Mathias Hildebrandt, Head of Tax at Enpal (also Zalando, Bauer Media, ProSiebenSat.1, British American Tobacco), joins Tax Leaders Unplugged to discuss his dynamic career path and multiple side ventures in tax media. In this episode, he shares:• His journey through 5 in-house roles in 17 years, all secured through networking rather than recruiters• How he grew Zalando's tax team from 6 to 17 people and the communication challenges that came with scaling• Building a tax podcast that reached 4,000 listeners per episode when they expected only 200• Co-founding Germany's Tax Technology Journal to bridge the gap between tax law and digital transformation—Where to find Mathias Hildebrandt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathias-hildebrandt-01b06376/Where to find Stevi Frooninckx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx__In this episode, we cover:[00:02:48] Building a Tax Podcast to 4,000 Listeners[00:08:26] Creating Germany's Tax Technology Journal[00:14:03] The Evolution of Tax Technology[00:22:49] 5 Companies in 17 Years[00:26:31] The Power of Networking[00:30:31] Growing Zalando's Tax Team[00:33:47] Communication at Scale[00:35:56] Career Advice: Trust Your Gut
Dominik Wellmann, Global Head of Tax and Customs at Mercedes-Benz Group, joins Tax Leaders Unplugged to discuss marketing the tax function and building purpose-driven teams. In this episode, he shares:• Why he persisted after being rejected twice by Mercedes-Benz and how starting at tax authorities shaped his leadership approach• His philosophy of "do good things and tell about it" to elevate tax's visibility in the organization• How Mercedes-Benz's tax team defined their purpose: "Turn knowledge into value and trust"• The story behind co-founding Tax Mates, a trusted circle for German tax leaders to discuss leadership challenges—Where to find Dominik Wellmann: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominik-wellmann-%E5%8D%AB%E6%B0%91-94804777/Where to find Stevi Frooninckx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx__In this episode, we cover:[00:01:32] Rejected Twice by Mercedes[00:03:49] Tax Authority Foundation[00:14:29] Marketing the Tax Function[00:19:49] Why Tax People Stay Humble[00:25:25] Being Included from Day One[00:29:14] Measuring Tax Value Creation[00:33:32] Defining Your Tax Purpose[00:39:43] The Tax Mates Story[00:47:21] Career Advice: Do What You Love
Bill Nolde, SVP Head of Finance at DraftKings, joins Tax Leaders Unplugged to discuss his remarkable transition from tax professional to finance executive. In this episode, he shares:• The "breadcrumb" communication strategy that keeps CFOs informed and prevents career-limiting surprises• How he successfully grew a global tax team from 5 to 50 people during his 15 years at Avnet• His strategic approach to transitioning from tax leadership to overseeing multiple CFO office functions• Why building a strong compliance foundation is essential before pursuing tax planning or finance leadership roles—Where to find Bill Nolde: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williammnolde/Where to find Stevi Frooninckx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx__In this episode, we cover:[00:01:41] Why Giving Back Matters[00:06:07] Bill's 10 Career Rules[00:09:58] "Work Yourself Out of a Job"[00:17:55] Tax to Finance Transition[00:22:56] Compliance Before Planning[00:27:58] Do Tax Leaders Make Better CFOs?[00:37:41] The "Breadcrumb Strategy"[00:40:18] Building Elite Tax Teams[00:47:03] Outsource vs Insource[00:51:04] "Love the Process"
Stuart Ramsay, now Director and Group Head of Tax at AD Ports Group (note: episode was filmed while he was still at Dubizzle Group), joined us to discuss building a strategic in-house tax function from scratch in a fast-growing MENA tech company. In this episode, he shares:
• A major leadership challenge (moving from a 50 000-employee logistics giant to a 5 000-employee tech scale-up with no existing tax team) and how he solved it through a “mini tax due-diligence” in his first 30 days.
• Real-world results, including cutting potential compliance filings from 100 to 12 through entity rationalisation and introducing private GPT translation that saves roughly $200 and three days per Arabic tax return.
• Best practices for UAE corporate tax Day 1 readiness, VAT specialisation, and low-budget tech adoption that other in-house teams can replicate.
