Investigative journalist Gerard Ryle is no stranger in the tax world. Having emigrated from Ireland to Australia, Ryle has worked as an investigative journalist almost all his life.
Since September 2011, Ryle has held the role of director at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
His work at the ICIJ has been particularly acknowledged for disclosing leaks of financial and legal records in the Panama and Paradise Papers. Ryle led the team of journalists in charge of investigating offshore accounts and corruption.
In July 2022, the ICIJ published the Uber Files project, also under Ryle’s leadership. The documents revealed how the technology company used evasive practices to avoid law enforcement in at least six countries.
Following the release of the report, Uber faced questions about its transfer pricing arrangements in low-tax jurisdictions. Journalists claimed the company used a strategy to help tax authorities collect taxes from drivers while it shifted its profits to low-tax jurisdictions such as Bermuda.
Ryle told ITR at the time: “Company executives agreed to share driver data to ‘contain’ a tax audit and deflect from the tech giant’s use of European and Caribbean tax havens.”
Thanks to Ryle’s team, more light has been shed on Uber’s tax strategies and the company is facing more scrutiny than ever before.
