax authority audits without adjustments, even in highly contested cases.
- Designing defensible, commercially viable transfer pricing policies that balance regulatory requirements with real-world business needs.
- Providing innovative solutions for pricing complex transactions, ensuring clients remain compliant while optimising tax outcomes.
His deep expertise in trans-Tasman transfer pricing makes him particularly valuable to businesses operating across both Australia and New Zealand, where subtle regulatory differences can create significant tax risks if not properly managed.
Qualifications & Expertise:
- Bachelor of Commerce (Canterbury)
- Bachelor of Laws (Canterbury)
- Master of Taxation Studies (Auckland)
- Chartered Accountant (CAANZ)
- Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand
- Justice of the Peace for New Zealand
- Member of ExportNZ’s Advisory Panel
Values
Clients value Rich for his:
- Clear, pragmatic approach – simplifying complex transfer pricing concepts so executives and finance teams can make informed decisions.
- Responsiveness and efficiency – delivering timely, actionable advice that aligns with business priorities.
- Commercial mindset – ensuring that solutions are practical and work beyond just compliance, delivering measurable business value.
Rich is passionate about helping businesses expand globally with confidence, offering tailored transfer pricing strategies that support growth, compliance, and risk management. His firsthand experience as a CFO further strengthens his ability to deliver advice that aligns with the broader financial and operational priorities of his clients.
Outside of work, Rich is a dedicated husband and father of two, who brings the same energy and enthusiasm to his family life as he does to helping clients solve their most complex transfer pricing challenges.
Leslie Prescott-Haar
About
Leslie brings more than three decades of specialised transfer pricing expertise to TPEQ, with a distinguished career spanning the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. As the founder of TPEQ (formerly Ceteris New Zealand LP), Leslie established the firm's reputation for technical excellence and principled client service that continues today.
Her extensive experience includes previously establishing and leading Ernst & Young's New Zealand transfer pricing practice as Partner and National Leader, following her role as Director in PwC's Sydney transfer pricing practice. This Big Four background, combined with her entrepreneurial vision in founding TPEQ, provides clients with a unique combination of extensive knowledge of major multinationals, as well as boutique client service, responsiveness and trustworthiness.
Expertise
Leslie has pioneered transfer pricing in the Australasian region, leading the first bilateral Advance Pricing Agreements executed between New Zealand and the United States, Australia, and Japan. Her work spans an impressive range of industries—from chemicals, energy, metals and mining to financial services, technology, pharmaceuticals, beverages, and retail—giving her unparalleled perspective on cross-border tax challenges across virtually every sector.
Qualifications & Expertise:
- 40 years of professional services experience in New York, Sydney and Auckland
- Member of the International Fiscal Association
- Extensive publication record including:
- co-authorship of the New Zealand chapter of "Transfer Pricing and Tax Avoidance" published by Thomson Reuters;
- author of IFBD’s New Zealand Transfer Pricing Chapter; and
- regular contributor to TPWeek and the BNA TP Forum.
- Regular speaker at industry conferences and events.
- Masters of Taxation, Georgia State University.
- Bachelors of Business Administration (Accounting), Georgia State University.
Values
Clients value Leslie's highly responsive approach, principled and pragmatic guidance, as well as technical excellence. Her respect for all stakeholders—including team members, clients, colleagues, and revenue authority personnel—underpins a collaborative style that has resolved countless complex transfer pricing matters throughout her career.
As a partner at TPEQ, Leslie provides leadership and strategic guidance while helping clients navigate increasingly complex transfer pricing rules and heightened transparency requirements. Her passion for working with interesting, and intelligent people remains the driving force behind her continued commitment to the field she helped shape in the Australasian region.
Outside of work, Leslie has raised two children to adulthood with amazing results, and is presently working on the third child, Bear the dog.
Sophie Day
About
Sophie has built her entire professional career with TPEQ, starting as a university intern and growing into her current role as Associate Partner. This dedicated focus has provided her with deep expertise in transfer pricing, particularly in global Country-by-Country Reporting compliance and implementation, with a particular focus on Australia.
