On 1st April 2026, Kanzlei Schnürch celebrates its 25th anniversary. What began as a deliberately small, highly specialized practice has grown into a trusted advisory firm for international businesses and investors working across Germany’s complex tax landscape.
From the beginning, our firm has been built on a clear principle: quality over quantity. Over the past quarter century, this philosophy has shaped not only our development, but also the long-standing client relationships that continue to define our work today.
Entering the world of taxation
The story of Kanzlei Schnürch begins well before the firm itself was founded. In 1986, our founder Renate Schnürch began her vocational training as a tax clerk in a traditional firm.
At the same time, she worked in retail at a local bakery, an experience that proved far more influential than it may first appear. Working hands-on with cash registers, inventory, ordering, returns, and the write-off of damaged goods gave her a practical, ground-up understanding of how retail businesses operate. While processes have since become digital and often cashless, the underlying systems remain the same. This early exposure continues to provide a distinct advantage: the ability to understand business operations at every level, from shop floor to CFO.
It also shaped a deep familiarity with the documentation and compliance requirements surrounding cash register systems, an area of increasing importance in tax law. Having personally managed these processes, Renate developed a rare combination of technical expertise and real-world insight.
From the outset, she recognised that successful advisory work requires more than technical knowledge. It requires understanding clients and their businesses at eye level, whether supporting local enterprises such as retail and real estate businesses or managing complex international matters, including global mobility and high-volume payroll processing of over 2,000 payslips per month.
Internationalization and early key mandates
In the early 1990s, Renate moved to a firm with an international client base. This transition marked her first exposure to cross-border tax structures and the challenges faced by companies operating across multiple jurisdictions.
During this period, she advised a company that would later become a global leader in online luxury retail. Working on these mandates provided early insight into the growing complexity of international taxation and the increasing need for specialized advisory.
This experience ultimately shaped the strategic direction of her career, leading to a long-term focus on international tax advisory.
Deepening expertise at EY
In 1996, Renate joined Ernst & Young (EY), where she further deepened her expertise in international taxation.
Working closely with large multinational corporations, she frequently operated on-site with clients, analyzing internal processes and helping implement technological solutions to improve tax compliance and reporting structures.
This period provided valuable insight into the internal workings of global businesses and the tax compliance challenges that arise within complex corporate environments. It also reinforced the importance of aligning tax strategy with broader operational and financial processes.
Becoming a certified tax advisor
In February 2000, Renate was officially admitted as a German Certified Tax Advisor (Steuerberaterin).
This milestone marked an important step in her professional development and allowed her to formally position herself in the field of international tax advisory. At the same time, it laid the foundation for the entrepreneurial step that would follow soon after.
Founding Kanzlei Schnürch
On April 1, 2001, Kanzlei Schnürch was founded in Munich in the old charming part of Neuhausen, Donnersbergerstr. 32, and after 10 years as the company grew, we had to relocate to a larger space in Donnersbergersstr. 22a.
In 2017, Kanzlei Schnürch moved once more into a modern office at Nymphenburger Straße 1 in Munich, reflecting the continued development of our firm and client base.
At the time, the advisory market was largely dominated by large accounting and consulting firms operating with standardized processes and high-volume structures. Renate made a conscious decision to pursue a different path.
She identified a clear gap in the market: international companies entering Germany were seeking highly specialized tax expertise but often preferred a more personal advisory relationship than the structures of large firms could offer.
From our very first day, Kanzlei Schnürch was designed as a boutique practice focused on tailor-made solutions for international investors and businesses operating in Germany. The guiding principle was simple but deliberate: quality over quantity.
Building the boutique model
In the years that followed, we focused on developing a highly personalized advisory model.
Rather than positioning us as a traditional compliance provider, Kanzlei Schnürch developed into a strategic sparring partner for CFOs, tax directors, and international business leaders. Long-term relationships became a defining feature of the firm’s work.
During this period, Renate also balanced professional growth with personal milestones. In 2004, her daughter Viktoria was born, marking an important moment in her life alongside the development of the firm. Few clients know that this treasure was hidden behind a screen for the first months of her life, and after 21 years, Viktoria has returned as a project manager at the company, working alongside Renate, forming relationships with new and long-term clients alike.
Expanding international networks
As the firm continued to grow, international collaboration became increasingly important.
Renate became actively involved in professional networks such as the International Fiscal Association (IFA) and later IR Global, strengthening the firm’s connections within the international tax advisory and wider professional services community.
During this period, the firm also introduced the concept of “Curated Compliance.” Rather than overwhelming clients with generic updates, this approach focuses on identifying regulatory developments that are specifically relevant to each client and proactively addressing them.
The concept is built on three core elements:
- An individual filter function that identifies relevant developments for each client
- Preventive sensitization to upcoming regulatory changes
- Proactive strategic adjustments before regulatory changes take effect
This approach allows clients to remain informed and prepared without being burdened by unnecessary complexity.
Continuous Evolution
Between 2021 and 2026, Kanzlei Schnürch continued to refine our internal processes and advisory model.
Technology plays an important role in supporting efficiency and transparency, but it is viewed as a tool rather than a substitute for expert advisory. We deliberately maintained a lean structure, focusing on expertise and responsiveness rather than expansion for its own sake.
At the same time, Renate continues to engage with external experts and thought leaders, including exchanges with professionals such as Salmaan Sana. Discussions around leadership and boutique advisory models have also been shared at international gatherings such as the recent IR Global Conference in Singapore.
Looking ahead
After 25 years, Kanzlei Schnürch remains guided by the same principles on which it was founded: technical excellence, independence of thought, and close partnership with clients.
What began as a boutique practice has developed into a trusted advisor for international businesses navigating Germany’s tax environment. At the same time, we continue to value the characteristics that defined our early years: a lean structure, direct partner involvement, and a commitment to delivering carefully tailored advice.
As regulations continue to change and evolve, Kanzlei Schnürch looks ahead to the coming years with the same focus that shaped our first quarter century, combining deep technical expertise with a practical understanding of the businesses we serve.
Steuerberaterin Renate Schnürch is your partner for reliable, personal, and precise tax advice for international business in Germany. To contact us, please email [email protected] or call +49 89 130 120 80