—
Where to find Stuart Ramsay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-ramsay/
Where to find Stevi Frooninckx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx
__
In this episode, we cover:
(0:00) Intro and Stuart’s journey from Glasgow to Dubai
(4:03) Why the GCC moved from 5 % VAT to a 9 % corporate tax
(18:25) Pillar II plus UAE CT: using one data set for both regimes
(32:27) From DP World to Dubizzle: smaller company, bigger influence
(40:05) The power of saying “I don’t know” to win executive trust
(42:18) Mini tax due-diligence: a 30-day map of filings and risks
(43:45) Filling blind spots: hiring a VAT specialist and adding AI translation
(47:15) Two career rules: balance hard-soft skills and embrace change
(54:02) Final advice and closing
Antonio Erbolato, now Global Indirect Tax Director at Reckitt (note: this role began after the recording of this episode), joins Tax Leaders Unplugged to break down his strategy for building a Tax Control Tower across 27 countries. Drawing from his time as Global Senior Director of Tax at Kraft Heinz, Antonio shares lessons in structuring visibility, governance, and audit readiness at scale.
In this episode, he covers:
• How he launched a global tax data visibility project starting with indirect taxes.
• The phased framework he used to build and scale the Tax Control Tower.
• Lessons learned from working with tax authorities in Brazil, the US, and the Netherlands.
—
Where to find Antonio Erbolato: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erbolato/
Where to find Stevi Frooninckx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx
—
In this episode, we cover:
00:00 Introduction and Guest Background
00:43 Cultural Differences in Work Environments
04:50 Tax Perspectives Across Countries
11:50 Building a Tax Control Tower
15:31 Steps to Implementing a Tax Control Tower
16:53 Challenges and Solutions in Data Collection
20:12 Phases of the Tax Control Tower
31:22 Adapting the Tax Control Tower for Mid-Sized Companies
42:00 Final Thoughts and Career Advice
Lionel Nobre, VP Tax Latin America at Dell Technologies, joins the Tax Leaders Unplugged podcast to explore what in-house tax leadership looks like in practice. After nearly two decades at Dell and deep involvement with TEI and academic programs across the Americas, Lionel brings a clear message: being technically strong is no longer enough. In this episode, he shares:
• How he built a 100-hour international tax management program focused on leadership, stakeholder communication, and operational readiness.
• Why the tax team at Dell tracks the number of “surprises” as a KPI, and how this drives trust with business stakeholders.
• What it means to position tax as a function that enables growth, not just manages compliance.
—
Where to find Lionel Nobre: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lionelnobre/
Where to find Stevi Frooninckx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx
—
In this episode, we cover:
(0:01) Intro and Lionel’s background in tax and tech
(1:02) Early career: Oracle, Arthur Andersen, BDO, Grant Thornton
(2:21) 18+ years at Dell and evolution of his role
(3:00) TEI involvement and Latin America’s growing voice
(4:59) Why TEI matters for in-house tax professionals
(8:09) Dell’s approach to tax as a business partner
(10:48) Building trust and internal tax reputation
(14:55) Launching the International Tax Management Program
(18:18) Who the program is for and what it teaches
(22:10) Curriculum: leadership, ops, communication, tech
(23:10) Tax KPIs and team performance evaluation
(24:00) The “surprise” KPI and why it matters
(26:28) Why even good surprises are a problem
(28:22) ETR impact: linking C-suite access to outcomes
(30:54) Teaching change management in tax teams
(33:40) Partnering with CIAT to teach cooperative compliance
(35:07) Risk dashboards used by tax authorities
(38:39) AI, data quality, and audit exposure
(42:52) Global expansion of the training program
(44:50) Future skillset: 50% tech, 30% business, 20% tax
—
Referenced:
• TEI – Tax Executive Institute: https://www.tei.org/
• International Tax Management Program – launched in 2023, hosted by universities in Brazil (Insper) and Argentina (UTDT)
• Thomson Reuters Book – “Gestão Tributária no Brasil” co-edited by Lionel Nobre
• Texas A&M University – where Lionel lectures on tax leadership• CIAT (Centro Interamericano de Administraciones Tributarias) – partner on cooperative compliance module
In this episode of Tax Leaders Unplugged, we sit down with Jelger Buitelaar, head of tax at RHI Magnesita, to discuss his unique career transition from a tax partner at EY to leading in-house tax roles, the importance of solid processes, the role of data in ensuring compliance, and best practices for legal entity management. Jelger shares his insights on improving tax processes, the importance of direct communication, and how to foster a collaborative environment across various departments for better compliance and efficiency.