She specialises in helping businesses navigate complex cross-border arrangements, from establishing initial transfer pricing frameworks for companies expanding internationally to managing sophisticated compliance requirements for major multinationals. Her experience spans documentation, audit defence, and competent authority negotiations across multiple jurisdictions for numerous industry-leading multinationals.
With particular industry depth in liquor and beverage production, household appliances, retail, pharmaceuticals, and property development, Sophie brings sector-specific insights to her transfer pricing advisory work. Her approach is pragmatic and strategic, focusing on solutions that satisfy regulatory requirements while supporting commercial objectives.
Expertise
Qualifications & Expertise:
- Bachelor of Commerce (Economics), University of Auckland
- Bachelor of Arts (Statistics), University of Auckland
- Member of the International Fiscal Association
- Co-author of the New Zealand Chapter of the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation (IBFD) Transfer Pricing book
- New Zealand contributor to the BNA TP Forum
- Australian TP reporter for TPWeek
Sophie has successfully negotiated advance pricing agreements, defended clients during tax authority reviews, and implemented innovative transfer pricing structures for companies taking their first steps offshore. Her expertise in global country-by-country reporting makes her particularly valuable as transparency requirements continue to evolve globally.
Values
Clients appreciate Sophie's proactive communication, diligence, and commitment to meeting deadlines. Her commitment to go above and beyond ensures projects are delivered on time, even under challenging circumstances. She combines technical expertise with genuine empathy for the challenges businesses face in managing their global tax obligations.
She brings enthusiasm and determination to her work, finding transfer pricing engaging and rewarding for the creativity it allows and the interesting clients and challenges it presents.
Outside of work, Sophie is currently focusing on her forthcoming wedding!
Join TPEQ and redefine transfer pricing
FAQs
What exactly is transfer pricing and why does it matter?
Transfer pricing refers to the rules and methods for pricing transactions between related entities (like parent companies and their subsidiaries). It matters because tax authorities want to ensure profits are allocated fairly between countries based on where value is created. Without proper transfer pricing, companies could potentially shift profits to low-tax jurisdictions, which is why tax authorities worldwide have implemented specific regulations to ensure transactions occur at "arm's length" prices.
Do we need transfer pricing documentation if we're just operating in Australia and New Zealand?
Yes. Both Australia and New Zealand follow OECD guidelines requiring businesses to demonstrate their related-party transactions are conducted at arm's length. While the specific documentation requirements differ slightly between countries, both jurisdictions expect adequate supporting documentation for cross-border transactions. The risk of not having proper documentation includes potential penalties, adjustments, and more intensive audits.
When should we start thinking about transfer pricing?
Ideally, transfer pricing considerations should be part of your business planning from the moment you contemplate expanding across borders. Waiting until after establishing international operations often leads to inefficient structures that are costly to unwind. If you've already expanded internationally without addressing transfer pricing, now is the time to review your arrangements to ensure compliance and optimise your structure.
What makes TPEQ different from the Big Four accounting firms?
TPEQ offers senior-led expertise with direct partner involvement throughout your engagement. Unlike larger firms where work is often delegated to junior staff, our partners personally handle your transfer pricing matters. We combine Big Four technical rigor with boutique flexibility and responsiveness. Our specialised focus on Australasia means we deeply understand local nuances while providing commercially pragmatic solutions tailored to your specific business needs.
What industries does TPEQ specialise in?
While we serve clients across all sectors, we have particular depth in manufacturing, technology, retail, financial services, and pharmaceuticals. Our approach adapts to each industry's unique characteristics while applying consistent technical excellence. Rather than offering generic solutions, we tailor our services to address the specific transfer pricing challenges relevant to your industry and business model.
How much does transfer pricing documentation cost?
The cost varies based on your business complexity, transaction types, and documentation needs. Simple structures with limited transaction types might require basic documentation, while complex global operations with numerous intercompany transactions require more comprehensive analysis. We provide transparent, fixed-fee quotes for most engagements after understanding your specific situation. Contact us for a no-obligation discussion about your needs and associated costs.
How often should we update our transfer pricing documentation?
