The International Business Structuring Association (IBSA)

What The International Business Structuring Association (IBSA) does

The International Business Structuring Association (IBSA) is a not-for-profit global membership association founded in 2014 by chartered accountant and international tax practitioner Roy Saunders, and legally organised as IStructuring Holdings Ltd, a private limited company registered in England and Wales with its principal office in London. The association's stated mission is to connect entrepreneurs and professional advisors who deal with cross-border business structuring, operating across what it describes as 35+ jurisdictions and serving members ranging from individual entrepreneurs through to lawyers, accountants, tax consultants, intellectual property experts, corporate finance advisors, and private client specialists. A secondary audience comprises high-net-worth individuals requiring cross-border wealth, succession, and estate planning services. The core customer segments are professional advisors seeking cross-jurisdictional referrals and knowledge networks, and entrepreneurs needing multi-disciplinary international structuring advice.

IBSA's offering is structured around three annual membership tiers — Individual (£500/year), Corporate (£1,500/year), and Club Patron (£3,950/year) — supplemented by a flagship 12-stage IBSA Business Structuring Course, an annual conference, regional discussion groups, a podcast series, and a Knowledge Bank of articles and videos. The platform itself is a relatively lightweight web-based infrastructure with member login, content library, member directory, and course hosting; there is no proprietary core technology beyond content curation, event administration, and community management. The most differentiated technical component is the IBSA Course, derived from Roy Saunders' reference book "International Tax Systems & Planning Techniques" and previously taught by Saunders as part of a University of London MA course in international tax law (2008–2013). Nine named Corporate Patrons — Farrer & Co, Howard Kennedy, Evelyn Partners, Rathbones, Gateley, Moore Kingston Smith, Walkers, Elias Neocleous & Co, and S&W — anchor the ecosystem with premium directory placement, event hosting rights, and homepage promotion.

The association generates revenue primarily through recurring membership subscriptions, supplemented by paid conference/workshop attendance (members £400 plus VAT, non-members £750 plus VAT for the annual conference) and a one-off course access fee (£250 plus VAT) for non-members. Distribution is community-led and event-driven, with members acquired through word-of-mouth, professional referrals, and global chapter events hosted by Corporate Patrons in jurisdictions including the UK, Cyprus, Jersey, Malta, Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong, UAE, and the USA. A small secretariat of approximately five London-based staff manages operations. In 2025, after 11 years of operation, the association rebranded to "The IBSA Club" with the stated intent of encouraging more active member participation in shaping the association's future.

Name

The International Business Structuring Association (IBSA)

Legal name

IStructuring Holdings Ltd

Website

https://theibsa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The International Business Structuring Association (IBSA) is a London-based not-for-profit membership association that connects entrepreneurs and professional advisors across 35+ jurisdictions for international business structuring knowledge sharing and referrals, generating revenue through tiered annual subscriptions (£500–£3,950), conferences, and a structured 12-stage business structuring course.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: IBSA generates revenue primarily through annual membership subscriptions at three tiers: Individual (£500/year), Corporate (£1,500/year), and Club Patron (£3,950/year). Memberships run for 12 months from the date of application and include access to events, knowledge resources, the member directory, and networking opportunities.
2. Conference and Workshop Fees: Revenue is generated from paid conference and workshop attendance. Members receive significantly reduced costs compared to non-members. The annual conference is a flagship event with specific pricing (£400 plus VAT for members, £750 plus VAT for non-members).
3. IBSA Course Access: Non-members can access the IBSA Business Structuring Course for a one-off payment of £250 plus VAT, which includes a copy of Roy's book 'Principles of International Tax Planning' (RRP £95).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The IBSA Club is a not-for-profit global membership association that provides entrepreneurs and professional advisors (lawyers, accountants, tax consultants, IP experts, corporate finance advisors, private client specialists) with access to a global network of contacts across 35+ jurisdictions, a Knowledge Bank of articles/videos/podcasts, an annual conference and local branch events, an exclusive 12-stage IBSA Business Structuring Course, and member directories. Its core commercial outputs are tiered annual memberships (Individual, Corporate, Club Patron), paid conference and workshop attendance, and one-off course access for non-members.

Product overview

The IBSA Club is a not-for-profit global membership association providing a multi-disciplinary platform for entrepreneurs and professional advisors dealing with international business structuring. The offering comprises membership tiers (Individual, Corporate, and Corporate Patron), an educational 12-stage Business Structuring Course based on the Polycon case study, conferences and workshops, local branch events, podcasts, a knowledge bank of articles, and member directories. The association connects professionals across 35+ jurisdictions through networking events, knowledge sharing, and collaborative learning, supporting members with expertise in international tax, corporate structuring, trusts, and succession planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IBSA Club Membership (Individual, Corporate, Club Patron tiers) Annual membership subscription to The IBSA Club, a not-for-profit global association for entrepreneurs and professional advisors dealing with international business structuring. Includes access to global network, Knowledge Bank, podcasts, video archive, free discussion group meetings, reduced conference costs, exclusive LinkedIn group, member directory, and (for Corporate/Patron tiers) speaking, sponsorship, and hosting opportunities.
• IBSA Business Structuring Course A 12-stage online course on international business structuring, based on the Polycon Lens Company case study devised by Founder Roy Saunders. Covers international tax, corporate structuring, and IP protection throughout a business's generational journey. Free to IBSA members; available to non-members for a one-off payment of £250 + VAT, which includes a copy of Roy Saunders' book 'Principles of International Tax Planning'.
• IBSA Conferences and Workshops Annual paid conferences and workshops examining international business structuring topics through case studies, featuring expert panels, presentations, networking forums, and celebration dinners. Members receive significantly reduced pricing.
• IBSA Branch Events (Local Discussion Groups) Local discussion group meetings and events hosted by IBSA members around the world on topics such as succession planning, cross-border tax regulations, and real estate structuring. Free for members; non-members can attend one meeting free of charge before being encouraged to join.
• IBSA Podcast Series Audio podcast series covering international tax, residency planning, succession planning, and wealth structuring topics, featuring expert guests from the IBSA network.
• IBSA Knowledge Bank (Articles) Online article directory containing news and reference material on international business structuring and regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions, accessible to IBSA members.
• IBSA Members Directory Online directory of IBSA Club members featuring professional profiles with bios, contact details, and areas of expertise across multiple jurisdictions, accessible to members for referral and networking.
• Corporate Directory (Corporate Patrons and Corporate Members) Directory of IBSA Corporate Members and Corporate Patrons showcasing member organizations' details, offices worldwide, and areas of expertise, available to members for referral purposes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Access to specialists in 35+ jurisdictions worldwide