—
Where to find Jelger Buitelaar:
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelger-buitelaar-0090b31/
Where To Find Stevi Frooninckx:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx
—
In this episode we cover:
00:00 Introduction to Jelger
00:43 Jelger Buitelaar's Career Journey
01:11 Transition from Advisory to In-House
02:04 Challenges of In-House Tax Leadership
03:21 Importance of Practical Advice
06:29 Joining RHI Magnesita
07:57 Improving Tax Processes
11:52 Automated Master Data Controls
14:01 Ensuring Data Quality
20:05 Training and Monitoring for Compliance
25:13 Identifying and Collecting Process Issues
27:12 Addressing Compliance Challenges in Brazil
30:17 Improving Relationships with Tax Authorities
34:34 Strategies for Legal Entity Management
46:34 Advice for Aspiring Tax Leaders
Peter Paul Boon, Global Director Group Tax at NN Group, joins Tax Leaders Unplugged podcast to discuss how a 14-person tax team manages tax strategy and compliance for a multinational insurer with 19,000 employees.
In this episode, he shares:
- Why NN Group prioritizes strategy over technical tax knowledge
- How to scale a tax function without increasing headcount
- The 80/20 rule of tax leadership—why tax is mostly a business function
- How NN Group trained non-tax teams to take accountability for tax risks
- Why NN Group publishes a Total Tax Contribution Report—and how it -changed their governance approach
Key Insights & Learnings
✔ Tax is 80% business understanding, 20% technical knowledge
"Most business leaders don’t care about tax memos. They need solutions, not explanations."
✔ Train your tax team to speak business, not tax
"If you can explain tax to an 8-year-old, you can explain it to your CFO."
✔ Decentralize tax responsibility across the company
"With 19,000 employees, tax risks can’t sit with 14 people. We train the business to take ownership."
✔ Be transparent: Why NN Group publishes its tax contribution report
"We started tracking our total tax contribution internally in 2013. Now, it’s a public report and a governance benchmark."
✔ The secret to influencing the CFO: Speak in cash impact, not regulations
"Your CFO doesn’t want surprises. Show them the numbers and the risks—without the jargon."
📍 Full conversation breakdown:
[00:00:00] Introduction – Peter Paul Boon’s journey from Dutch tax authorities to in-house tax leadership
[00:01:42] Why NN Group’s tax team is deeply involved in social innovation and financial literacy programs
[00:04:40] The Tax Elevator Pitch Test – Why explaining tax to an 8-year-old is the best stakeholder training
[00:05:28] Why Peter Paul Boon has stayed at NN Group for 25+ years and how he’s kept the job interesting
[00:08:54] Encouraging tax team members to rotate into other roles in the business
[00:09:54] How long does it take to reach full speed in an in-house tax role?
[00:11:36] The 80/20 rule – Why tax leadership is 80% business, 20% technical knowledge
[00:13:33] The difference between advisory tax work vs. in-house tax leadership
[00:19:00] How NN Group trains 19,000 employees to be tax-aware without overwhelming them
[00:20:36] 14 people managing tax for 19,000 employees – How they make it work
[00:22:13] Why tax teams should bring solutions, not problems – making tax advice business-friendly
[00:25:06] Letting Other People Do the Work (LOPDTW): How NN Group decentralizes tax risk
[00:26:31] How to make tax the co-responsibility of the entire organization
[00:29:03] How NN Group trains its tax team beyond technical knowledge
[00:31:17] The CFO-Tax Relationship – How to communicate risk and value
[00:34:21] Why tax teams should stop doing recurring compliance work
[00:35:40] How NN Group absorbed Pillar Two compliance without hiring more staff
[00:37:01] What Peter Paul Boon looks for when hiring: Eagerness, creativity, and being a team player
[00:39:10] Total Tax Contribution Reports – Why NN Group made tax transparency a priority
[00:47:00] Why NN Group started tracking total tax contribution internally in 2013
[00:51:05] Final advice: Be creative. Challenge everything. Think bigger.
