Our People

Jean James

Consultant, Project Manager, & Senior Tax Advisor

Jean is an experienced and creative IT Professional and Project Manager with international experience in Application Development and Project Management. He is also experienced in Financial Management and Strategic decision-making processes.

Mr. James worked more than 25 years for the Dutch Tax organization among others as a manager of the tax collection organization. The Dutch tax organization enabled him to follow a full time, 3-yearacademic law study, with a major in tax collection law.

In Sint Maarten, while working for the Sint Maarten government, Jean managed the Receivers office from 1994 to 1997 and again in 2004 as an Interim Manager. After working for Ernst&Young in the late nineties, he managed his own consultancy firm since 2000.

James&Associates was established in 2012 together with co-owner Cynthia Cicchelli. Jean developed software for both the Tax Inspectorate and the Receivers office and managed the development of Online taxes in 2013.

Jean knows both the details of the laws, the procedures, attitudes and the systems used by the tax organization. He is therefore very qualified to advice clients how to best manage their tax affairs and limit their tax exposure.

Jean oversees all financials and fiscal task in James and Associates and handles all complex tax matters.

Jean is proficient in English, Dutch, French, Spanish, and Papiamento.

 

Cindi Cicchelli

Managing Director

Cindi Cicchelli is the Managing Director/ Co-owner of James & Associates and she is responsible for Financial and Project Management. She graduated from Misericordia University in Pennsylvania, USA with a BS in Marketing. She spent many years in the sales and marketing field. Before moving to St. Maarten, she sold airport advertising for Interspace Airport Advertising in the Caribbean and the United States.

She is proficient in providing tax consultancy, corporate advisory services, specifically about corporate structures and generic tax advisory services.

 

Umer Fayyaz

Certified Accountant, Financial & Business Analyst, & Auditor

Umer is a certified accountant and bookkeeper from the finest business school of Pakistan (ICAP, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan) with extensive practical knowledge of accounting rules, laws, and regulations. He has exceptional analytical & problem-solving skills & can provide financial information to all areas of the business whilst ensuring that all management information is accurate.

Umer is a diligent accountant backed by public accounting, general ledger (GL) and tax experience and expertise in US/Canada GAAP, data analytics and sophisticated modelling tools.

He is a highly technical experienced user of QuickBooks, Xero, Godaddy Accounting, Wave, Zoho Books, Shopify, Amazon Seller Central, Drake, Microsoft Dynamics, Visual Basic, SQL, and Excel.

Umer has comprehensive experience, accurately and expeditiously managing financial information, accounting procedures, and tax preparation according to Sint Maarten law.

 

Soraya Eights

Jr. Tax Advisor, Office Manager

Soraya Eights is our receptionist/management assistant/office manager and junior tax advisor.

She has a background as an airline assistant and different functions in the tourism sector. Her tasks are welcoming clients, physically, by Phone and Online. She handles the registration of new clients and maintains our Customer Relationship Management System.

Soraya processes all Payrolls and Monthly tax declarations and payments. All contacts with Government Agencies are maintained by Soraya.

Soraya is proficient in English and Papiamento and can speak conversational Dutch.