Change at the top: Philipp Rath takes over the KSW presidency!

Change at the top: Philipp Rath takes over the KSW presidency!

Wien, Österreich - Mag. After two decades on the board and a decade, Herbert Houf hands over the tax consultant in the Presidium: Interior and auditor: Interior (KSW) on May 14, 2025, the office to Mag. Philipp Rath. Rath was elected as the new president at the board meeting. Houf, who has served as President in the past five years, emphasized the success of the KSW, which was important in times of economic challenges, such as the first Lockdown 2020. He has been working in the job since 1986 and leads the Audit partner Austria Wirtschaftsprüfer GmbH.

Philipp Rath looks back on a long career in which he has been working as a tax advisor since 1994 and since 2000 as an auditor in Vienna. He had previously been Vice President of the KSW since 2018. In his first statement after the election, Rath emphasized the need for a strong representation of interests, especially with regard to digitization.

challenges for the KSW

The KSW represents the interests of over 8,600 tax advisors: inside and auditor: inside and more than 4,400 professional candidates: inside. The fact that 95 % of all Austrian companies use the services of the KSW members also illustrates the central role of the chamber in the economy. In an upcoming reform process, Rath from the future government is calling for measures to reduce de -bureaucracy, tax cuts and digital extensions.

Rath explicitly pointed out the importance of small and medium -sized companies (SMEs), which made up over 99 % of the Austrian corporate landscape and provided two thirds of all jobs. The appeal and demands of Rath include a reform of local tax, the abolition of the Vienna subway levy and a reduction in the chamber levy to personnel costs.

on the way to digitization

A central concern of Rath is also the reduction in bureaucracy. Many forms would not be available digitally, and it calls for increased use of digital signatures and improvements in the use of Finanzonline. The implementation of artificial intelligence into administrative processes could also contribute to increasing efficiency, according to Rath.

The Austrian Society for Tax and Economic Consulting (ÖGSW) supports these efforts by offering a comprehensive training offer for practitioners: inside. With programs such as the legendary Seminar Oberlaa and targeted training on current legal and tax issues, ÖGSW promotes knowledge exchange and networking within the industry.

commitment to the future

and others. The special offers such as the ÖGSW Fotopool, regular tax updates and the internationalization of networks underline the importance of the exchange of knowledge. The aim of the ÖGSW is not only to strengthen the specialists in the tax and examination area through steady further training, but also the exchange between experienced and new college: to promote inside.

With the elections in April 2025, decisive course is imminent. Rath and the KSW rely on the cooperation with the new federal government in order to advance the necessary reforms and master challenges. Committed action is required to optimize the framework conditions for tax consultants: inside and auditors: inside and their clients.