In this episode of Tax Leaders Unplugged, host Stevi Frooninckx speaks with Katharina Herzog, Senior Vice President of Group Finance & Tax at Hugo Boss. Katharina shares insights into her role overseeing strategy for the finance and tax divisions and leading a team of over 80 professionals. She discusses her vision for closer collaboration between tax and finance, and the importance of senior leadership understanding how these functions drive revenue. In today’s conversation, we talk about the following:
Why Hugo Boss integrates tax and finance teams
The long-term costs of outsourcing tax expertise
Building a compelling business case that resonates with CFOs and shareholders
Key quantitative and qualitative KPIs
Tips on "speaking the language" of both the core business and tax functions
—
Where to find Katharina Herzog:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-herzog-b81950ba/
Where To Find Stevi Frooninckx:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx
—
In this episode, we cover:
(01:14) Welcome Katharina
(01:54) Katharina’s hobbies and interests outside tax
(02:54) How Katharina made the switch from finance to tax
(03:43) Katharina’s tax strengths and weaknesses and how she filled in her knowledge gaps
(06:25) Why Katharina is equally passionate about tax and finance
(07:24) The pros and cons of combining tax with finance
(09:33) Why tax and finance team members are seated together
(10:54) How rotations work at Hugo Boss
(11:25) The pros and cons of outsourcing—and what Katharina would never outsource
(14:26) An example of technology that aids in compliance
(15:05) Building a convincing business case by showcasing the value in tax
(19:55) How Katharina shares monthly wins with her CFO
(21:55) The challenges in promoting tax and finance
(24:00) Why tax teams tend to be smaller than finance teams
(26:53) The value of tax at Hugo Boss
(27:28) First steps for building a successful business case
(30:01) More in-depth explanations for illustrating the business value of tax
(32:32) An ambitious goal at Hugo Boss
(35:30) Qualitative business drivers
(37:30) Some general ‘dos and don’ts’ of tax
(39:14) The core in-house tax responsibilities and how local taxes are managed
(44:47) Why you should be multilingual—speaking the language of both core business and tax
(45:40) Katharina’s parting advice
—
Referenced:
• Hugo Boss: https://www.hugoboss.com/us/home
• T-Systems: https://www.t-systems.com
• KPMG: https://kpmg.com/
• Net promoter score: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_promoter_score
• ESG (environmental, social, and governance): https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/environmental-social-and-governance-ESG
There are multiple paths to becoming a Tax Leader, but have you ever thought about a CFO program or diversifying your experience in an adjacent area, such as finance?
In today’s episode of Tax Leaders Unplugged, host Stevi Frooninckx is joined by Denise Bee. Denise is the Head of Tax at Figma. She has decades of experience in tax and has worked for a few years in finance.
