Tax consultant, auditor and real ”caring partner”: Roger Fischl looks back on 20 years with Rödl & Partner

In May 2020 Roger Fischl, auditor and tax advisor, celebrated his 20th anniversary at Rödl und Partner. In an interview, he looks back on his beginnings in Berlin, recalls the best moments and reveals why he is still so pleased to be part of the company family today.

How did you find your way to Rödl & Parner back then?

In 1999/2000 I was a partner of a medium-sized auditing company in Berlin, which had just “split up”. A headhunter approached me and a few days later I was in Hof with Mr. Kraus on a Sunday for a job interview. I remember that it was Sunday, because I was sitting opposite Mr. Kraus in his “garden outfit” in my best suit.

In which position/with which tasks did you start your job?

I started out as head of the Berlin branch office, actively auditing (sole) auditor, consulting tax consultant (at that time one of two and the only one under 70), instructing and supervising team leader, organizing and acquiring manager, caring partner,... and I still am today. At that time, the original, remaining Rödl law firm consisted of 4 employees, with few tasks plus a tax consultancy firm with 7 employees, which had not been integrated until then and was bought in 1998. We had parallel structures internally and we had little presence on the market.

How has your field of activity evolved and what is your current role?

We currently have almost 60 employees in Berlin, including 4 auditors, 3 lawyers and 10 tax consultants. We are noticed on the market. We are well structured internally and can continue to grow on this basis. I have my own teams in both auditing and tax consultancy. I audit very interesting public and private companies and take care of many clients in the field of tax consultancy and BPO, some of them with very long cooperation.

What was the best event in your time at Rödl & Partner?

There were many nice ones! When limited to ONE: winning the audit of a package of many cultural institutions in Hamburg.

What do you particularily appreciate about Rödl & Partner?

Freedom of action. Little corporate feeling despite size. The opportunity to “get close” to interesting mandates and people. Mostly wonderful intellectually challenging exchanges with colleagues. Employees with different biographies.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Since my youth I have been a very active theatregoer. That's why my theatre exams count as leisure time (...). I am a "Füchse Berlin" (handball) fan, watch many home games. And a beer with friends in a pub in Friedrichshain or Kreuzberg or along the river Spree...

What do you wish for the future?

Currently: A return to light-heartedness. Gonna be tough, I know. But otherwise the direct uncomplicated exchange in my job is missing and I can forget about my “leisure activities” (see above). Overall: That our society and Europe do not fly apart.