Living partnership, shaping the future: The Afileon Partners Council

What is the Partners Council and what makes it special?

With the Partners Council, Afileon has established a body that institutionalises cooperation on an equal footing. Under the chairmanship of Heiko Maas, former Federal Minister of Justice and Foreign Affairs, the Council combines the expertise of Afileon professionals with that of the management.

Goals and tasks

The Council coordinates and improves centralised services across accountancy firm boundaries. It establishes common standards, transparent processes and sustainable structures, for example in the areas of IT, compliance, HR and performance accounting. The aim is to achieve a standardised, efficient appearance for the Group while maintaining entrepreneurial individuality.

Structure and decision-making

The Council has equal representation: Six professionals elected from each of the partner accountancy firms and six members of the Afileon management team jointly decide on strategically relevant topics such as digital infrastructure, uniform communication standards and reporting. The six professionals are elected annually by the partner accountancy firms. 

This model ensures that the professionals shape the development of the association. Decisions are made in dialogue, with a focus on quality, client orientation and corporate responsibility.

Members of the Council

Chair: Heiko Maas

Afileon Management:
Uwe Richter
Frank W. Jacob
Chris Kreis
Christof Kurz
Alexander Libor
Carsten Tschöpe

Partner accountancy firms:
Mario Frisch (navigator Group)
Ingo Heuel (LHP Group)
Michael Mertens (Mertens Schabow)
Martin Noack (TLC)
Holger Petersen (TAX FBA)
Walter Schwarz (SchwarzPartners)

Voices from the Council

Heiko Maas Chairman of the Partners Council: 

"The Partners Council has very quickly become indispensable for the development of Afileon's own corporate culture. All important corporate decisions are made here by the management together with the representatives of the accountancy firms that have joined the Afileon Group. In this way, we want to create the conditions for organic company growth and thus make Afileon the innovative player in the tax consulting market of today and tomorrow."

Michael Mertens, Mertens Schabow:

"In the Partners Council, we experience real dialogue at eye level - every voice counts, every contribution is heard. It is not just a few of us, but all of us together who are shaping the future of Afileon. The Council is more than just a committee - it is the place where ideas come together, perspectives are shared and decisions are made with the big picture in mind. This creates a real sense of togetherness that makes the association strong and forms the foundation for sustainable growth."

Mario Frisch, navigator Group:

"The cooperation in the Partners Council is characterised by mutual respect, entrepreneurial vision and the common goal of further developing Afileon in a pioneering way. The panel brings together different perspectives - always with a focus on quality, innovation and sustainable growth. As an entrepreneur, I particularly appreciate the professional dialogue at eye level - and the joy of making a difference together."

A successful model of modern collaboration

The Partners Council stands for equality, transparency and active participation. It is an expression of a modern, interdisciplinary understanding of consulting and clearly differentiates Afileon in the market. He will therefore continue to play a key role in the development of Afileon in the future.

With the Partners Council, Afileon does not rely on centralised control, but on collegial responsibility and joint growth, supported by the professionals.