Before joining Figma, Denise was Head of Tax at Slack. In our conversation, we discuss:
• Tax teams and the C-Suite
• The transformative impact of living abroad and why it’s worth considering
• What does a CFO program entail and why it might be right for you
• Key tips for starting as the first in-house tax professional
• Denise’s tech stack and how she utilizes these tools
• The importance of building a strong network and how to do it
• Advice for building a solid foundation in tax and taking control of your career path
—
Where to find Denise Bee:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denise-bee-95a148/
Where To Find Stevi Frooninckx:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx
—
In this episode, we cover:
(01:44) How exposure to diverse cultures broadened Denise's perspective and empathy
(04:50) How Denise's finance background sharpened her strategic thinking
(07:08) Why Denise chose a CFO program over an MBA
(10:50) How to relate to the CFO and how to advocate for your budget
(13:08) The importance of risk management
(16:12) Why Denise enjoys working in tech companies
(18:54) Denise’s tool stack and how she utilizes each of the tools for Tax
(22:44) A typical first week for a new Head of Tax
(24:10) Tips for first-time in-house Tax professionals
(26:21) How to frame things to get the least amount of pushback
(28:00) The tax channel at Slack
(28:44) How Denise builds and maintains her network
(30:51) The pros and cons of using Excel
(33:36) Denise’s parting advice for Tax professionals growing their careers
—
Referenced:
• Figma: https://www.figma.com/
• Figma Slides: https://www.figma.com/slides/
• Notion: https://www.notion.so/
• Dropbox Paper: https://www.dropbox.com/paper/start
• Fig Jam: https://www.figma.com/figjam/
• Slack: https://slack.com/
In this episode of Tax Leaders Unplugged, host Stevi Frooninckx interviews Sara Mendiola, the Tax Technology Manager at LyondellBasell, to explore the critical decision-making process of buying versus building tax technology solutions. Sara shares her unique professional journey, insights on evolving tax technology, and a real-world project involving the standardization of audit files across different jurisdictions. The conversation dives deep into considerations for choosing the right strategy, such as skill sets, resources, stakeholder involvement, and total cost of ownership. They also discuss the importance of executive sponsorship, documentation, and change management strategies. Additionally, Sara emphasizes the innovation potential through hackathons, highlights the benefits of embracing failure, and advises tax professionals on advocating for tech transformation. This episode provides invaluable insights for tax and IT teams aiming to optimize their tax solutions and navigate the complexities of technological integration.
In this episode, we cover:
02:17 The Evolution of Tax Technology
03:28 Importance of Processes in Tax Technology
06:42 Buy vs Build: Analyzing Tax Technology Solutions
09:07 Case Study: Implementing Standard Audit File for Tax
15:11 Pros and Cons of Building Tax Technology In-House
20:18 Cost Considerations in Tool Replacement
20:43 Employee and Customer Experience
21:03 Time and Compliance Constraints
21:28 Vendor Solutions and Tax Expertise
22:14 Internal vs. IT Team Development
24:02 Examples of Build vs. Buy Decisions
26:25 Change Management in Implementation
30:34 Next-Generation Technologies and AI
36:16 Hackathons and Innovation Challenges
40:12 Key Takeaways and Final Advice
In this episode of Tax Leaders Unplugged, host Stevi Frooninckx sits down with Don Maher, Global Head of Tax at Mohawk Industries. After discovering litigation was not for him, Don returned to school to obtain his LLM in Tax. Don began his tax career working for KPMG and Deloitte, but moved on to in-house roles at Koch Industries and The Dow Chemical Corporation before accepting his position at Mohawk Industries. In today’s conversation, we discuss:
The importance of developing efficient processes
The five steps in an integrated approach of Lean Six Sigma
How global companies maintain compliance and stay on pace with rapidly changing regulations
How good processes impact employee retention
The current top challenges in the tax field
And so much more!
—
Where to find Don Maher:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donald-maher-9526353/
Where To Find Stevi Frooninckx:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx
—
In this episode, we cover:
(02:06) Don’s interests outside of tax
(03:10) How Don got involved in tax
(04:32) Why Don was attracted to working in global companies
(05:50) Don’s tips on best practices for building processes
(06:52) The Five steps in the process of Lean Six Sigma
(09:24) Who owns the operationalization of process improvements
(11:22) An explanation of the processes at Mohawk
(16:22) The benefits of processes and how efficiency drives talent retention
(21:35) Don’s philosophy on compliance