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Farrer & CocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Patron member - Independent law firm with rich history advising private families, individuals, charitable institutions, and businesses. Located at 66 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LH.
• Howard KennedycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Patron member - London law firm offering straightforward advice to ambitious clients with large private wealth offering alongside significant corporate capability.
• Moore Kingston SmithcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Patron member - Multi-disciplinary advisory, tax and audit firm part of the Moore Global network with expertise across multiple sectors.
• WalkerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Patron member - International law firm advising on laws of Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Ireland and Jersey with offices in London, Jersey, Guernsey, and Dublin.
• Gateley PlccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Patron member - Professional services group employing over 1,600 people across 23 UK offices including Birmingham, London, Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Reading, and international offices in Hong Kong and Dubai. First commercial UK law firm listed on AIM in 2015.
• RathbonescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Patron member - Leading provider of individual wealth management, asset management and related services to private clients, charities, trustees and professional partners.
• Evelyn PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Patron member - UK's leading integrated wealth management and professional services group (formerly Tilney Smith & Williamson) offering combined wealth management and professional services with offices in 25 towns and cities across the UK, Ireland and Channel Islands.
• Elias Neocleous & Co LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Patron member - Largest law firm in Cyprus and recognised as leading firm in South-East Mediterranean region with over 140 fee-earners operating out of three offices in Cyprus and international network.
• S&W (Smith & Williamson)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Patron member - Among ten largest UK accounting firms with over £22.9 billion of funds under management and 1,800+ people in 12 offices across UK, Ireland and Jersey.
• 1291 GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate member providing wealth management and structuring services.
• ARQ GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate member providing professional services.
• Beck Greener LLPminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate member - European firm of patent attorneys, trade mark attorneys, design attorneys and intellectual property litigators with offices in London and Spain.
• DallingtonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate member providing advisory services.
• International Fiscal Services LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate member - Boutique international tax practice based in central London, chaired by IBSA Founder Roy Saunders.
• Investec Bank (Switzerland) AGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate member - Wealth management and investment services provider.
• MP Global PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate member providing global advisory services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Meritas: Meritas is a global alliance of independent business law firms offering cross-border legal services. Like IBSA, it relies on a curated directory model with member firms in multiple jurisdictions, but its scope is exclusively legal rather than the multi-disciplinary coverage IBSA provides.
• Geneva Group International (GGI): GGI is an international alliance of accounting, legal, and consulting firms providing cross-border advisory services. It directly overlaps with IBSA in serving multi-disciplinary professional advisors across jurisdictions and is a common alternative membership for the same target firms.
• STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners): STEP is the leading global professional association for practitioners dealing with succession planning, trusts, and cross-border estate administration. It is a direct comparable to IBSA in serving private-client advisors across multiple jurisdictions with membership tiers, branch events, and educational credentials — though STEP's scope is wider (full TEP designation) while IBSA's is narrowly focused on international business structuring.
• IR Global: IR Global is a membership-based network of legal, accountancy, and advisory firms in 100+ jurisdictions that facilitates cross-border referrals. It competes with IBSA for the same professional-services firms seeking international visibility and referral flow, though IR Global operates a more commercial referral-fee model rather than an educational/community model.

Broad incumbents

• International Bar Association (IBA): The IBA is the world's largest international legal association, with sections covering tax, private client, and cross-border practice areas. It competes with IBSA for the global legal mindshare and event sponsorship of major law firms operating across borders.
• The Law Society of England & Wales: The Law Society is the professional association representing solicitors in England and Wales. It overlaps with IBSA's lawyer-member segment and offers its own international division, though its scope is far broader than international business structuring specifically.
• International Fiscal Association (IFA): IFA is a long-established international scientific organization focused on cross-border tax law, with member branches in many of the same jurisdictions IBSA serves. It is comparable as a forum for international tax discussion but lacks IBSA's commercial networking and advisory-matching orientation.
• Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT): CIOT is the leading UK professional body for tax professionals, with membership, qualifications, and continuing education programmes. While broader and primarily UK-focused, it overlaps with IBSA's audience of tax advisors and competes for their training and CPD budget.

Emerging players

• Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT): ACT is a UK-headquartered professional body for treasury, risk, and corporate finance professionals with growing international chapters. While its core focus is corporate treasury rather than business structuring, it serves a partially overlapping audience of finance professionals working in multinational contexts.
• WORLDCOB (World Confederation of Businesses): WORLDCOB is a global business recognition and networking organization with corporate membership tiers similar to IBSA's Corporate Patron level. It is a comparable membership-based networking platform serving internationally active businesses, though with less depth in professional-services specialism.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-international-business-structuring-association-ibsa-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The International Business Structuring Association (IBSA)