Episódios
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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
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Where to find Karine Halimi-Guez:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karine-halimi-guez-0515511Where To Find Stevi Frooninckx:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx
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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
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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
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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
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Where to find Wim Wuyts:
X: https://twitter.com/wuytsw
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
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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
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Referenced:
WTS: https://wts.com/global
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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
