On Tuesday, 13 January 2026, the International Taxation and Law (BA) degree programme had the honour of hosting a special highlight as part of Prof. Dr. habil. Ute Merbecks’ ‘Transfer Pricing’ module. Moritz Bettray (M&A Tax Manager & Tax Adviser) and Leif-Ole Baehr (Junior Tax Manager) from Henkel AG & Co. KGaA provided fascinating insights into the world of M&A tax – practical, engaging and inspiring.
The presentation began with an introduction to Henkel, followed by the main topic of M&A tax. Here, it was made clear how transfer pricing plays a central role in tax planning during the acquisition and venture capital investment phases, as well as during the subsequent integration. It was demonstrated how transfer pricing considerations must be taken into account right from the structuring stage of transactions and how they are practically implemented and adjusted following the acquisition as part of the integration of new companies. This clearly highlighted the close interconnection between the ‘Transfer Pricing’ course and key issues in the M&A context.
“The guest lecture was a great opportunity to gain first-hand insight into the topic of M&A tax and to understand its practical application within a global company such as Henkel,” summarised one enthusiastic student.
This practice-oriented exchange demonstrates once again just how valuable the link between academic study and the business world is – and how inspiring it can be to benefit from the experts’ experiences.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Henkel and the two speakers, Moritz and Leif-Ole, for this insightful and motivating presentation!
