United: expert support for Turkish entrepreneurs in the Netherlands

As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Türkiye-Netherlands Friendship Treaty, the ties between these trading nations are still as strong as ever. For Turkish businesses seeking an EU presence, the Netherlands is therefore an ideal place to set up a subsidiary — with the right financial and legal support. Support that Erinç Çimen and Marius de Groot are happy to tell us more about. Their employer United has a long tradition of serving Turkish clients in the Netherlands.

Like home

“The Netherlands is a great jurisdiction for Turkish companies with business ambitions in the EU,” says Marius de Groot, Managing Director of United’s Amsterdam office. United Group, based in Amsterdam, provides financial and legal services from nine offices in key financial hotspots around the globe, like Luxembourg and the United Kingdom, plus its own bank in Curaçao. “The Netherlands, with its friendly business climate, its strong logistics facilities and its large community of Turkish-speaking professionals, feels like a home away from home for our Turkish clients.”

Unique vibe

Marius sees more advantages of choosing domicile in the Netherlands. “It’s a favourite domicile for global creatives and companies working in Music, Entertainment and Technology (ME&T). Meanwhile, our renowned higher education institutes are a hotbed of innovation. Every skill set you’re looking for is right here. The thriving start-up community, too, gives the Dutch market a vibe that you’re unlikely to find elsewhere.”

A partner who speaks your language

The best way to set up shop in the Netherlands, Marius feels, is by teaming up with a local service provider. A true partner with the right knowhow and the right network to get a subsidiary launched smoothly and efficiently in a minimum of time. And one that knows how Turkish business works. “United has been serving Turkish clients since its foundation in 2006,” Marius explains. “Some of them even worked with our founders in their earlier jobs and followed them to United as its first clients. We can proudly say we’ve supported the Dutch business operations of market leaders in Türkiye in industries like hospitality, energy and ME&T.”

People you can trust

United employs a dedicated team of Turkish-speaking professionals to serve their steadily growing Turkish client base. United Amsterdam’s Commercial Director Europe, Erinç Çimen, was born in Türkiye and moved to the Netherlands at the age of twelve. Erinç speaks both Turkish and Dutch fluently and has earned MSc degrees from Warsaw School of Economics and Erasmus University in Rotterdam. Starting his career in foreign diplomacy, he soon moved into a series of international business roles where he could leverage his multicultural skills. His current position with United is very much in line with this ambition, he feels.

“United gives me freedom to provide high-quality, flexible, and truly personal service to clients – exactly the way Turkish business works,” Erinç explains. “United has always understood that financial and legal services is a people business. A business built on trust. Our workforce is a reflection of our client base, and my Turkish-speaking colleagues and I feel a true connection with Turkish entrepreneurs.”

Transparency vs discretion

Another United quality that his clients appreciate, Erinç says, is transparency. “We’re transparent about what our services entail and what they cost. We start by listening to the client. Based on their situation, we discuss the options. We then present them with a clear proposal for a tailored, cost-efficient solution involving just the services they need. If they accept, they can count on clear and faultless reporting on their chosen structure.”

This transparency inside the client relationship goes hand in hand with discretion. Of course, the integrity of United’s people matters in this respect. And United has all the necessary licences and certifications. But it also uses secure, state-of-the-art IT to monitor the client’s compliance with national and international laws and regulations. This helps to ensure that information and reputations stay well protected. “That,” Erinç says, “is the essence of trust.”

Sector strengths

United’s clients span a wide range of industries, from leisure to retail, and from logistics to pharmaceuticals. United itself is launching customer to a tech start-up. “Whatever sector a potential client is active in, there’s a good chance we have experts in-house and connections in their line of business,” says Marius. “It gives us a head start, so we can move quickly and efficiently to get things done for the client.”

One-stop shop

Turkish entrepreneurs seeking a business presence in the Netherlands can count on United to arrange everything: incorporating a legal entity, opening a bank account, registering with the Dutch tax authorities, registering intellectual property, appointing directors, providing CFO services and HR support, organising and minuting board meetings, producing annual reports, filing tax returns, handling mail and phone calls – and more. “We can even arrange dedicated office space, furnish and staff it – essentially give you a turn-key solution so your local employees can focus on your business ambitions,” says Marius.

Personal service

“But above all,” Erinç adds, “our clients own account manager who speaks their language and can always be contacted, in or out of office hours. Personal service is what United is about. We’re all here to go the extra mile – and then a few more.” 

Please find here the interview in Turkish.

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