(25:50) The importance of good communication and strategic partnerships
(31:32) Why Don empowers local teams to choose their own advisors
(36:01) Top challenges in tax today
(40:00) The importance of good public relations
(40:44) The recruitment process at Mohawk and what types of talent they seek
(43:00) Don’s parting advice
—
Referenced:
• Six Sigma vs Lean Six Sigma: What’s the Difference?: https://www.purdue.edu/leansixsigmaonline/blog/six-sigma-vs-lean-six-sigma/
• Integrating Lean and Six Sigma: https://www.bpminstitute.org/resources/articles/integrating-lean-and-six-sigma
• Workflows: https://www.loctax.com/workflows
• Pillar Two rules: https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/topics/policy-sub-issues/global-minimum-tax/pillar-two-model-rules-in-a-nutshell.pdf
Could an MBA help unlock new opportunities in your tax career? In this episode of Tax Leaders Unplugged, host Stevi Frooninckx is joined by Tom Borec, Head of Tax at Dermavant Sciences. Tom has worked in tax for the past two decades in senior roles at top companies, including Deloitte, eBay, and PwC. Although he had already worked as a Head of Tax, Tom recently obtained his MBA. In today’s conversation, we discuss:
• The milestones to becoming Head of Tax and different paths you can take
• How an MBA broadens your perspective and improves your ability to communicate with shareholders
• The difference between adding value and creating value in an in-house tax context
• Why your relationship with your boss matters—and actionable advice on building a better relationship
• And much more
—
Where to find Tom Borec:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomborec/
• Website: https://tomborec.com/
Where To Find Stevi Frooninckx:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx
—
In this episode, we cover:
(02:22) Why Tom decided to pursue an MBA
(08:40) The paths to Head of Tax
(10:39) The experience and soft skills needed to become a Head of Tax
(14:21) Why your relationship with your boss matters, and how openness facilitates growth
(17:31) Tips on earning your boss’s trust
(21:15) Value protection vs. value creation and how to communicate to stakeholders
(25:08) Why compliance is important, but not sellable as ‘adding value’
(28:04) How to add value by stepping outside of traditional tax roles
(33:59) Communicating with the core business team
(36:00) How to improve your relationship with finance
(38:10) An example of incremental improvement from Tom’s rucking journey
(41:08) Tom’s final advice
—
Referenced:
• A Path to Head of Tax: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tomborec_tax-finance-leadership-activity-7165271773431676928-w6xs/
• What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School: Notes from a Street-smart Executive: https://www.amazon.com/What-Teach-Harvard-Business-School/dp/0553345834
• GoRuck: https://www.goruck.com/
• Jocko Podcast: https://jockopodcast.com/
• The Tim Ferriss Show: https://tim.blog/podcast/
• Huberman Lab Podcast: https://www.hubermanlab.com/podcast
• Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250183863
Have you ever considered that broadening your perspective might be the key to excelling in tax leadership? In this episode of Tax Leaders Unplugged, host Stevi Frooninckx is joined by Karine Halimi-Guez, the Head of Tax at Booking.com, to discuss why generalists often have the upper hand. With over 25 years of experience in international taxation, Karine is a respected leader known for managing multicultural teams and navigating complex tax landscapes across various jurisdictions. As a sought-after speaker at international conferences and a former lecturer at the University of Paris-Dauphine, she brings a wealth of knowledge and unique insights to our discussion. In our conversation today, we discuss:
• The pitfalls of learning in a tax consultancy environment
• The value of generalists in tax leadership, and how to broaden your perspective
• Why challenging your employees leads to growth and retention
• Building your brand as a strategic thinker
• Selling tax as a value driver
• And much more
—
Where to find Karine Halimi-Guez:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karine-halimi-guez-0515511
Where To Find Stevi Frooninckx:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx
—
In this episode, we cover:
(03:07) Karine’s hobbies and interests outside of tax
(06:20) Why Karine decided to become a tax professional
(08:30) What sets Karine apart as a tax professional
(15:24) Karine’s team at Booking.com
(16:10) The problem with siloed thinking in the tax community
(20:00) Karine’s thoughts on the book Range
(25:15) Why Karine likes to challenge her employees with new tax roles
(31:14) Challenges employees face when expanding skills, and why it’s worth it
(34:20) How Karine supports her team in a rapidly changing international company
(36:50) The structure of tax at booking.com
(40:05) Tips for unlocking value for business and environments that value tax professionals
