Janis Zelmenis

Janis Zelmenis is a tax and legal advocate with worldwide experience for more than 20 years in leading and providing professional services to a diverse range of clients, operating in various business sectors.

Janis extensive expertise and knowledge make him known in the market as an authority with a focus on company mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and restructuring deals, company law and taxes. His absolute knowledge of local and international legislation makes him one of the most frequently quoted personality in media widely. Before establishing BDO Latvia in 2007, Janis acquired profound experience working in different law offices and such Big 4 companies as PriceWaterhouse and Deloitte.

Janis has a distinct focus on working with high-net-worth individuals, including founders of large venture capital funds and executives of multinational corporations. His expertise also includes many years of co-operation with commercial banks in Latvia, which he has consulted on tax issues and complicated purchase and acquisition deals and the necessary structuring, as well as advising on corporate governance issues Fortune 500 clients. As a tax expert, he has participated in drafting anti-money laundering laws.

Apart from his qualifications as an advocate, Janis also has experience in foreign affairs, he is a founder and member of the management board of the Association of Consular Corps in Latvia. He has also worked in Latvia’s Embassy in Moscow, Russia. He constantly contributes to a variety of business insights.

Janis is also an author of the book “Pendulum of Wealth” published in Latvian and Russian languages in December 2015 that is devoted to international tax planning and privatization of Ventspils Nafta in Latvia.

Since 2012 Janis is a lecturer of EU law at Riga Stradina University where he teaches 2 courses, i.e. EU Internal Market and EU Company Law.

EXPERIENCE

• BDO Latvia AS, Founder and Managing Partner, 2007 - present
• Deloitte Latvia, Senior Manager, Director, Partner, 1998 - 2007
• PricewaterhouseCooper, Tax Lawyer, 1995 - 1998

EDUCATION 

• Central European University, Master of Laws, International Business Law, 1994 - 1995
• Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Master of Laws (LL.M.), 1988 - 1993

LANGUAGES

• Latvian
• English
• Russian
• Swedish
• Portuguese

Practices:

• Corporate and M&A
• Real Estate and Construction
• Tax and Finance
• Energy & Natural Resources

Publications:

Global CIT reform and interests of Latvia | Dienas Bizness, 12.07.2021

"The Buzz in Latvia: Interview with Janis Zelmenis of BDO" | 03.02.2021

Cash transactions - an outbreak of 'Grey economy' or human rights? | Bilances Juridiskie padomi, April 2019

In Europe, overtime is treated differently | Dienas Bizness, 27.03.2019

How the Real Estate Tax Unfairness Can Bring the Prestige of the Constitutional Court | Delfi, 19.03.2019

Banks unduly close the accounts | Dienas Bizness, 26.02.2019