Transfer pricing documentation should be reviewed and updated annually to remain compliant with both Australian and New Zealand requirements. Significant business changes (new product lines, restructuring, entering new markets) also warrant immediate documentation updates. Beyond compliance, regular updates ensure your transfer pricing approach continues to align with your evolving business strategy and changing market conditions.
What is Country-by-Country Reporting and does my company need it?
Country-by-Country Reporting (CbCR) is required for multinational enterprise groups with annual consolidated revenue exceeding €750 million (approximately A$1 billion or NZ$1.2 billion). CbCR provides tax authorities with information about global allocation of income, taxes paid, and business activities for each tax jurisdiction in which the group operates. Even if you're below this threshold, aspects of the CbCR framework may still influence your documentation requirements.
What happens if we don't have proper transfer pricing documentation?
Without proper documentation, you face increased audit risk, potential tax adjustments, penalties, and double taxation. In Australia, Significant Global Entities (SGEs) are subject to failure-to-lodge penalties of up to A$782,500 if filings are more than 112 days late. Transfer pricing adjustments can also trigger penalties of up to 50% of any tax avoided. SGEs may face further penalties of 50%, 100%, or even 150% of a shortfall amount for making false or misleading statements.
In New Zealand, while the legal burden of proof remains with the taxpayer, documentation is the only way to discharge that burden. Without it, Inland Revenue can reconstruct your transactions based on their own interpretation potentially leading to significant adjustments, penalties and Use of Money Interest.
Beyond the financial risk, poor documentation weakens your audit position and may damage your relationship with tax authorities. Proper documentation serves as both compliance and protection.
How do we know if our company is at risk of a transfer pricing audit?
Several factors increase audit risk, including: consistently reporting losses while the wider group is profitable, transactions with low-tax jurisdictions, significant management or royalty fees, major restructures, and inconsistencies in financial reporting. Financial arrangements are also under increasing scrutiny; particularly intercompany loans, syndicated or exotic instruments, debt versus equity characterisation (especially for thinly capitalised entities), and whether the level of debt aligns with the arm’s length principle under local rules such as Australia’s “arm’s length debt test.”
Tax authorities also target specific industries and structures through focused audit campaigns. TPEQ can conduct a tailored risk assessment to help you understand your vulnerabilities and develop a clear mitigation strategy.
What's your approach if our company faces a transfer pricing audit?
We start by conducting a thorough review of your existing documentation and transfer pricing positions to identify both strengths and potential vulnerabilities. From there, we develop a strategic response plan, coordinating closely with your team to manage information requests and deadlines efficiently.
Throughout the audit, we engage constructively with tax authorities while firmly defending technically sound positions. Many of our clients, especially those we’ve supported with ex ante pricing have faced audits around the world, and our pricing work has consistently been accepted without adjustment. In several cases, robust documentation has even prevented audits from proceeding beyond initial queries.
While audits are an inevitable part of long-term international operations, our goal is to make the process as smooth and low-risk as possible.
Our approach begins with a thorough review of your documentation and positions to identify strengths and potential vulnerabilities. We then develop a strategic response plan, working closely with your team to manage information requests effectively. Throughout the audit, we maintain constructive dialogue with tax authorities while robustly defending technically sound positions. Our track record of zero adjustments reflects our effective approach to audit management.
Should we consider an Advance Pricing Agreement (APA)?
APAs can provide certainty for complex or high-value transactions by establishing an agreed methodology with tax authorities in advance. They're particularly valuable for arrangements that might otherwise face scrutiny or when operations in multiple jurisdictions create significant double taxation risks. However, APAs require resource commitment and information disclosure. We can help assess whether an APA would be beneficial in your specific circumstances.
How are ESG considerations affecting transfer pricing?
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors are increasingly important in transfer pricing. This includes pricing of carbon credits between related entities, allocation of sustainability-related costs, and valuation of "green" intangibles. Tax authorities are also placing greater emphasis on tax transparency as part of broader ESG reporting. TPEQ helps clients integrate ESG considerations into transfer pricing policies, ensuring alignment between sustainability goals and tax strategies.
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