Dear Zsofia, thanks for your time for our short interview. Let’s start with Global VAT Compliance – tell us about your company – what it does and why you chose to operate in Georgia.

Global VAT Compliance is an international company headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands. It provides indirect tax compliance services worldwide and operates from multiple countries. I have been the Managing Partner of the Tbilisi office since 2023.

We chose Georgia for its strategic location at the crossroads of regions and knowledge, combined with a strong pool of well-educated young professionals who speak excellent English. The direct flight connection between Amsterdam and Tbilisi makes in-person collaboration and training easy, which we consider essential for building trust and maintaining strong personal connections across offices.

In my role, I see Georgia not only as a cost-efficient location, but as a place where international teams can truly integrate and operate as one.

My positive experiences in the country inspired me and my business partner, Martijn Teuben, to start our new venture, KameleonWave, which makes hiring anywhere easy by enabling companies to build transparent, cross-border teams that are fully integrated into their operations rather than outsourced. Through my work (both at Global VAT Compliance and as Head of Operations at KameleonWave) I see daily how companies can hire internationally and still operate as one cohesive team. Georgia offers a unique opportunity for Western European businesses to establish a presence here while integrating local talent into their operations. This enables young professionals to build meaningful careers in their own country and contribute to its long-term development.

Global VAT Compliance is one of the distinguished members of the EBA. What does the European Business Association (EBA) mean to you as a business leader?

I first heard about the Association through a friend when I was sharing my experiences of starting and operating a business in a country that is not my own. Georgia is extremely business-friendly, so these were mostly smaller challenges, although even small issues are easier to figure out when you can talk to like-minded professionals.

For me, the Association represents a great community where business leaders can exchange ideas and learn from each other’s experiences. That sense of connection is especially valuable for international professionals building bridges between Georgia and the global business ecosystem.

The EBA has recently joined Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) as a local partner. As we are aware you attended EEN Annual Gathering in Aalborg, Denmark. What kinds of opportunities do you see in the EEN platform for the EBA member companies?

I am very excited about the opportunity to open doors for businesses seeking to explore Georgia as a strategic location.

At the same time, the platform can play an equally important role for Georgian companies that are ready to step into broader European and global markets. Facilitating this two-way exchange of knowledge, talent, and opportunity is where I see the real value.

Our next tasks include creating reliable processes for promoting relevant events and business opportunities across our community, and ensuring that members’ initiatives are effectively channelled toward European markets. By improving visibility and coordination, we can help turning connections into long-term cooperation. Matchmaking will be an integral part, and also finding aisstance for Geogian companies in European regulations, thus facilitating their cross-border expansion.

Ultimately, the platform can serve as a bridge not only between markets, but between business cultures – enabling sustainable partnerships built on trust, transparency, and shared standards.

Global VAT Compliance is actively engaged in EBA initiatives, including youth empowerment, internationalization, sustainability and more. What insights or experiences would you like to share with your fellow members, why are these initiatives important for businesses?

As someone working at the intersection of international business and local workforce development, I strongly believe that Georgia’s future lies in high-trust international partnerships.

When companies invest not only capital but also knowledge, standards, and long-term commitment, this enables young professionals to build meaningful careers in their own country and contribute to the long-term development of Georgia.  Supporting this kind of sustainable integration is both a business opportunity and a shared responsibility.