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Juan David Velasco

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Juan David is a Transactional Tax Partner and Wealth Management Practice Group Leader at Baker McKenzie Colombia.
As a leading transactional tax practitioner, he has actively advised numerous public and private companies, as well as private equity and venture capital firms on multijurisdictional tax-related aspects of investment, project finance, mergers, acquisitions and disposition of business interests and corporate reorganizations.
He also works with high-net-worth individuals on private wealth management, tax-efficient estate planning strategies and cross-border asset-protection structures.

In recent years, the European Union has intensified its efforts to combat the abusive use of corporate structures lacking real substance, particularly in the tax domain. In this context, the ATAD III Directive proposal emerged, aimed at limiting the tax benefits of so-called “shell companies”. Although its implementation would have significantly impacted holding entities such as Spanish ETVEs, the project was ultimately abandoned in June 2025. This document analyzes the scope of the proposal, its implications, and current recommendations for groups with international structures.

The Colombian Tax Office (“DIAN”) and the Superintendence of Companies have entered into an inter-administrative agreement for the exchange of information related to the Ultimate Beneficial Owner Registry, to strengthen the inspection and control functions of these entities and their investigative powers.