Michael is the Head of Transfer Pricing Strategies at City of London law firm Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP. Michael is a specialist in valuing and providing advice on pricing strategies for intangible assets. Valuations of intangible assets are considered extremely complex. His practice has built upon innovative methodologies that are directed by genuine commercial considerations and enable him to provide valuable and accurate analysis in transfers relating to brands, sponsorships, patents, trademarks, broadcasting rights and a host of other intellectual property rights. The Legal 500 (2004) recognises Michael Stirling's skills as "unique" and "of the highest quality".
The Pricing Strategies Practice
Michael’s practice has built a reputation as an authority on the valuation and royalties of sponsorships, transfers, trademarks, patents, broadcasting rights and technology transfers, and other intellectual property rights.
Michael's innovative research has been acknowledged by various Governments and their agencies who have invited Michael to offer training and presentations on how to value intangible assets.
Commercial Background
Prior to joining City of London law firm Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP, Michael was at the London offices of Deloitte within their International Tax department. Michael also has experience in industry, managing the intellectual property portfolio for a US technology manufacturer.
Clients
Michael has been requested by many Fortune 500 companies and leading Champions League football clubs. His clients include major UK, European, US, Japanese and South East Asian companies.
Achievements
Michael compiles the Official Worldwide List of the Most Attractive Football Players for Sponsors - Top 5, Up and Coming and Under-21 Categories.
Michael’s perceptive analysis on the legal and commercial implications of various high profile sports issues is regularly featured on many leading news networks including BBC, BBC News 24, ITN, Sky, CNN, CBS and Bloomberg.
His insightful knowledge is regularly featured in many of the leading international business and tax journals, such as the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times and Newsweek.
Michael is a recognised international expert on the subject of intangibles valuations.
Memberships
Michael's memberships include the:
Recent Media
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FIFA World Cup conference: Michael Stirling invited to provide expert opinion on implications of increasing commercialisation in football
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Adidas-Salomon merger with Reebok: Michael Stirling provided analysis on BBC world service
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Forbes - the leading US business journal - requests Michael Stirling for sports business analysis. May 2005
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provided an analysis on ITV News on the financial impact of Liverpool Football Club success in the UEFA Champions League 2005. The analysis was on the teams success for Liverpool Football Club and on whether UEFA will allow LFC into the competition for season 2005/6
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provided analysis on ITV News regarding the implications of Chelsea's alleged improper approach to negotiations with Arsenal's Ashley Cole
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provided analysis to the BBC and is reported on the BBC website regarding Chelsea football club's five-year commercial strategy aimed at turning its finances around
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provided analysis on Bloomberg regarding the value of Heineken's continued sponsorship of rugby union's European Cup for four years until 2009
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providing analysis to ITN on London's chances of success in its bid to host the 2012 Olympics
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analysis regarding Arsenal’s sponsorship deal with Emirates for BBC Sport on radio 5 Live
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Chinese Grand Prix - Commercial benefits for Corporates and the People's Republic of China for News at Ten
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the key factors for sponsors in securing sports sponsorship deals for ITN News
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Wayne Rooney’s transfer and commercial value following the Euro 2004 Championships for ITN and SKY News
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the potential income for clubs promoted from the Championship to the Premier League for News at Ten
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David Beckham’s high-profile Gillette sponsorship deal for ITN
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the security arrangements for Euro 2004 for ITN
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the commercial impact for David Beckham following adverse publicity in the national media for News at Ten and SKY News
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the Thai bid to takeover Liverpool FC for BBC on-line article Can Thai cash spice up Liverpool brand?
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John Magnier and J P McManus increasing shareholdings in Manchester United PLC for ITN
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Jonny Wilkinson’s potential earnings after England’s Rugby World Cup victory for Sky News
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the legal implications for sponsors of Rio Ferdinand’s failure to take a drugs test for BBC News 24
Articles
Recent articles written by Michael and published include:
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The developing in the recognition of intellectual property rights for accounting purposes from the 1980's to date
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Soccer hits the Digital Age
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Glaxo SmithKline Holdings (Americas) Inc v. Commissionaire for Internal Revenue - mock judgement
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Beckham: The Global Brand - valuing David Beckham
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Transfer Pricing: The Complexities of Trading in the Euro - Part I
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International Transfer Pricing: Euro Creates Artificial Pricing - Part II of
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Complexities of Trading in the Euro
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Transfer Pricing: Who to Choose? - protecting your transfer pricing documentation from revenue investigations
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Intangibles - the legal, economic and accounting considerations of the taxation of intangibles
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Perspectives on Intangibles - practical ways of getting value out of our intangibles via transfer pricing
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Transfer Pricing and Human Capital - valuing knowledge
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Canada Parts from WTO Valuation Norm
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E-commerce and Transfer Pricing - chapter in Practitioners' Manual
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The Mystery of Transfer Pricing Enquiries Unravelled
Conferences
Conferences Michael has spoken at include:
- International Transfer Pricing Conference
- Transfer Pricing of Intangibles Conference
- Second Malaysian National Tax Conference
- The Taxation of IP & Intangible Assets Conference - Chairman
- Transfer Pricing Conference
- Tax Planning for Multinationals Operating in the UK
- The Taxation of Intellectual Property and Intangible Assets - Chairman
- Transfer Pricing and Intangible Assets
- Putting the New Intellectual Property Regime in the Context of Cross-Border Taxation and Transfer Pricing
- Internal Presentations to numerous UK FTSE 100 Companies
- European Football Finance Forum - "Maximising Alternative Streams of Revenue"
To contact Michael, please email Michael.Stirling@ffw.com or call him on 020 7861 4888.
