Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) expanded its Transaction Advisory group capabilities in Brazil with the addition of M&A tax and labor professionals Adriano José Ponciano and Emerson Santana, who join as managing director and senior director, respectively.

For nearly 20 years, Ponciano has led buy-side and sell-side due diligence of M&A transactions in Brazil, primarily focusing on issues related to tax and labor matters and tax structuring. Prior to joining A&M, Ponciano was an M&A tax partner with KPMG where he served domestic and international private equity and corporations transacting in Brazil.

Santana, formerly a director of KPMG’s M&A Tax group, brings broad expertise in assisting companies with M&A transactions, including tax and labor due diligence, identification of tax and labor contingencies, tax structuring and post transaction tax integration, compliance and planning. He has significant experience with both inbound and outbound investment, corporate reorganizations, import and export transactions and Central Bank regulations.

“Today, opportunities in Brazil exist alongside a unique business climate and a developing economy with highly variable financial controls,” said Fabio Pires, managing director and practice leader for A&M’s Latin American Transaction Advisory group.

“Adriano’s and Emerson’s M&A tax and labor expertise highly complements our existing financial and operational due diligence capabilities in Brazil, enabling us to deploy our fully integrated due diligence approach.”