(47:11) Selling the value of tax using a collaborative approach
(53:15) The importance of building a network and participating in stakeholder events if relevant
(55:12) How Karine pushed for the work-from-home agenda at the UN
(58:11) Karine’s top advice for tax professionals
—
Referenced:
Booking.com: https://www.booking.com/
FedEx Express: https://www.fedex.com/
University of Paris Dauphine: https://dauphine.psl.eu/en/
Georges-Eugène Haussmann: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges-Eug%C3%A8ne_Haussmann
American Revolutionary War: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War
A Brief History of VAT: https://www.taxually.com/blog/brief-history-of-vat
Come-to-Jesus moment: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come-to-Jesus%20moment
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World: https://www.amazon.com/Range-Generalists-Triumph-Specialized-World/dp/0735214484
In this episode of Tax Leaders Unplugged, host Stevi Frooninckx is joined by Wim Wuyts, CEO and Managing Director of WTS Global, a global tax advisory firm. With a career spanning over two decades, much of it working in-house in renowned companies, including Levi Strauss and Bekaert, he has been recognized by International Tax Review as one of the top 50 tax professional thought leaders. In today’s conversation, we discuss:
• How seemingly unrelated side projects enhance your perspective as a tax professional
• Differences between advising and in-house work
• The key issues in-house tax professionals and leaders are facing in this rapidly changing world
• Wim's framework for optimizing budget allocation in tax departments
• And much more
—
Where to find Wim Wuyts:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wim-wuyts-1a30455/
Where To Find Stevi Frooninckx:
X: https://twitter.com/stevi_f
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx
—
In this episode, we cover:
(03:23) Welcome Wim Wuyts
(03:55) How all of Wim’s activities are interconnected
(06:32) About Wim’s art installation project, L.arena and how it is connected to his other work
(08:41) How Wim’s side projects give him insights he applies to the tax profession
(12:58) Why Wim left in-house tax to go back to global tax advisory
(17:13) The differences between in-house work and advising
(19:36) Common struggles in-house tax professionals are facing
(23:54) Wim’s simple framework for determining the right budget for your organization
(25:50) A holistic picture of what companies may need to invest in, including sustainability
(31:51) Behind Wim’s statement “making a sustainable impact in a chaotic tax world”
(35:38) How to prepare for the rapidly changing world
(37:57) WTS Global’s tax sustainability index
(42:33) Why environmental tax responsibility should fall on the in-house tax team
(46:50) Wim’s final advice to tax professionals
(49:14) When tax professionals should take ownership of related business functions
—
Referenced:
Levi Strauss: https://www.levistrauss.com/
Bekaert: https://www.bekaert.com/en/
Arthur Andersen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Andersen
Brussels-Africa Hub: https://www.brusselsafricahub.eu/
L.Arena: https://www.linkedin.com/company/l-arena-an-art-installation-in-venice/
An explanation of agile methodology: https://www.agilealliance.org/agile101/
WTS Global and its member firm in the UK, FTI Consulting, have co-created the first Tax Sustainability Index of its kind: https://wts.com/global/publishing-article/20231013-tax-sustainability-index~publishing-article
In this episode of Tax Leaders Unplugged, host Stevi Frooninckx is joined by Henny Abdel Malek Verboom, the VP and Global Head of Tax at Adyen, a Fintech company based in The Netherlands. Henny previously served as the Tax Lead for Europe at Uber and as the Global Head of Tax at Rituals, a renowned cosmetics brand. With a knack for thriving in high-speed environments, Henny shares her strategies for making a significant impact at work, including her practice of dedicating one day each week to focused reflection. Beyond her career in tax law, Henny is also a certified yoga teacher and practices mediation, which helps shape her leadership style. In our conversation, we discuss:
• How to apply the Theory of Lencioni to your work
• How she approaches and utilizes a lean tax function with her teams
• Why she dedicates one work day for reflection
• Invaluable advice on navigating the complexities of in-house tax roles in fast-paced industries
• The power of investing in personal growth and 'soft skills' for long-term success in the tax profession
• And much more
—
Where to find Henny Abdel Malek Verboom:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henny-verboom-27704218
Where To Find Stevi Frooninckx:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx
• X: https://twitter.com/stevi_f
In this episode, we cover:
(01:31) Welcome Henny Abdel Malek Verboom
(02:59) What Henny learned on her trip around the world
(04:21) Why it’s important to keep an open mind and avoid the judgment trap
(05:26) How Henny has learned to use her influence, be impactful and create positive change
(09:19) Why Henny’s philosophy is personal growth leads to company growth
(10:32) How to be a fair tax player and initiatives Henny takes to support her team
(11:59) Henny’s “high impact reflection day”
(14:40) Why Henny has her team practice reflection, as well
(16:00) Henny’s diverse experiences and pros and cons of the different industries
(22:10) Why Henny decided to take on more of a leadership role and join Adyen
(23:41) The pace at Uber and Adyen, and why Henny enjoys the challenge
(26:00) Building a “lean tax function”
(27:37) Why Adyen is highly regulated
(28:52) The most challenging parts of the job for Henny
(31:32) How Henny struggles with wanting to keep everyone happy
(33:15) How a panic attack led to Henny seeking a different path to healing
(36:00) What “soft skills” are and why 85% of job success comes from those skills
(38:20) How AI assists with technical skills
(39:25) The flexibility and resourcefulness required to be an in-house tax manager
(41:20) Why Henny went back to being an in-house
(43:50) Advice for improving your soft skills
(45:30) Adapting your leadership style to the generation you are leading
(46:48) Lencioni's pyramid for high-performing teams
(48:20) The people Henny looks up to
(49:20) Adyen’s impressive CFO
(50:20) Henny’s final advice—why people never forget how you made them feel
(51:47) The tax pyramid
—
Referenced:
Adyen: https://www.adyen.com/
Rituals: https://www.rituals.com/
Building a Lean Tax Function: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/henny-verboom-27704218_building-a-lean-tax-function-exclusive-insights-activity-7171141045110394880-nQ1m/
Greatest Factor in Job Success: Soft Skills: https://edynamiclearning.com/greatest-factor-in-job-success-soft-skills/
Astrid Lindgren quote from Pippi Longstocking: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/6773397-i-have-never-tried-that-before-so-i-think-i
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (and how to overcome them): https://www.bitesizelearning.co.uk/resources/five-dysfunctions-of-a-team-summary-pyramid
Patrick Lencioni on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lencioni-orghealth/
Tony Robbins’s website: https://www.tonyrobbins.com/
Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80102204
Ethan Tandowsky on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethantandowsky
In this episode of Tax Leaders Unplugged, host Stevi Frooninckx chats to Karl Berlin, Vice President and Head of Tax at Ørsted, about his career journey and the importance of aligning tax goals with business goals. Karl shares his experiences starting his career immediately in-house as well as emphasizes the importance of understanding the business and building relationships with stakeholders, to advance in your own tax career.
Stevi and Karl also discuss the significance of sustainable and responsible tax behaviour and the accreditations and certifications that can demonstrate a company's commitment to these principles.
Key Takeaways:
– Aligning tax goals with business goals is crucial for capturing and protecting the value created by the business.
– Understanding the business and building stakeholder relationships are key to being an effective tax leader.
– Sustainable and responsible tax behavior involves transparently communicating tax practices and actively participating in the tax debate.
– Accreditations and certifications can provide credibility and demonstrate a company's commitment to sustainable tax practices.
– Younger tax professionals should focus on effective communication and understanding the business context to excel in their careers. Understanding tax rules in different countries is crucial for companies operating internationally.
– A background in law can provide a methodological approach to analyzing tax problems.
– Problem-solving skills are essential for tax managers.
In this episode of Tax Leaders Unplugged, host Stevi Frooninckx (CEO & Co-Founder @ Loctax) engages in a deep dive conversation with Steven Bosmans, VP of Global Tax and Chief Tax Officer at Avnet, a Fortune 500 global technology solutions company.
Steven shares his 20-year journey with Avnet, starting from working for tax authorities to moving into advisory roles and ultimately leading tax strategies at Avnet.
The discussion spans Steven's personal hobbies, his commitment to local societal contributions through nonprofit involvement, and his insights on the evolving tax landscape.
Steven reflects on the importance of maintaining a work-life balance, staying connected with the community, networking, and embracing the challenges and opportunities in the tax profession. The dialogue not only sheds light on the trajectory of a tax leader's career but also delves into future trends in the tax domain, including digitization, automation, and the growing demand for transparency and sustainability in tax practices.
